Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast

Being atypical isn’t a deficit. Soumya Mishra shares their journey understanding and reclaiming their Neuroqueer (Neurodivergent queer) identity Soumya is a neuroqueer development sector professional with over 6 years of work experience, who is primarily interested in leveraging digital mediums to amplify marginalised voices, bridge existing gaps, promote inclusivity and accessibility. Their work and approaches are informed by their lived experiences. Building a community and fostering a sense of belongingness have been crucial in Soumya's work approach. As a personal project, they're also building a podcast — Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast — to chronicle the stories of queer-disabled folx in India as these stories are often relegated to the margins. 👉🏽 This article is part of our Lived Experience series where we speak to people from underrepresented communities for better health outcomes. This series furthers our motto - Personal stories, community wisdom To learn more about Soumya's #LivedExperience, read the full article on www.muchmuchspectrum.com (link in the comments 🔗) #MuchMuchSpectrum #Neurodivergent #LGBTQIA #Neurodiverse #DiversityEquityInclusion #Disability #GenderEquity #DevelopmentSector #Neurodiversity #India #Stories

On February 3rd this year, I was invited to speak at the India International Center in New Delhi for a Youth Roundatble Discussion on Multicultural Queer Disabled Narratives presented by Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast in partnership with The Red Door and Queerbeat. At the table, I shared my perspective of having worked in the development sector for a little over a year on what organizations can do beyond just satisfying the tick mark of hiring queer and disabled people. Thank you Soumya Mishra and Shafali Chadha M.Ed for extending this opportunity to me and Ayushmita Samal (she/her) for moderating the panel. It was truly a special day where I was left with a fulfilling feeling of how beautifully messy our queer and disabled identities could look and the strength we all hold in a world not built for us. The recording of the event can be accessed here - https://lnkd.in/gK_--Dmx

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 I am thrilled to share that I have contributed a chapter to the forthcoming book, Marginalised Groups in India: Historiography, Politics, and Policies. This incredible opportunity, kindly extended by Kunal Debnath, PhD, has allowed me to delve into the narratives of neuroqueer individuals—those who exist at the intersection of neurodivergence and queerness. In my chapter, I have strived to shed light on the unique struggles and triumphs faced by neuroqueer people in India. Their stories are a testament to resilience, courage, and the ongoing fight for recognition and inclusion. The book is now available for pre-order now at https://lnkd.in/gqdE86fm, and I am excited for its release. I hope it serves as a valuable resource for understanding and advocating for marginalised communities in India. A big thank you to Kunal Debnath, PhD for allowing me to contribute to this book project. A huge thank you to Soumya Mishra who allowed me to utilise Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast as a primary resource. I am excited for the release of this book. #Neuroqueer #Neurodivergence #Queer #Inclusion #MarginalisedGroups #India #Historiography #Politics #Policies #BookRelease

This weekend, I was invited by the folks at Believe In the Invisible to engage in an evening of disabled joy, love, rage, art, storytelling and conversations. I shared my experiences as a queer-disabled person and our journey at Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast. Very few spaces make me feel like I belong, where I don’t feel invisibilised, and this was one such space. Here are some reflections from the evening: - Our well-being as disabled individuals shouldn't be sacrificed to maintain others' comfort. Our lives, bodies, and experiences are complex and authentic, including our rightful frustration with an ableist society.    - Disabled bodies shouldn't be objectified as sources of either pity or inspiration for able-bodied individuals. - Mere policies and words on paper lack significance without consistent implementation in everyday actions. Bridging this divide is crucial. - Speaking up isn't optional for disabled individuals; it's often a necessity despite its toll on our well-being, given the systemic barriers we face. - While it's vital to confront ableist behaviours, we must also examine how identity politics sometimes shields individuals from accountability, particularly when hurt/ harm/ exclusion has been expressed within our own community spaces.

Yesterday, I got an opportunity to lead a podcasting session for a group of queer and trans folks, which was a way of giving back to the community. During the session, I discussed our experiences and endeavours with Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast. It was a full-circle moment for me, as I recalled receiving a seed grant from Point of View back in December 2022 to kickstart Atypical Dikkatein. Now, being invited to facilitate this workshop felt like life coming full circle. The most memorable aspect of the day was the sense of warmth, hope, and shared moments of happiness within our community. Thanks for having me Point of View and Nazariya QFRG. 🌻 #CommunityBuilding

One question I get to hear more than any other - "So... what exactly is #Autism?" Pleaaseeee do NOT google 'What is autism?', it will throw up all sorts of mixed up information. You will get to hear different things from different people. So, what's the truth? And where should you read about autism? #ActuallyAutistic people are the best people to tell you about their lives. If you're not aware about the growing community of #Autistic individuals, you need to look up some people I'm gonna mention here. The Autistic community in India and globally is HUGEEEE! (Don't believe me? Come check the comments section of any of our posts or videos at Much Much Spectrum on our socials and you'll know). Here are some resources: Much Much Spectrum (ofc! The fastest-growing global community & content platform for all things disability, neurodivergence & health -- plus LOTS of intersectional experiences from across the spectrum) Also - NeuroClastic, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, The National Autistic Society, Ummeed Child Development Center, Action for Autism, National Centre for Autism India, Sonny Jane Wise, Neurodivergent_lou, Jhillika Kumar, Aalap Deboor, Dr.Ajay D., Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast, Soumya Mishra, Shreya Sridhar, Swara Swami, Aniket Kadam, Pranav Sethi, Preeti Dixit, Akshay CM (he/them) 🏳️🌈, Devrupa Rakshit (She/They), Anindita Kundu 🏳️🌈, Praveen Kolluguri MBA, Talking Fingers Indian Non-Speaking Autistics, Aditi Sowmyanarayan, Suhasini Sundaresan, Pranav Bakhshi, Nehal Tiwari, Usaid Shaikh, Rakesh BS, Vir Kapoor, Rohan Dixit, Nikhil Sharma, Pranav Nair, Joel Godi, Asha Sreedhar, Usha Rengaraju, Preethi Srinivasan, Ved Gangoly, Tayzeem Rasool, Sudhanshu Grover, Rakshita Shekhar, Tarun Paul, Risshan Patil, Maitreya Matale, Srideep Dutta, Aarti Nagarkar, Ananya Halarnkar, and many many MANY more wonderful people! 🌻♾️ #AutismAcceptanceMonth #AutismAcceptance #AutismAwareness #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #InvisibleDisability

Delighted to share insights from my recent participation at the Indian Anthropology Congress, organised by Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropologists and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) in Bhopal. I presented an excerpt from my research project, focusing on the challenges encountered by neuroqueer individuals in accessing various institutions and their advocacy endeavours. Acknowledging Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast and the host Soumya Mishra specifically for graciously allowing me to utilise their podcast series as a primary resource for my study. Their invaluable contributions enriched my research significantly. #Neuroqueer #Research #Anthropology #IGRMS #INCAA #AtypicalDikkatein 🌈✨

For many of us who hail from different vulnerable backgrounds, our educational institutions can be spaces where we end up accumulating a lot of trauma. And as a late-identified autistic person, this has been the case for me. Making our educational institutions accessible and accommodating to disabled and neurodivergent learners is extremely important. Not just regular sensitisation sessions on these topics for the administration and students but also sharing resources and making conversations accessible to all is equally important. Last month, I got to talk about gender, disability and neurodivergence with some of the students at Miranda House, which I hope was helpful to the participants and attendees. Almost a decade back, when I was navigating one of my first autistic burnouts, and when I had no access to this topic or support and resources to understand myself, my challenges and needs, I couldn't perform well academically and was behind my peers. As a young person, I took this as a personal failure and not as a systemic issue, and that significantly impacted my self-esteem. I couldn't score enough to get into the top colleges in India. Delhi University is one of them. I felt vindicated last month when I engaged with the students at Miranda House. Usually, here, we see people sharing their successes. Still, I wouldn't want to sanitise my journey or polish off the challenges I've had to overcome. Being authentic to myself also means claiming spaces without having to censor parts of my narrative. Autistic people like me can assume leadership positions when we get appropriate support and accommodations to navigate a world which otherwise excludes and invisibilises us. Thanks to Liya Ann Mary for roping me in for this session. #NeurodiversityInclusion Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast

Can Pride truly celebrate queer folx without engaging in political discourse? Listen to the intricacies of queer existence, identities, and politics through panelists including Avatari Devi, a drag artist and filmmaker, Dr. Dhiren Borisa, a Dalit queer poet and professor, and me, a neuroqueer person. #IntersectionalFeminism #QueerRights #DisabilityRights #NeurodiversityInclusion Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast

Recently, I got the opportunity to share my journey and perspectives as a neuroqueer individual, delving into topics of neurodivergence, invisible disabilities, and queerness. Facilitating these discussions to reach diverse audiences has been a deeply personal mission, particularly as I lacked such resources while navigating the complexities of being undiagnosed as autistic during my formative years. The aim is to offer support and insight to others who may be facing similar experiences. I encourage you to explore and engage with it! https://lnkd.in/gSgY9y9w #NeurodiversityInclusion #DisabilityInclusion #QueerInclusion Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast