#53: Book Review – Different, Not Less

I was amazed by Chloé Hayden’s performance in “Heartbreak High” since she is one of the few openly Autistic actors in the world. She is famous for having Autism and ADHD, and for her advocacy work. Her new book, “Different, Not Less” got my attention.

Disney

One of the first things that blew me away was how the author compared her struggles as a Neurodivergent person in the context of Disney characters. For example, Disney’s film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” from 1996. She mentions how much she relates to the main character, Quasimodo, and his struggle to be accepted by society when he is an outcast. She also mentions a song from the film, “God Help the Outcasts”, which is very powerful in how it asks God to help people who are outcasts from society, many Neurodivergent people understand this all too well.

Disabilities

In the book, Chloé Hayden is very upfront about her disabilities and how she cannot do many of the things that people normally do such as driving a car. For many people, they would feel ashamed for not being able to do basic things, but kudos to Chloé Hayden for being able to share her stories and not letting her disabilities hold her back. Even more so because our society today still demonizes disabilities and discriminates against people with them. In the book, she also discusses how she had encountered discrimination and mistreatment herself. It pains me to see discrimination happen, but the author’s story shows that it can happen to anyone with disabilities and that it happens more often than people realize.

Acceptance

Easily the most powerful part of the book is where Chloé Hayden discusses her struggles to be accepted. Many people who have a disability struggle for acceptance all the time. The battles are long, hard, and many: acceptance by family, acceptance by friends, acceptance at work, acceptance by society, etc. I am happy that she won many of those battles, biggest of all is being accepted and supported by her parents. Her story is beautiful and very inspiring and I hope others will be inspired as well in their struggle to be accepted by others.

Solutions

One issue I did have with the book is that it did not offer many solutions. There were some here and there, but the author’s premise of acceptance and embracing your true self to find your happily ever after comes up short. Also, the author enjoys many privileges and a level of support that many people with disabilities do not have.

Closing Thoughts

In closing, “Different, Not Less” left me feeling hopeful because many people who are Neurodivergent suffer alone without help. So, hearing Chloé Hayden’s stories was very inspiring. Using examples referencing Disney characters helps to bridge the gap and I can imagine many people reading the book will relate to many of the author's struggles just as I did. But for readers looking for solutions to the difficulties of living a Neurodivergent life, many will walk away disappointed. Overall, “Different, Not Less” is a good book and highly recommended.

4/5 Stars

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

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