Submitted by Jan Dugger and Teryn Robinson (Co-Chairs)
At the 2018 AHEAD Equity and Access Conference, the folks who assembled for the LGBTQA SIG meeting were really excited to share stories. They wanted to share stories not just with the SIG membership but with the larger AHEAD membership around the intersection of LGBTQA and disabled identities. Why? Personal stories unlock a personal connection between people. Storytelling can be transformative for both the storyteller and for the audience. Timothy Gardner (queer, male), who is the Learning Center Director at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, explains why he thought sharing stories beyond the LGBTQA SIG is important:
I was once in a conversation at the [AHEAD] conference where someone did not assume I was queer and said some things that were not supportive of LGBTQ people. I was able to listen, offer feedback and let the person know they were talking to someone who was queer. I find these moments to be empowering and speak to the ability for us to make change and educate people on an individual level with our stories.
Our stories and experiences are as diverse as we are. liz thomson (bisexual/queer, gender non-conforming), a graduate student in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, says:
As someone with multiple and intersecting identities, I see so many parallels and connections between disability, sexual orientation, race, and gender identity. For me, it’s about how diverse bodies [occupy] and [navigate] different spaces. Predominately white spaces. Straight spaces. Spaces intentionally made for 6-foot able bodied males. As a kid, I first grew into my feminist identity [, ] asserting that female bodies can do and be anywhere. Then in college, [as I grew into] my racial development, understanding the barriers for a dark-skinned, Vietnamese person. Then also, what it means to love someone else of the same gender identity. And now, having access to the world that is typically physically, cognitively, and mentally not inclusive.
Intersectionality is important. It’s a foundational aspect of the work we see ourselves doing with students with disabilities. Jaime Butler (lesbian, female), an External Program Specialist at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, shares what she’s thinking about intersectionality:
I have recently been processing through the concept of intersection and the impact it has on a student/staff/human being who has to juggle different, complicated identities. Complicated in the sense that both come with some significant challenges (how others perceive you, living in a heteronormative, ableist culture, etc.). I want to always be cognizant of those impacts and find ways to acknowledge the tensions within each identity so that students can feel wholly supported.
Supporting students is what we do. Everyone who has shared their stories in preparation for this article recognizes the importance of affirming students multiple and intersecting identities as we work with them in our disability services context. Chair of the Standing Committee on Diversity in Inclusion, Melanie Thornton (lesbian, female), who is the Coordinator of Access and Equity Outreach at the University of Arkansas Partners for Inclusive Communities, talks about seeing intersecting identities through a social justice lens and how her own experiences contribute to her work:
I think my experiences of oppression and discrimination help me to notice and see ableism more clearly. I see disability identity as an aspect of diversity and inclusion and access as a matter of social justice. It bothers me that disability is often talked about differently than race, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, and other aspects of diversity, and I'm motivated to change that. I also think that since I have been on the receiving end of oppression, discrimination, and even hatred as a result of my identity, it's very important to me not to contribute to that dynamic when it comes to Disabled people.
Our work with students is influenced by who we are. Debra A. Miller (lesbian, female), who serves as the Director of Northern Illinois University’s services for students with disabilities, agrees:
As a member of several marginalized groups, including LGBTQ, this informs my awareness in the work I do with students and colleagues as my level of sensitivity is heightened and present. The students with whom I work share their stories and struggles through various lenses and in unique ways. Being cognizant of intersecting identities is necessary as any given issue may be informed by this reality for them.
Jen Dugger (queer, cisgender female), Director of the Disability Resource Center at Portland State University and Co-Chair of the LGBTQA SIG, talks about how being conscious of and affirming of multiple intersecting identities is also important for how we work with our disability services staff colleagues:
It is so important to feel comfortable enough to bring your full self to work. I am the supervisor of my disability services team, and we're very intentional about creating a culture of inclusion so that everyone feels welcome coming into our space. For us, in relation to connecting with our LGBTQ students, that has included putting up rainbow flags, sending out notifications about queer and trans events happening through our weekly newsletter, and asking all potential employees in their interview how they would define diversity and inclusion and how they would demonstrate their commitment to both while working in our office. We've hired many, many professional and student staff in the time I've worked in the office and all of them are either queer/trans or have a strong ally commitment that I see on a regular basis.
This is truly affirming for those of us who have previously or do currently work at institutions where our LGBTQA identities were not affirmed. Butler notes, “[It’s very] important [to be out at work]. I used to work at an un-affirming, faith-based institution, and it was not good for my soul. I was asked to step down as a staff sponsor for a campus club because they suspected I might be homosexual. So, coming to a campus where I can be super-duper gay is wonderful.”
I agree with Butler. Early in my career, I also worked at a faith-based institution for two years. One evening, I found myself saying to the nun charged with leading our diversity committee and campus climate assessment, “It’s hard to be an atheist, pro-choice, queer person with a disability at our school.”
For those of you who need to feel affirmed, perhaps your colleagues’ stories here will help you. When talking about being “out” at work, David Guzman (gay, male), Exam Proctoring Program Coordinator at California State University at Fullerton, says:
When it comes to my LGBTQ identity, I would indeed consider myself 'out' to my colleagues and students on my campus. I wear my identity very transparently in the manner I express myself outwardly and how I interact with others. My self-expression typically will send a clear message to the outsider looking in and usually, with enough interaction, will confirm my identity to them. I consider myself a very colorful individual that doesn't shy away from utilizing every color in the crayon box when it comes to my outward appearance and the way I express my interests and likes in my immediate work area. As a gay Latinx man, I pride myself in the intersectionality of my identity which encompasses the multiple layers that make up who I am: gay, Latinx, male, first-generation college student, and agnostic.
We welcome you to share in the transformative process of telling your own stories as a “colorful individual” with multiple and intersecting identities and experiences. If you would like to take part in future storytelling opportunities with the LGBTQA SIG, or if you would like to know more about the intersections of disability and LGBTQ identities, please contact Teryn Robinson (robinson@mx.lakeforest.edu) or Jen Dugger (jen.dugger@pdx.edu) to get involved!
--written/complied by Teryn J. Robinson (queer, female), Co-Chair of the LGBTQA SIG, Assistant Dean of Faculty for Learning Support at Lake Forest College