Sensory Sovereignty as a Revolutionary Civil Right—Make Sensory Access Enforceable with Legal Teeth and Direct Action

David Ruttenberg
Sep 8
4 min read

An image with scales of justice and a title: "Sensory Sovereignity Enforceable Rights"

<5 minute read

Introduction: Sensory Assault as Oppression

Sensory overload is systemic violence, unaddressed by narrow accessibility laws (Gould, 2022). As a creator of sensory wearables, I advocate for #SensorySovereignty: a civil right to control one's sensory world.

The Invisible Sovereignty Crisis

Fluorescent lights, echoing halls, chemical smells— these trigger meltdowns, anxiety, exclusion (Robertson & Simmons, 2015). For neurodivergent people, it's daily oppression, intersecting with race, class, and gender. Historical oversight: disability rights focused on ramps, ignoring sensory needs (Chapman, 2021). Consider the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which revolutionized physical access but left sensory accommodations as an afterthought, leading to ongoing exclusion in workplaces and public spaces (Blanck, 2020). In schools, for instance, auditory hypersensitivity can result in chronic absenteeism among autistic students, with studies showing up to 50% experiencing severe sensory-related distress (Ashburner et al., 2008). This crisis is compounded for marginalized groups: Black and Latinx neurodivergent individuals often face misdiagnosis or punitive responses to sensory behaviors, exacerbating racial disparities in education and healthcare (Mandell et al., 2009). Globally, urban environments amplify the problem—think bustling cities like New York or London, where constant noise and visual stimuli create barriers to participation, employment, and mental health (Gould, 2022).

Envisioning Enforceable Rights

Mandate adjustable environments, modulation tech, and penalties for harassment. Drafting such laws requires iterative co-design with the full spectrum of sensory profiles. Urban noise engineers, disability attorneys, HVAC specialists, and community organizers must sit at the same table, steered by neurodivergent facilitators wielding decision power (Pellicano et al., 2020). This could include real-time AI apps that allow users to report and mitigate sensory violations, building on my work in ethical wearables that provide personalized alerts without invasive data collection.

Radical Implementation

Sensory-neutral zones in schools, workplaces; AI wearables for personal alerts. Precedents: noise ordinances in cities like Seattle, expanded radically (Casey & Krieger, 2023). Implementation must be holistic—public buildings equipped with dimmable lights, scent-free policies, and vibration-dampening materials, enforced through annual audits and fines similar to environmental regulations (Environmental Protection Agency, 2022). In workplaces, this means mandatory sensory breaks and customizable offices, proven to boost productivity and reduce burnout in neurodivergent employees (Scott et al., 2021). Radically, extend this to transportation: quiet cars on trains or sensory-mapping apps for navigation, addressing how current systems exclude those with auditory processing differences (Robertson & Simmons, 2015). On a policy level, integrate sensory sovereignty into international human rights frameworks, like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to protect against global inequities (United Nations, 2006).

Building Momentum Through Action

Direct action like sit-ins has worked in civil rights—apply it here (Ne'eman, 2020). Challenges: enforcement costs, but benefits in health and productivity outweigh them (Baron-Cohen, 2020). Momentum is growing through grassroots efforts: campaigns in Australia have led to sensory-inclusive school guidelines, reducing exclusion rates by 30% (Ashburner et al., 2008). To scale this, link sensory sovereignty to broader movements—environmental justice (e.g., fighting urban pollution that exacerbates sensory overload) and labor rights (e.g., unions demanding sensory accommodations in contracts) (Scott et al., 2021). Address intersectionality by prioritizing voices from underrepresented groups, ensuring that solutions combat not just ableism but also racism and classism in sensory access (Mandell et al., 2009). Direct action could include "sensory strikes," where communities occupy non-compliant spaces, demanding immediate changes and building public awareness through social media amplification.

Call for Participation and Co-Design

Sensory Audit Corps: Train to measure light, sound, and chemical loads in schools, transit, and workplaces; feed data into an open map of violators and exemplars.
Legislative Strike Teams: Pair lawyers with lived-experience advocates to author Sensory Rights Acts and testify before councils.
Direct-Action Collective: Coordinate sensory sit-ins—peaceful occupations of non-compliant spaces until remediation plans are signed. Co-design audits and laws with neurodivergent communities for true equity.

Conclusion: Claim Your Sensory Rights

Sensory sovereignty is freedom. Let's enforce it.

#SensoryRevolution #CoDesignAccess #NeurodivergentRights

About the Author:

Dr David Ruttenberg PhD, FRSA, FIoHE, AFHEA, HSRF is a neuroscientist, autism advocate, Fulbright Specialist Awardee, and Senior Research Fellow dedicated to advancing ethical artificial intelligence, neurodiversity accommodation, and transparent science communication. With a background spanning music production to cutting-edge wearable technology, Dr Ruttenberg combines science and compassion to empower individuals and communities to thrive. Inspired daily by their brilliant autistic daughter and family, Dr Ruttenberg strives to break barriers and foster a more inclusive, understanding world.

References

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