Toward Intersectional Identity Perspectives on Disability and LGBTQ Identities in Higher Education

Little has been published on the intersections of disability and queer identities among college students. I propose 5 intersectional identity perspectives based on semistructured interviews with 25 students at a research university who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer students with disabilities. Students articulated relationships among their disability and queer identities as (a) intersectional, (b) interactive, (c) overlapping, (d) parallel, and/or (e) oppositional. Students adopted multiple perspectives simultaneously to resist oppression, navigate changing contexts, and build resilience and community, suggesting implications for researchers and practitioners who might adopt a more nuanced view of students' intersecting identities.