Neuroqueering on the lawn

In 1857, the British author Charles Dickens encountered a dramatic emotional outburst from his houseguest, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, on his garden lawn. Andersen received news of a bad book review and reacted with a full meltdown, sobbing uncontrollably and weeping openly. This scene took place in the Victorian era, a period known for strict social norms emphasizing emotional restraint, especially among men. Dickens, who prided himself on controlling emotions in his novels and personal life, found himself unable to manage Andersen's display of distress. The lawn symbolized the boundary between private and public spaces, where emotional expression was expected to remain invisible. This event foreshadowed Dickens' own public scandal the following year, when rumors of his affairs became widely discussed.

Disaster bisexuality is a modern term used to describe individuals who express emotions openly, intensely, and sometimes overwhelmingly, often to the point of social disruption. It is not a formal identity or diagnosis but a way of interpreting behavior that defies social expectations. The term has gained popularity online, particularly among those familiar with internet culture, to describe people or fictional characters who live, love, and feel with great intensity before experiencing emotional breakdowns. Examples include characters from TV shows like Bridgerton or Saltburn. The concept highlights how some individuals exceed societal norms for emotional expression, often leading to social chaos that requires wit or resilience to navigate.

Neuroqueering is a practice that challenges societal norms about how bodies, minds, and emotions should behave. Unlike an identity label, it is described as a verb—an action rather than a fixed category. The term combines neurodivergent (referring to people whose neurological development differs from what is considered typical, such as autistic individuals) and queering (a concept from queer theory that involves disrupting or subverting norms). Neuroqueering questions why certain forms of speech, emotion, and recovery are treated as natural or superior. It draws on the work of scholars like Nick Walker and M Remi Yergeau, who argue that society enforces invisible rules about acceptable behavior, such as emotional restraint, verbal fluency, and timely responses.

Neuroqueer excess refers to behavior that exceeds societal expectations for emotional expression, embodiment, or desire. It is not merely about flamboyance or pathology but about a refusal to conform to narrow emotional constraints. This excess often emerges from individuals on the margins of society, such as those who dress or act outside established norms. Unlike camp or queer transgression, neuroqueer excess does not rely on shared cultural codes or irony; it often fails to be easily understood by others. It acts as a demand to be noticed and accepted on the individual's own terms. Examples include effeminate men or performers like Leigh Bowery, whose bold and unapologetic expressions of identity challenged societal norms during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s Britain.

In 19th-century England, neuronormativity and heteronormativity dictated strict codes of conduct, particularly for men. A gentleman was expected to exhibit emotional restraint, physical discipline, and adherence to moral standards, often referred to as the 'stiff upper lip.' Charles Dickens embodied these ideals, carefully curating his public image despite his own emotional struggles, such as his childhood trauma of being rejected by his first love. Dickens' discomfort with Andersen's emotional outburst on his lawn stemmed from his commitment to these norms. He even advised Andersen to suppress his emotions, telling him, 'Never allow yourself to be upset by the papers,' reflecting the Victorian expectation to conceal vulnerability in public spaces.

Leigh Bowery was an Australian performance artist active during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s Britain. His work, including explorations of bodily fluids and outrageous fashion, challenged societal norms that demanded queer bodies remain discreet and manageable. Bowery's performances, such as 'Birthing' in 1994, were deemed intolerable by institutions like Westminster Council, which canceled his shows on grounds of being pornographic. His nightclub, Taboo, was shut down in 1986 after media reports of drug use. Bowery's refusal to make himself 'palatable' to audiences led to severe backlash, culminating in his death from AIDS-related illness five weeks after his final performance was canceled. His boldness highlights how neuroqueer excess disrupts societal expectations of respectability.

The Victorian era drew a strict line between private and public spaces, with emotional expression reserved for private domains. The lawn in Dickens' garden symbolized this boundary, as it was part of the domestic sphere yet publicly visible. Andersen's meltdown on the lawn ruptured this boundary, exposing the fragility of the household's moral and emotional discipline. This event foreshadowed Dickens' own public scandal in 1858, when he published a personal statement in The Times denying rumors of affairs, only to face public outrage for turning private issues into a public spectacle. Similarly, in 2025, a brief public embrace between two executives at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts became a global morality play, leading to their resignations. These examples illustrate how public displays of emotion or distress threaten the illusion of control in modern society.