The Clarity Project was started when, following my late ADHD diagnosis, I began to observe many other girls with ADHD who were diagnosed late. Another condition that is not often observed in girls is Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, which my best friend was only recently diagnosed with. The Clarity Project is an event to spread awareness of ADHD and ASD symptoms in girls and how to better accommodate those who have these conditions.
ADHD and ASD are conditions that people think of as pretty visible, like hyperactivity for ADHD and struggle to make eye contact for ASD. This is more often true for boys, however, as their symptoms tend to be external whereas girls tend to have more internal symptoms. Girls with ADHD are more likely to have issues with self esteem than boys with ADHD. This is in part due to Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which is intense emotional reactions to situations such as rejection or criticism that many with ADHD experience. However, self esteem being lower in girls with ADHD is also the result of living in a patriarchal society in which girls are expected to act in certain ways that boys are often not. ADHD characteristics are much more observable and acceptable in boys, like impulsivity and hyperactivity, and girls who exhibit this behavior are likely to be more heavily scrutinized as compared to boys. As for Autism Spectrum Disorder, a very similar situation is found. It is observed that autistic girls can often more effectively mask their symptoms due to societal expectations for girls. This often results in a burnout in young adult women with ASD, which often comes with depressive symptoms. Recognizing symptoms of ASD and ADHD, especially at a young age, is so beneficial and so clarifying. It makes girls with ADHD and ASD feel far less alone.
I invited two very impactful female celebrities to talk about their experiences growing up neurodivergent and how it can both help and sometimes hurt their careers. It’s important to recognize the struggles of neurodivergent women as well as the successes because our struggles so often go unacknowledged.
Solange, a singer with ADHD, will be one of our guest speakers! She will also be performing some of her music, so be sure not to miss that!
Greta Thunberg, a climate activist with ASD, will be another one of our speakers. She will be talking about both her career and her life before she devoted herself to protecting the planet.
We are very excited and grateful for our guests’ appearances and we hope you all are, too!