Neuroconversion Therapy

A harmful practice imposed by the neuroarchy (the societal system where neurotypicals hold social dominance and expect autistic people to conform to their norms). Whereas LGBTQ+ conversion therapy is an official program run by organizations or religious groups, neuroconversion therapy is enforced systemically through everyday social pressure, without being formally named. Parents, teachers, therapists, doctors, employers, and society at large pressure autistic people to suppress their natural behaviors and adopt neurotypical social norms. This includes forced masking, discouraging stimming (engaging in repetitive movements or sounds that help with self-regulation), and requiring eye contact and small talk, even when very uncomfortable. Despite these differences in structure, both forms of conversion therapy serve the same purpose: changing a person’s identity and forcing them to conform to societal expectations. While often framed as "helpful training" or "professionalism," this process benefits neurotypical people by making interactions easier for them, while causing autistic people stress, burnout, and loss of identity.

From childhood, autistic people are informally subjected to neuroconversion therapy - parents scold them for stimming, teachers push them into social skills training, and employers expect them to mask fully successfully or be fired.

by RealHonestDefinition March 9, 2025

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