Intersections & Intersectionality
It is important to the author to mention the concepts of intersection and intersectionality; disability may be part of one’s identity and way to perceive the world; however, one should not be defined only by their condition. The term intersection refers to one’s connections to different social categories such as race, class, and gender. From those connections can arise overlapping, interconnected, and interdependent challenges due to systems of discrimination or disadvantage. This means that an individual with a disability may be confronted with challenges related to their disability as well as their ethnicity, social origins, economic situation, gender, and sexuality. It is thus important to consider the complete picture when talking about those situations. Intersectionality is a framework of thinking about these issues as interconnected: one’s challenges may come from their connection to a specific category but also from the interactions between the different categories they relate to (National Association of Independent Schools, 2018). Though relating to the concept of intersectionality may lead to greater challenges in one’s life, it also portrays the beauty of some of the differences that arise from our world’s diversity.