Petition to make neurodiversity a separate protected characteristic in the UK

I'd have to say that I'm feeling a bit discouraged now. I was expecting people on this site to be more enthusiastic about this. I know that not everyone has suffered bullying, mistreatment, or discrimination because of their condition, but it seems to me that there is at least one post per day from someone who has, or knows someone who has. If people here are not interested in this, how could the petition itself possibly be successful?

I'm sure the wording can be made to everyone's satisfaction, or at least we can come to some kind of consensus. I am thinking of putting up a webpage explaining the reasons for this and giving other people the opportunity to tell their own story of how they have suffered because the law only protects us if we can prove disability, which can be difficult in itself because of the very nature of the definition of disability given in the Equality Act.

People who are discriminated against because of their ethnic backgrounds, genders, etc, never have to go through a humiliating process of having to prove they are less able than others in order to be given protection under the law, but even though we are more often bullied, mistreated, and denied services and support than any other group (whether or not we individually consider our condition to be a disability), we have less legal protection than any other group. We are different, but that doesn't necessarily mean we are less able. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being a disabled person, but the way the law is written, one has to prove that one has a disability before one can be protected. This petition, if successful, would make sure that neurodivergent people are protected without having to go through that.

Of course, those with a particular condition who consider themselves disabled would still find themselves under the umbrella of the protected characteristic of disability, and would have the right to ask for reasonable adjustments, etc. The purpose of this petition is not to remove that protection, but rather to make sure that all neurodivergent people, not just those who consider themselves disabled, are protected from the mistreatment that we, more often than any other group, receive from others, not because we are disabled, but because we are different. I'm sure you'll agree that's not an unreasonable wish.

My intention would be that neurodiversity would be a protected characteristic on par with those other than disability, because disability has some extra protections (e.g. being able to ask for reasonable adjustments). As above, anyone who is a disabled person would be covered by the extra protection given to disabled people. The purpose of adding another protected characteristic is specifically to try to combat the stigma often associated with simply being considered different, because of autism, learning disabilities, Tourette's, ADHD, epilepsy, acquired and degenerative conditions, mental health conditions, etc.

This is not in any way a new idea; this was proposed in 2016 and probably before that as well. I think it just needs a show of support from the voting public in order to be seriously considered by the government. That is the reason for the petition.

Please at least vote in the poll, so I know that more than 8 people care about this. Thank you to the 8 people who already did vote.

I'd have to say that I'm feeling a bit discouraged now. I was expecting people on this site to be more enthusiastic about this. I know that not everyone has suffered bullying, mistreatment, or discrimination because of their condition, but it seems to me that there is at least one post per day from someone who has, or knows someone who has. If people here are not interested in this, how could the petition itself possibly be successful?

I'm sure the wording can be made to everyone's satisfaction, or at least we can come to some kind of consensus. I am thinking of putting up a webpage explaining the reasons for this and giving other people the opportunity to tell their own story of how they have suffered because the law only protects us if we can prove disability, which can be difficult in itself because of the very nature of the definition of disability given in the Equality Act.

People who are discriminated against because of their ethnic backgrounds, genders, etc, never have to go through a humiliating process of having to prove they are less able than others in order to be given protection under the law, but even though we are more often bullied, mistreated, and denied services and support than any other group (whether or not we individually consider our condition to be a disability), we have less legal protection than any other group. We are different, but that doesn't necessarily mean we are less able. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being a disabled person, but the way the law is written, one has to prove that one has a disability before one can be protected. This petition, if successful, would make sure that neurodivergent people are protected without having to go through that.

Of course, those with a particular condition who consider themselves disabled would still find themselves under the umbrella of the protected characteristic of disability, and would have the right to ask for reasonable adjustments, etc. The purpose of this petition is not to remove that protection, but rather to make sure that all neurodivergent people, not just those who consider themselves disabled, are protected from the mistreatment that we, more often than any other group, receive from others, not because we are disabled, but because we are different. I'm sure you'll agree that's not an unreasonable wish.

My intention would be that neurodiversity would be a protected characteristic on par with those other than disability, because disability has some extra protections (e.g. being able to ask for reasonable adjustments). As above, anyone who is a disabled person would be covered by the extra protection given to disabled people. The purpose of adding another protected characteristic is specifically to try to combat the stigma often associated with simply being considered different, because of autism, learning disabilities, Tourette's, ADHD, epilepsy, acquired and degenerative conditions, mental health conditions, etc.

This is not in any way a new idea; this was proposed in 2016 and probably before that as well. I think it just needs a show of support from the voting public in order to be seriously considered by the government. That is the reason for the petition.

Please at least vote in the poll, so I know that more than 8 people care about this. Thank you to the 8 people who already did vote.