Petition to make neurodiversity a separate protected characteristic in the UK

I should give more info. Probably there are many people who don't know what is meant by "protected characteristic".

In the UK, there are laws against discrimination, harassment, etc. against individuals based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, etc. Those are called "protected characteristics".

Even though we are often bullied and mistreated as part of our day-to-day lives because of our condition, we, as people on the spectrum, or those with ADHD, dyslexia, etc., are protected from this treatment only if we can each legally prove that our condition amounts to a disability under section 6 of the Equality Act (2010). Bullying itself is not actually against the law in this country, unless it is because of one of the protected characteristics.

In order to prove we have a disability, and thus be protected by the law, we have to show that we have a physical or mental impairment that is long-term and has a substantial detrimental impact on our day-to-day activities (almost the exact words used). The first two conditions are satisfied as long as we have been diagnosed (I guess those who are waiting for a diagnosis would have difficulty proving this), but, since autism or other developmental disorders or learning difficulties are so-called "hidden" disabilities (which I assume means that someone can't tell you have it just by looking at you, though for some it is more obvious than others), it is difficult for one to prove the nature and magnitude of the impact one's condition has on one's day-to-day activities. Often, the difficulties we have in our day-to-day activities are caused not by the condition itself, but by the reaction others have to the condition.

What I mean to say is:

The thing which "disables" us is sometimes the discrimination or harassment we suffer because of the condition, whereas we may or may not be "disabled" by the condition itself. Therefore, it is sometimes extremely difficult for us to prove that we are disabled in order to get the protection granted by the Equality Act. That is, we suffer mistreatment and bullying to a greater extent than do neurotypical people, and this treatment is due to our condition, but if an indvidual happens to be unfortunate enough to fall into the grey area of not quite "normal", but not quite impaired enough to be "disabled", that person just has to endure whatever treatment others decide to direct toward him or her, no matter how distressing or unfair it may be.

If neurodiversity were a protected characteristic, the discrimination we suffer because of the intolerance of others to our behaviours, personalities, social difficulties, and other traits of our various types of conditions (e.g.Tourette's, ADHD, dyslexia) would not be legally tolerated and we would not be required to go through the sometimes humiliating process of having to prove that we count as a disabled person according to the Equality Act. That is the purpose of this petition.

I should give more info. Probably there are many people who don't know what is meant by "protected characteristic".

In the UK, there are laws against discrimination, harassment, etc. against individuals based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, etc. Those are called "protected characteristics".

Even though we are often bullied and mistreated as part of our day-to-day lives because of our condition, we, as people on the spectrum, or those with ADHD, dyslexia, etc., are protected from this treatment only if we can each legally prove that our condition amounts to a disability under section 6 of the Equality Act (2010). Bullying itself is not actually against the law in this country, unless it is because of one of the protected characteristics.

In order to prove we have a disability, and thus be protected by the law, we have to show that we have a physical or mental impairment that is long-term and has a substantial detrimental impact on our day-to-day activities (almost the exact words used). The first two conditions are satisfied as long as we have been diagnosed (I guess those who are waiting for a diagnosis would have difficulty proving this), but, since autism or other developmental disorders or learning difficulties are so-called "hidden" disabilities (which I assume means that someone can't tell you have it just by looking at you, though for some it is more obvious than others), it is difficult for one to prove the nature and magnitude of the impact one's condition has on one's day-to-day activities. Often, the difficulties we have in our day-to-day activities are caused not by the condition itself, but by the reaction others have to the condition.

What I mean to say is:

The thing which "disables" us is sometimes the discrimination or harassment we suffer because of the condition, whereas we may or may not be "disabled" by the condition itself. Therefore, it is sometimes extremely difficult for us to prove that we are disabled in order to get the protection granted by the Equality Act. That is, we suffer mistreatment and bullying to a greater extent than do neurotypical people, and this treatment is due to our condition, but if an indvidual happens to be unfortunate enough to fall into the grey area of not quite "normal", but not quite impaired enough to be "disabled", that person just has to endure whatever treatment others decide to direct toward him or her, no matter how distressing or unfair it may be.

If neurodiversity were a protected characteristic, the discrimination we suffer because of the intolerance of others to our behaviours, personalities, social difficulties, and other traits of our various types of conditions (e.g.Tourette's, ADHD, dyslexia) would not be legally tolerated and we would not be required to go through the sometimes humiliating process of having to prove that we count as a disabled person according to the Equality Act. That is the purpose of this petition.

I'd find it quite important to add into the info you're putting online with the petition that bit about what a protected characteristic is and other examples of current ones.