CONTEXT:

The concept of intersectionality has its roots in feminist scholarship and activism and arose initially to consider the interaction between race and gender, with the recognition of the particular disadvantage and oppression faced by black women in the US. Key figures in the early development of the idea are Audre Lorde and Kimberle Crenshaw. (Taylor, 2019, Womankind Wordwide.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc

In three separate filmed interviews (below); intersectional identities are explored through the lens of lived experience, and the interaction of other aspects of the individuals’ identities are viewed in relation to disability. (Wickenden 2023).

BACKGROUND:

Film #1 Race and Disability:

Para Olympian Ade Adepitan gives an amazing explanation of systemic racism.  Intersecting Race and disability, Adepitan accounts his experience as a black male, wheelchair user. To give context, born in Nigeria, grew up in East London, Adepitan, contracted Polio at 15 months old losing the use of both his legs, he attended main stream school, where he developed a passion for wheelchair basketball. In 2004 he competed for Team GB at the Summer Paralympics winning Bronze.  As he explains, evidenced within the Para-Olympic movement if people of mixed ability are given the opportunity they will shine.

Adepitan recalls first hand his experience of extreme discrimination as a person who intersects race and disability.  During the 80’s experiencing verbal abuse on the streets against both identities. While overt discrimination is no longer his experience and inclusive practise towards wheel chair users is being addressed to a certain degree, still the most basic accessibility in transport and environment are still not resolved and inclusive.  As schemes and policy are discussed, and implemented, and there is a shift in attitude and experience, unseen systemic discrimination is still present in our society, and it is this that prohibits desired life decision around education and career choices for both race and disability.

Film #2 – “Friends and Strangers” Christina Sun Kim

American artist Christina Sun Kim is the daughter of South Korean immigrant parents, both hearing, Christina and her older sister Jayne, are both deaf.  At school she was denied access to arts subjects and certain courses, due to her disability. In her work as she explores the theme of visibility and representation of deaf the voice, through graphic language, sound installation and performance. 

As a young artist moving to New York, a place full of hearing people she had to navigate fearlessly, because as she puts it ‘I had to, I had no choice’.  As a deaf woman she has had to access, as she explains the hearing world in order to communicate her message as an artist.  She now lives in Berlin, lives with her partner and daughter.  She chooses to live in Germany due to the access of free childcare, and a more inclusive environment.

Film#3 – Intersectionality in Focus – Chay Brown

Chay Brown is a transman with mental health difficulties, and co-founder of TransActual, an organisation advocating for inclusive healthcare and wellbeing for the trans community. He talks about his intersecting identities as a trans, gay white man, who is sis passing, and as such privileged as his disabilities are largely hidden. The challenges faced are due to his neurodiversity and learning the codes and subtleties of communication and behaviour within the gay community. 

He advocates accessibility within the LGBTQ+ community, as he explains, ‘visibility and inclusion are not considered unless experienced’.  Although the very basic considerations of accessibility are being addressed, the unseen disabilities concerning sensory challenges, social anxiety, learning codes are not being addressed. 

REFLECTION:

I am drawn to the parallels discussed in these three interviews, and how individuals identifying as disabled highlight exclusion as a shared experience.  We see through all three subjects the need to be visible in a world that is not designed for disability. All subjects drew reference to the challenges of negotiating a world where accessibility, whether basic environmental, travel, education or public facilities are not fully inclusive. Accessing space seems like a measure that needs to be addressed to allow full inclusion to all members of society.  We understand the challenges through the lived experience of Para Olympian Ade Adepitan who intersects race and disability, as a black male, wheelchair user, and Chay Brown intersecting queerness and disability as a transman with mental health difficulties, both discuss safety concerns due to discrimination and safe accessibility to public spaces; toilets, transport, environment, and how these basic needs are confronted on a daily basis.  Access to a full educational experience and social support are heightened as issues for members of the disabled community, as discussed by American artist Christina Sun Kim, a deaf, female of Korean heritage, was denied access to certain courses at school due to her disability, we also see this in the story of Adepitan, who was offered a place to study in America but unable to access that opportunity due to socio economic situation.  Accessibility is again discussed in relation to healthcare by Chay Brown from the perspective of the LGBTQ+ community.  As discussed in wider medical studies, this is of particular concern as the community are at greater risk of substance use, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, bullying, isolation, rejection, anxiety, depression, and suicide as compared to the general population. ‘LGBT youth receive poor quality of care due to stigma, lack of healthcare providers’ awareness, and insensitivity to the unique needs of this community.’ (Muacevic and Adler, 2017). 

“The evidence that LGBT+ people have disproportionately worse health outcomes and experiences of healthcare is both compelling and consistent.” (Dr Michael Brady National LGBT Health Advisor, 2024).

I have spent time to consider how as a unit leader on MA Fashion Artefact I could work towards a more inclusive experience for my students, the majority of who face language challenges and a proportion with declared disabilities. It is also my experience that a large number of experience un-seen disabilities, sensory challenges and mental well-being concerns and need extra support to complete their studies.  As a university we are fortunate to have the disability service, if students feel they want to declare or be tested for extra support. However, I am aware that the stigma of a diagnosis may be prohibitive to some students as I reflect in my blog post Diffability.  I am categorised as a person with disabilities, however, do not experience discrimination, or exclusion from society.  As a white person I experience privilege, and my disabilities are unseen. Within my teaching context, I use lived experience to empathise as a neurodiverse person, with sensory issues, and endeavour to create studio practise etiquette and an inclusive crit experience, I see these as areas that I can forge change and facilitate a more harmonise environment to benefit all students well-being. (Case Study 1: Knowing and Meeting The Needs of Diverse Learners).

As a college we have moved to one large campus, East bank in Stratford, designed as an inclusive environment.  For the 10 years proceeding this move, there was no lift or access to some workshops for student or staff with restricted mobility in our building. The students with restricted mobility, while supported with outside technical assistance, were not included in all activity with their peer group. So, it could be said that until recently footwear and accessories were not fully accessible to all students, and as such LCF did not offer an inclusive learning environment.  I would go so far as to challenge the inclusive nature of the new building for students with un-seen disabilities such as sensory issues, most especially neurodiverse students. There are limited private quiet spaces for the percentage of students declared with a disability. The UAL reports that 15.3% of the student have a declared disability, largely neurodiverse, or with mental illness.  Having just moved to this new building that has a lift, it would be assumed and hoped that the diversity in numbers of students with mixed ability will increase over the coming years, but the environment will need to be amended to allow space for this chance, rather than changing to accommodate. I question if this is a ‘person centred’ approach.

‘Barriers are as, if not far more debilitating that the actual disability’ (Oliver 2004)

This idea of effecting change to create an inclusive experience for all members of society is a theme that runs through the accounts of the interviews. As Chay Brown states ‘we are not a person-centred society’ and within the LGBTQ+ community a sense of inclusion and belonging is far from resolved.  As Ade Adepitan MBE  says “What makes people disabled is not their disability……it’s society that holds us back, systematic discrimination and oppression” . And Christina Sun Kim as a deaf woman, intersecting gender, race and disability had to fearlessly access, the hearing world to communicate her message as an artist, because as she puts it ‘I had to, I had no choice’.  If we are to create an Inclusive society the intersection of disability with other identity aspects needs constant challenge and understanding within the teaching space.  If we are to offer choice and to forge a greater sense of belonging, we need to make that space!

“What makes people disabled is not their disability……it’s society that holds us back, systematic discrimination and oppression” Ade Adepitan MBE

RESOURCES:

Adler, J.R,Alexander, Muacevic, A. (2017) Health Care Disparities Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: A Literature Review.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478215/ (Accessed 1^st May 2024)

 Crenshaw K. Mapping the margins: intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Rev. (1991) 43:1241. 10.2307/1229039 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10449449/#B2 (Accesses 3rd May 2024)

Disabled Student Commission Annual Report, Enhancing The Disabled Student Experience 2022-2023, HE Website, https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/disabled-students-commission-annual-report-2022-2023 (Accessed 1st May 2024)

Freidman, A., (2021)The Gentle Woman, Issue 21, Christine Sun Kim, On what listening looks like https://thegentlewoman.co.uk/library/christine-sun-kim (Accessed 1st May 2024)

LGBT Health, NHS England website https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/equality/equality-hub/patient-equalities-programme/lgbt-health/ (Accessed 1^st May 2024)

Oliver, M, (2004) Chapter 2 (In ‘Implementing the Social Model of Disability: Theory and Research’ edited by Colin Barnes and Geof Mercer (2004); Leeds: The Disability Press, pp. 18-31). CHAPTER 2 The Social Model in Action: if I had a hammer Mike Oliver

RNID Website – https://rnid.org.uk/get-involved/research-and-policy/facts-and-figures/prevalence-of-british-sign-language/ (Accessed 1^st May 2024)

Taylor, B. (2019), Intersectionality 101: what is it and why is it important?, Womankind Worldwide, https://www.womankind.org.uk/intersectionality-101-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important (Accessed 3rd May 2024).

Thompson, E. (2023), The shared and intersecting barriers of trans and disabled communities https://diversityandability.com/blog/the-shared-and-intersecting-barriers-of-trans-and-disabled-communities/ (Accessed 1^st May 2024)

UAL Resource, Access Support and Facilities for Disabled Students at UAL https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/30767/Access-Support-and-Facilities-for-Disabled-Students-at-UAL-PDF-302KB.pdf (Accessed 1st May 2024)

Wickenden, M. (2023), Disability and other identities?—how do they intersect?, Volume 4, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10449449/#B2 (Accessed 3rdMay 2024).