"neurodivergent punks" shirt PRE ORDER

Neurodivergent punks! I was recently diagnosed with autism, and Adhd (AUdhd) and upon reflection, realising that much of my life choices, difficulties and idiosyncrasies are very much woven into my neurodivergence. I have reached out to friends who are also on the autistic / adhd spectrum, to get feedback. I wanted to make an advocacy shirt, which shows the many facets of being someone on the spectrum.

The main character, is removing their mask - 'masking' is the act of maintaining a facade of calm and confidence which is mentally and physically exhausting for neurodivergent people. Often after diagnosis, folks will begin to process this subconscious act and become more aware of it.

The characters in the background represent the attributes often associated with neurodivergence - hyper focus, special interests. They also offer a place of calm and sanctuary.

The light bulbs represent both sparks of creativity, but also whether someone is 'on or off' - sometimes neurodivergent people don't have the social battery to interact, and also suffer from burn out, where the psychological toll of functioning in the neurotypical world, requires rest.

The candles represent meltdowns, often we are so overwhelmed by the way modern life is structured, and the expectations placed on us, we cannot always control our feelings. This can manifest in a variety of ways.

The chains, and breaking those chains, represent rigid thinking. Becoming tethered to routines, hyper focusing on doing things a certain way, can be a source of comfort, but also a source of great discomfort if you can't adhere to those routines.

The padlocks and keys represent the fact that neurodivergent people can sometimes struggle to understand other peoples perspectives of things, and also sometimes feel misunderstood by others. Its a source of worry, but also through communication, it is possible to greater understand other people, but also for them to understand your perspective

'Anti social - social justice' - often neurodivergent folks will enjoy social interaction, but that time can often be very limited and exhausting. That social battery will very quickly empty. We may not be able to do things because its outside our comfort zone, but it doesn't mean we are not committed to being an ally of other communities, and wish to be part of them, and support them.

Punk for me, is a dichotomy. Being a punk is everything to me, but its also a source of a great deal of social anxiety. Being in bands is incredibly stressful, and triggers a lot of my neurodivergent tendencies. But its also a source of great joy and catharsis. This shirt is about advocating for other folks on the spectrum.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/
in their own words -

"Autistic children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. We stand with them, champion their rights​ and create opportunities.

We run specialist schools and colleges, national youth and employability programmes and we campaign for change.

We work with others to increase autism acceptance. We see a future where every autistic child and young person can be themselves and realise their ambitions"

White vegan ink on black ethical 100% organic cotton, stanley/stella shirts
size chart in photos