Description of Art: This piece was submitted and created digitally utilizing a tool that mimics watercolor paint. At the center of the piece is a person with long, green, messy hair and pale skin. They are wearing a blue striped shirt and blue pants with blotches of blue-green and purple colors. The person is sitting down, legs bent in front of them, with their hands together at their front. Around them are blotches of blue-green color with a white star inside each one. Among the blotches are 4 different sharks with blue and green coloring, floating around the image with small eyes and smiles.
Artist: Ben (He/Him)
Image Description: Ben has short, vibrant green hair, brown eyebrows, and white skin. He is wearing glasses with a brown frame at the top, silver septum jewelry, and a black t-shirt with bold red lettering.
This project has been exciting for a number of reasons but especially because we had the opportunity to talk to each of the artists about their piece. Here is just some of what Ben (He/Him) shared with us on September 6th, 2024.
Ben (He/Him) is a lover of music, but especially the music you can hear in the 317 hardcore scene he frequents. He is an autistic and trans young adult living in a housing program for LGBTQ+ youth.
Describing their Art: Ben was very invested in conveying what brings him joy rather than suffering in his piece. The white background with the spaced-out, flowing colors were meant to give the viewer a sense of calm.
The person at the center of the piece is meant to represent Ben, his face intentionally left with a lack of expression. He sits in his room just like the character drawn, with his hands clasped, often fidgeting together. “I wanted to very clearly represent an Autistic person.” The sharks floating around him are representative of one of his special interests.
“It’s like the best coping mechanism because my brain has trained itself to be like, okay that (special interests) means happy and that means engaged, interested and calm.”
For Ben, a safe, stable, and nurturing environment engages those special interests, those joyous parts about being an autistic person. “People who have disabilities and people who are neurodivergent, it isn’t some kind of horror for them. I just drew what represents a big part of my autism. Being autistic doesn’t have to mean that you’re stressed all of the time, that you’re isolated or weird and different. I mean yeah, you’re weird and different but in a good way.”
Ben expressed frustration around people finding him rude or thinking he is unfeeling because there are times where he is not as expressive. He wants people to walk away knowing this:
“If anything else, autistic people, they have more passion and more interest and more affinity for things.”
Description of Art: Front:This piece is on a white rectangle canvas and the art was created with a black graphite pencil. The border of the canvas has a cloud shape, inside the shape are the following series of words and phrases: Irrational, Worry, Dont give up on me, exhausted, irritability, overwhelmed, sadness, intrusive thoughts, fear, brain moves slowww, numb, fear of failure, excessive sleep, introvert, worried, isolation, slow, intense, lazy, losing people, no down time, tired, lonely, not enough, routine, hopeless, drained, behind, guilt, panic, and the words inconvenience and burden are underlined. There is smudging from the graphite throughout the piece, giving it a darker appearance. At the center of the canvas is a door that is slightly open, revealing tile flooring and a peek into a blank room. There are 3 rows of tape outside of the door with the word “Caution” written on them.
Back:At the top of canvas is a cloud with the phrase: “Madd House ~ No Room For Error!”. Underneath this is a note from the artist: Surround yourself with people willing to learn you. Support and creating your own family is a huge impact on one’s mental health. Set and respect boundaries, be willing to grow, and leave room for error. My biggest and strongest character trait is resilience… Work at your own pace. Don’t compare yourself to others! Overall, allow open communication, have Clear (underlined) expectations, and love/allow to be loved.
About the Artist: O’Shani (She/They)
Image Description:O’Shani has very short, blonde, coiled hair and brown skin. She is holding up her phone to take her picture and on the other hand she is making a peace sign. She is wearing a tan cropped shirt, blue jean pants, and is adorned with golden hoop earrings, a couple of bracelets, a septum piercing, a nose ring, and long jeweled nails.
Interview: This project has been exciting for a number of reasons but especially because we had the opportunity to talk to each of the artists about their piece. Here is just some of what O’Shani (she/they) shared with us on August 1st, 2024.
O’Shani is a lover of cats, long nails, long-boarding, and Anime. They are a young adult living in a housing program for LGBTQ+ youth and they experience anxiety and depression.
Describing their Art: O’Shani described how they present themselves as a welcoming person that anyone can vent to but internally, they are very anxious. So, “the door” is always open but it gets exhausting, they’re always worrying about “checking off the list” but they’re also a perfectionist so it’s easy to get stuck on one thing. The caution tape is the warning and the words around it are just some of the thoughts they are battling each day. “A lot of people think I’m lazy, because there are some days where I don’t do anything. But my mind just won’t allow me to.” O’Shani finds that she is hard on herself, describing her self-reflection as like “grading papers” because there is no room for her to make mistakes. She underlined the words inconvenience and burden because those “hit” her the hardest. O’Shani shared that it was difficult to come out as a queer person, especially to her mom. “A lot of the things I did put on that paper were what I heard from her or how she feels about me.” Now that she lives in this housing program, she finally feels like the people in her life are supportive of every part of her. “It’s overwhelming, because I’m not used to it, but I love it.” For O’Shani, a safe, stable, and nurturing environment has family that is created, not by blood but by choice. That environment allows you to make mistakes and teaches you how to not just love but how to be loved. “Your struggle does not define who you are.”
Hey folks! I’m Arturo Contreras, a 25-year-old Latinx guy on a journey of understanding and advocating for disability justice. Like many of us, I’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD. That moment was both a relief and a revelation—a chance to finally put a name to all those quirks that made me feel out of place. But let me tell you, disability justice goes far beyond just an individual diagnosis. It’s about building a world where everyone, regardless of their abilities, feels seen, valued, and supported.
Today, I want to dig a little deeper into some of the key areas that have helped me make sense of this new chapter, and how they relate to broader disability justice. Let’s jump in with a positive, solutions-focused mindset.
1) Holistic Wellness: Caring for Both Body and Mind
Taking care of your body isn’t just good advice—it’s essential for navigating life with ADHD, ASD, or any other condition. I’ve found that regular exercise and a balanced diet can really make a difference. But beyond individual wellness, we have to look at the bigger picture. The disability justice movement teaches us that accessibility in health and wellness is crucial.
In an ideal world, everyone should have access to affordable, inclusive health care, nutrition education, and adaptive exercise programs. Whether it’s creating sensory-friendly gym spaces or offering affordable, healthy food options in low-income communities, there are ways we can make wellness more accessible. These steps help dismantle ableism, the systemic discrimination against disabled people, by making it easier for everyone to thrive.
2) Building Community: The Power of Interdependence
The principle of interdependence, from the Disability Justice framework, reminds us that we don’t have to face our challenges alone. Community is a powerful thing, and it’s not just about socializing; it’s about mutual support. When I was first diagnosed, I felt isolated. But connecting with others who shared similar experiences was transformative. It’s in these communities that we can share strategies, vent frustrations, and most importantly, feel understood.
Disability justice pushes us to expand our definition of community. We need to make sure that digital spaces are as inclusive and safe as physical ones, so that everyone can find their “neurokindred,” no matter where they are. We also have to remember that community spaces must be accessible in terms of transportation, language, and sensory accommodations.
3) Medication: Your Body, Your Choice
Medication can be a complex decision. While it’s an incredibly personal choice, it’s also something that disability justice emphasizes should be accessible and informed. We need to advocate for greater transparency and accessibility in healthcare systems, so that everyone can make informed decisions about their bodies. This also means pushing for healthcare that is culturally competent and sensitive to the unique needs of disabled folks from marginalized backgrounds.
We must also support those who choose not to take medication. The disability justice framework reminds us that disability is not inherently negative. Society often tells us that the goal should be to “cure” or “fix” our conditions, but it’s about embracing our unique perspectives and ways of being.
Looking Forward: A Call to Action
Disability justice is not just about acknowledging that disability exists. It’s about addressing the societal barriers that make disability harder to live with. We must commit to making systemic changes that prioritize accessibility, inclusivity, and the voices of disabled folks. Together, we can create a world that values diversity of all kinds—one that moves beyond mere tolerance toward genuine celebration and support.
So, whether you’re newly diagnosed, or you’re a long-time disability justice advocate, remember this: You’re not alone, and you have a community that has your back. And as we continue to learn, share, and fight for justice, let’s hold on to hope and solidarity. Together, we’re unstoppable.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Arturo Contreras
Arturo Contreras Mejia is a 25-year-old Mexican Man. He is currently a student at IUPUI studying digital marketing. Arturo is also a part of IDJ as a social media captain (intern). In his free time, Arturo enjoys spending time with his loved ones.
Image Description: Arturo is standing on the left of the picture, in front of a telephone pole with his arms crossed. He is wearing a pink hoodie, jeans, and sunglasses. He has a serious bearded face. To the right, is. a plentiful cactus plant. Behind a gas station that reads “kinda tropical”
Abstract: The paper explores the intersection of racism and ableism, by focusing on the experiences of Black women with disabilities. It argues that Black disabled women are more at risks of sexual violence due to their intersecting identities. The idea of intersectionality highlights how multiple identities (race, gender, disability) combine to create unique experiences of discrimination.
Synchronus Oppression: How Ableism and Mysogynoir Combine to Put Black Disabled Women at Risk
Both ableism and racism are rooted in white supremacist ideals that undervalue those who do not conform to white, able-bodied norms. Black women with disabilities are especially vulnerable to sexual violence due to a combination of misogynoir and the societal minimizing of disabled bodies. While disabled individuals are often desexualized and infantilized, Black women are hypersexualized, creating conflicting and harmful stereotypes that combine to put Black disabled women at risk for sexual violence.
According to the Center for Disability Rights, ableism is “a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities and often rests on the assumption that disabled people need to be ‘fixed’ in one form or the other” (Smith, n.d.). Racism is defined as believing that one is superior or inferior due to their perceived race (Racist Definition & Meaning, 2024). The intersection of race and disability creates a reality where black women who are disabled are often victims of sexual violence and are not given adequate justice due to their identity. It is becoming more and more accepted in society that the concept of a personal or perceived identity allows for a unique experience for individuals. Intersectionality is a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw which acknowledges the fact that people hold multiple identities that intersect to create a unique perspective that creates a unique experience for everyone (Intersectionality – FYS 101 – Research Guides at Syracuse University Libraries, 2024).
Everyone holds multiple identities and it is the combination of the perceived identities that society bestows on some people more power than others. This power not only affects how one can climb the social ladder, but also the risk factors for sexual violence. This creates a situation where their intersection of identities puts Black women who identify as disabled at the risk for sexual violence. It is widely acknowledged that women make up most of the sexual violence survivors (Sexual Assault Statistics, n.d.) but many of those women are Black (Thompson et al., 2012,). This sexism and racism are a combination better known as misogynoir, a term coined by Moya Bailey, meaning the aversion or prejudice against Black women (Misogynoir Definition & Meaning, n.d.). Bailey explains that misogynoir encompasses the oppression that Black women face because of their gender and race (Bailey, 2021, pg. 1). Despite the newness of the term, misogynoir has roots that trace back to slavery. These roots can be seen all throughout digital media and affect the way that Black women are viewed and treated (Bailey, 2021). Examples of this can be seen all throughout the media, especially today in women’s sports. Oftentimes Black women are demonized and harrassed for showing similar emotions as their white counterparts. In both fiction and nonfiction media, Black women are often painted in a hypersexual light and seen to fit the “Jezabel” persona.
Historically, Black people have had lack of access to opportunity, justice, healthcare, and bodily autonomy and people living with disabilities have had a similar history. Black people being seen as lesser simply due to their skin color created a space where it was disabling to be Black.
The idea that a Black person should be “fixed” of their blackness by associating themselves closer to whiteness is not only racist, but also ableist. The idea of ableism comes from white supremacist ideals which include that anyone who is not the ideal (white or able bodied), should be looked down on and feared/pitied (Hayden et al., 2020). Hayden et al. writes about the idea of the “sick role” and how it relates to the way people with chronic illnesses are seen (Hayden et al., 2020). Talcot Parsons states that the worst symptom of chronic illness is the lack of economic productivity (Hayden et al., 2020). Meaning that when a person’s disability reduces their ability to contribute economically, they are less valuable. A similar belief has been pushed on Black people since slavery, where Black people were considered more or less valuable depending on their ability to work. These ideals show that historically both Black people and people with disabilities are only seen as valuable when they contribute to the white ableist agenda.
Due to ableism, people living with a disability are often desexualized and are denied their bodily and sexual autonomy(Santos, 2017). The phenomenon of this is defined as infantilization, meaning to reduce to an infantile state (INFANTILIZE Definition & Meaning, n.d.). The association with the word infant is significant because society does not see infants as sexual. It is understood that children and adolescents should be given the proper tools to live as an adult for people living with disabilities, the experience is not the same. Due to the lack of personhood given to those living with disabilities, they are often not given the tools needed for adulthood. For example, teens living with disabilities aren’t given adequate sex education like their able-bodied peers(Santos, 2017). On the other hand, black women have been historically seen as hypersexualized creatures and are often victims of adultification no matter the age.
Adultification is defined as treating a child like an adult, often in a way that is problematic (ADULTIFICATION Definition | Cambridge English Dictionary, n.d.). This comes up constantly in the justice system when Black girls are disproportionately punished in educational settings and in the juvenile justice systems (Murray, n.d.). A survey showed that Black girls were seen as more knowledgeable about sex than White girls of the same age (Murray, n.d.). Black women are unable to outgrow this ideology and are seen as hypersexual into adulthood. Gyampo writes, “A white woman’s dignity has always been seen as something that needed to be protected, while Black women aren’t protected…the mistreatment of their bodies is warranted” (Gyampo, 2021). When hypersexualization and infantilization combine, it creates a space for someone who has been given very little sexual education due to their disability status and someone who has been hypersexualized since childhood due to the color of their skin and their gender. It is not coincidental that there are high rates of sexual violence among those living with a disability and black women (Sexual Assault Statistics, n.d.). This is even more concerning due to the lack of justice that these identities get when violence is enacted on them. Despite this, there is a lack of research done on this specific group of people.
One can hypothesize that the struggles of this group have to do with issues of the way that both identities are viewed. Because sexualization has such strong ties to a body meeting a sexual ideal, it is a clear reasoning for the lack of sexualization of people who are disabled. There is a clear idea of the type of body/mind that can be sexual (which ties to white supremacy) which doesn’t line up with the way people living with disabilities are viewed. Additionally, because reproduction is such a big part of being sexual, society is uncomfortable with people who are disabled having children who may disabled as well. In a similar sense, black people have historically been seen as having an almost animalistic sense of sexuality that has made people more comfortable with using them as sexual objects especially when compared to their white counterparts. During slavery, sexual violence was used as a way for white slave owners to take advantage of black women and strip them of their bodily autonomy. Even though there is such a strong history of hypersexualizing black women, there are clear objections to reproduction through sterilizing. Meaning, people are comfortable with the lack of sexuality among people living with disabilities because it ensures that they will not reproduce. Racism and ableism go hand in hand, and it is impossible to solve one issue without addressing the other. Both issues share a common root, white supremacy, and common consequences that affect people’s bodily autonomy and access to justice when harm is enacted towards them. It is important to enact comprehensive sexual education in schools for everyone, regardless of their level of ability. In these lessons it is imperative that lessons revolve around consent and how identities play a part in consent. The CDC article,Mobilizing Men and Boys as Alliesto, is written in hopes to increase favorable attitudes towards women and girls (Basile et al., 2016). This would potentially reduce the number of sexual violence victims; however, this solution fails to consider the statistics that show marginalized communities i.e. Black women and disabled people are disproportionately victims of sexual violence. It would be beneficial for the CDC to create a new list of recommendations to prevent sexual violence that includes the nuances of race and disability. I would recommend that the CDC consider the cultural nuances that add to the culture of violence against Black disabled women. Additionally, it is important to challenge the stereotypes about Black women and people living with disabilities that are pushed in the media to allow for marginalized identities to be awarded the same complex characteristics in media that White people have been given for so long (Bailey, 2021, pg. 2).
References
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Bailey, M. (2021). Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women’s Digital Resistance. New York
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Basile, K. C., DeGue, S., Jones, K., Freire, K., Dills, J., Smith, S. G., & Raiford, J. L. (2016). Sexual Violence Prevention Resource for Action. CDC. Retrieved May 23, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/communication-resources/SV-Prevention-Resource
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Gyampo, A. (2021, October 22). The Hypersexualization of Black People. RISD Museum. Retrieved May 23, 2024, from
Hayden, A., Klabusich, K., Montague, P., Cohn, M., Conley, J., Bader, E. J., Zhang, S.,
Goodman, A., & Moushabeck, M. (2020, September 15). Ableism and White Supremacy Are Intertwined — We Must Confront Them Together. Truthout. Retrieved May 22, 2024, from https://truthout.org/articles/ableism-and-white-supremacy-are-intertwined-we-must-confr ont-them-together/
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Murray, P. (n.d.). Girlhoood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood. The Center on Gender Justice & Opportunity at Georgetown Law. Retrieved May 23, 2024, from https://genderjusticeandopportunity.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/girlhoo d-interrupted.pdf
Oliver, K., & Abdullahi, O. (2019, September 17). What it means to be black, disabled women navigating sex – gal-dem. Gal-Dem. Retrieved May 23, 2024, from https://gal-dem.com/what-it-means-to-be-black-disabled-women-navigating-sex/
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Priscah Norwood
Priscah Norwood was born and raised in Fort Wayne and now resides in Indianapolis. She attends Indiana University Indianapolis and will graduate in May 2025. She enjoys learning, music, and a good movie.
Image Description: Priscah is wearing a black and white sweater with red braids standing against a white backdrop.
