Disability and Queerness: Navigating the Intersections of Identity

Disabled people and those who term themselves LGBTIQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, flexible gender identity, etc.) often have to deal with similar issues in society, such as discrimination, restriction of access to facilities, or lack of space to represent themselves. Nevertheless, these may engender ambiguous interactions when both national and cosmopolitan identities coincide in a single individual.

Both these communities are not monolithic since they include people from various experiences. People can simultaneously represent different marginalized communities, resulting in unique perspectives that depend on the internalized experiences at the intersections. The example of a person using a wheelchair who considers himself asexual is such that his story can be distinguishable from the story of a disabled asexual or from that of a non-sexual disabled person. Personifying how multiple social identities intersect is highly instrumental in knowing the distinctive depth and nuance lived by a person.

As a queer person with disabilities, I persistently encounter separate barriers in obtaining an inclusive healthcare system, sex/relationships, and queer/disabled space. Navigating through a network of healthcare providers who are sensitive to LGBTQ+ health issues constitutes a real challenge. Thus, finding health providers who are not only disabled-friendly but also trained in supporting this population of patients is almost impossible. For LGBTQ+ youth, the area of disability is often a dark spot in disability education curricula designed for them. Usually, stepping into unaccommodating queer nightlife spots or dating apps brings sight of the divides ADA creates, including ableism of language or choices. However, such existence imposes noticeable difficulties on a space like inclusive healthcare, sexuality/relationships, and queer/disabled areas. Having learned or attained medical professionals addressed LGBTQ+ health issues or even disability can be hard to find. The mains stream disability spaces are usually too dominated by heteronormativity, and they do not comprehend, or even they are sometimes opposed to Queerness. This clarifies why intersectionality is the most significant part of services to the marginalized.

With disenfranchisement being a facet of the lives of those who have both queer and disabled identities, they nevertheless show us what resilience and self-determination look like. Various organizations like the National LGBTQ Task Force Disability Action Network mobilize queer disabled people into a voice in the community. #DisabledAndCute and #DeafGain hashtags are meant to exalt the advantaged attributes and talents of different disability groups. Similarly, there are movements against the concept that differently-abled individuals lack a vivacious romantic/sex life that intends to dismantle that misconception. The works of musicians and artists from across the spectrum explore the complex human storytelling that portrays authentic queer, disabled role models. For example, through advocacy, a society proceeds towards achieving more fully the objective of removing or instead including and embracing marginalized people in policies and culture.

Even though sorting out and comprehending their complex identities may differ, there is always the possibility of gaining a richer bond when people understand each other. Sharing the lights of different interlocked positions cultivates more profound thinking of grouped freedom for everyone. Through diversification and inclusiveness of association and resource allocation procedures to respect multiple identities, society can show support and empower every person’s worthiness regardless of their differences and similarities.