"It's Finding Peace in My Body": Crip Theory to Understand Authenticity for a Queer, Disabled College Student

Using narrative inquiry and guided by crip theory, we critiqued the relationship between the experiences of one queer, disabled college student and compulsory able-bodiedness, compulsory heterosexuality, and academic ableism. Findings reveal the complexities of claiming crip and passing. They also reveal resistance to these complexities through the dynamic process of radical self-love and the identity of a queer health rebel. In turn, this resistance led to a fluid conceptualization of authenticity as a student development construct. Implications of these findings suggest educational practices that foster holistic access—including those offered for nondisabled students during the COVID-19 pandemic—and reject academic ableism.