Kylen Gartland
“My neurodivergence has become a core part of how I identify myself. I was diagnosed with OCD, PTSD, and GAD at 16 – though I had been demonstrating OCD symptoms since I was a toddler. I had long nurtured dreams of college and grad school leading to a career working in zoo research. I have always loved all things AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums). When I received my diagnoses, it felt like all those dreams became much less realistic. Media stigmatizes neurodivergence so deeply, that I believed the messages I had heard about myself – I was unreliable, unstable, too emotional, etc. Still, I am frequently questioned as to the “legitimacy” of my diagnoses. I don’t wash my hands repeatedly, so do I really have OCD? I’m still holding down a job/academic program, so I must be “fine” and just looking for attention. It has been almost a decade since I initially received my diagnoses, and I am still discovering myself and learning to manage my symptoms. I have still managed to graduate college, complete a masters of science, and (fingers crossed!) I will complete my PhD in 2021. I have found that, as time goes on, my identity grows and changes. I am and always think of myself as neurodiverse and disabled. However, I am also a scientist, a researcher, a hiker, a writer, an academic, a mentor, and a colleague. I have involved myself in disability advocacy and support as Chair of the Disability Access Caucus for my graduate student union through disability-related contributions to the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for @ASPVoice. I find myself walking a line between embracing myself as neurodivergent and not allowing it to erase my other equally-important identities.“
Instagram: @kylenngartland
Twitter: @kylen_gartland
