16/06/2026
🌈For Neurodiversity Pride Day, one of our team reflected on their time as part of the Royal Navy in the early 1990s, when being openly gay in the military could still lead to discharge, loss of medals and loss of career.
Looking back now, there’s recognition of how exhausting it must have been for LGBTQ+ people to constantly hide parts of themselves just to feel safe or accepted.
As he shared:
“I can say from personal experience that the lifting of this ban had no negative effect on the operational effectiveness of the military, and I would argue that it increased productivity by freeing gay and le***an service personnel from the effort of hiding their sexual orientation which must have been exhausting (this is also similar to how masking must feel for the neuro-diverse population) . It also led to homophobia diminishing, and a more inclusive culture and workspace...”
For many neurodivergent LGBTQ+ people, that experience of masking can feel deeply familiar.
Many q***r neurodivergent people grow up feeling different in more ways than one - adapting, camouflaging and trying to fit into environments that weren’t designed with them in mind. Whether that’s hiding sexuality, suppressing autistic traits, managing ADHD challenges quietly, or trying to avoid judgement altogether, the emotional impact of constantly masking can be significant.
But when people are accepted as they are, things change. Inclusion creates safer workplaces, healthier relationships, stronger communities and environments where people can genuinely thrive.
Neurodiversity Pride Day is a reminder that neurodivergent LGBTQ+ people should never feel they have to choose between authenticity and acceptance.
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