Blog #155: Why Daphne Blake from “Scooby Doo” Might Be Neurodiverse? (Part 2)

For the second of this two-part blog, I want to cover what other traits of neurodiversity that Daphne Blake from Scooby Doo displays that we may otherwise not see.

In the previous blog, I discussed that Daphne has a strong attention to detail, has a tendency to walk into danger, has empathy and likes routine: all examples of neurodiverse traits. But there are more traits that Daphne displays and that is what I will be covering in Part 2 of this blog. These traits, like the others in the last blog, are what is often overlooked by people.

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5. Behavior that Defies Social Norms

“At least I try to look feminine!”

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If there is one trait that Daphne often displays is that she has behaviors that defy social norms and surroundings. A high example of this is in the fan made film, “The Scooby Doo Project” (1999), where Daphne complains that her feet hurt and Velma retorts by asking is it their fault she wore high heels on a hiking trip.

Naturally, being that the gang were out in the woods at the time, it would make sense, but Daphne is a character that defies the surroundings she is sometimes in. Sometimes it’s necessary for her, for other times it’s not.

Take for example in “Scooby Doo and the Witch’s Ghost” (1999), Daphne wears a business suit in the film and to an outsider, it may draw attention to the fact that Daphne might be overdressed in a small-town setting. But that’s just how she appears in that social normality setting and nobody judges her for it.

She also wears a business suit in “Scooby Doo and the Cyber Chase” (2001) and the same thing happens again: she defies social norms and turns a casual visit to a college into her own personal affair by dressing up in a business suit. Furthermore, during the song “Hello Cyberdream,” she faces off against a samurai while wearing that same business suit.

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6. Stimming

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The next trait of Daphne’s that I would like to cover is her stimming. There are many ways we neurodiverse individuals can stim, but in Daphne’s case, she stims through her accessories and of course, her wardrobe.

But I do want to direct your attention towards the picture above…you may not see it but in the 13 Ghost of Scooby Doo episode, “Ship of Ghouls,” Daphne wears an outfit that also features a small bracelet on her right wrist.

You may wonder, why am I talking about a bracelet that is not even seen in this picture? Well, to be honest, there wasn’t a picture of her wearing the bracelet, but it is in the episode. A lot of neurodiverse individuals will often wear something that they can play around with if they are stressed or overstimulated. In the case of Daphne, she probably had on this bracelet as a stimming toy in case she got overly stressed.

Remember that in the episode, the gang was taking a vacation to calm Scooby Doo’s nerves, but what about her own nerves? Maybe Daphne was being proactive and wanted to wear a bracelet unless she got overstimulated during the mystery.

This could also be the reason why she wears a green scarf around her neck as part of her main wardrobe: it could be a stimming tool for her to play with when she gets stressed.

But either way, Daphne is a stimming kind of individual, whether its through her wardrobe or her behaviors.

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7. Turning a Passion into a Career

The next trait that Daphne displays is her ability in taking what she loves and turning it into a passionate career. This is especially the case in “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island” (1998) where she is a reporter for her own series, “Coast to Coast with Daphne Blake.”

The movie demonstrates that Daphne has a strong ability to use her abilities for something like a career move. Many neurodiverse individuals will often try to find a field where they can work in that utilizes not just their talents, but also gives them that sense of purpose that they are longing for.

Being a reporter in “Zombie Island” gave Daphne what she had been longing for to not only be in a profession where she looks pretty and professional, but also to share her interests with the outside world. Being an entrepreneur is never easy for anyone, especially if they are neurodiverse. We want to show our passion while maintaining our personalities because our personalities are unique in more ways than one.

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I will discuss more about an aspiring neurodiverse entrepreneur in my next blog, but I just wanted to give Daphne as an example.

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So, that’s going to cover what makes Daphne neurodiverse. If you think I missed anything, please let me know and I will consider a Part 3!!

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Catch you all later!!

#Animation #Diversity #Disability #Neurodiversity #Equality #Autism #ScoobyDoo #Inclusion