Intersections of Belonging: Bridging the Struggles of LGBTQ People and People with Disabilities - with Jordan and Hannah

Social movements led by LGBTQ people and people with disabilities have achieved radical progress in public policy and social inclusion, in much the same way people have advanced cultural shifts in sex-positivity. Building from these gains, some organizations stand on the forefront of liberation through their work at the intersection of these communities. In the pursuit of more inclusive communities, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups can find common ground in our shared experience of struggle and desire for belonging. In this episode, two Cliff Media leaders, Jordan, a person with a permanent physical disability, and Hannah, a genderqueer person, talk about the differences and similarities in their experiences living outside the dominant culture. They describe the difficulties of feeling misunderstood or excluded as a child and the challenges of being in spaces where everyone else is able-bodied or cisgender and straight. They also talk about the journey of learning to express themselves confidently for all of who they are. Through common experiences being in Cliff Media led by queer people and people with disabilities, Jordan and Hannah describe the power of being in a community with people who share and understand aspects of your identity. With empathy toward the healing journey of people who have experienced trauma, discrimination or exclusion, they also describe the significance and value of reaching across identity to build genuinely inclusive community led by people with multiple, often intersecting marginalized identities.