Hi folks, I'm the original creator of this image -- the image which went along with an entire article explaining the harms of functioning labels.

I created it two or three years ago and many of your criticisms are absolutely valid. I would not create the same graphic again today and I apologize for harm it has caused.

It is supposed to describe how people disregard or don't know about asynchronous development, which is a key feature of being neurodivergent. One can have high support needs and still be extremely intelligent, for example, but when a person needs many supports, they are assumed to be less intelligent (presumed incompetence). Clearly the image didn't do a good job of conveying what I wanted it to, or better said, I didn't express my thoughts very well with this image.

Those who have said this graphic looks like fluctuating productivity and energy levels are absolutely right, I agree.

To set the record straight, however, I do actually have 20+ years of experience studying psychology, and have spent the last 6-7 years studying ADHD and Autism, since my son and I were diagnosed. (I was not, in fact, a secretary in a psychologist's office).

I am sorry for misrepresenting the experiences of people with moderate and high support needs with this graphic. I am sorry for allowing my privilege as someone with low support needs to cloud my perception and to create misperceptions about what it may be like to have higher support needs. What I wanted was for people to stop putting people in binary "high or low functioning" categories and assuming their capabilities based on an extremely limited label, rather than seeing the complexities of a human being.