United in Pride: LGBTQ+ Pride in the I/DD community

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community. Today, we’re highlighting an often-overlooked group: individuals who are both part of the LGBTQ+ community and have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD). This overlap of identities represents resilience, strength, and the beauty of diversity.

Join Full Access at Eugene Pride on August 10th!

Full Access will be celebrating Pride at Eugene Pride on August 10th and will have a booth with a fun activity. Don’t miss us! We are excited to see you there!

Intersectionality Explained

Intersectionality means understanding that people have different parts of their identity that can affect their lives in unique ways. For example, being both LGBTQ+ and having intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) means experiencing the world differently than someone who only identifies as LGBTQ+ or only has I/DD. These overlapping identities can create unique challenges, but they also offer special strengths and perspectives.

Important Figures/Advocates

• Andrew Gurza: openly discusses how his disability affects his dating and relationships on his podcast, “Disability After Dark” He helps people understand that disabled individuals, like himself, have relationships and feelings, just like everyone else.
• Eli Clare: a writer, speaker, and activist who identifies as being part of the LGBTQ+ community and has cerebral palsy and a traumatic brain injury. He has written extensively on disability and queer identity, and his work includes the influential book “Exile and Pride: Disability, Queerness, and Liberation.” Learn more!
• Alice Wong: a disabled activist and writer who is part of the LGBTQ+ community. She initiated the Disability Visibility Project to amplify the voices of disabled individuals. Through their work, Alice aims to highlight the importance of disabled individuals, who are also part of the queer community, and promote the understanding that disability is a natural aspect of life.

Pride Month is a time to celebrate all the beautiful diversity in our world. For those who are both LGBTQ+ and have I/DD, it’s important to remember how far we’ve come and recognize the work we still need to do. By supporting each other and raising awareness, we can make the world a better, more inclusive place for everyone.

Happy Pride Month! Let’s celebrate together and work towards a more inclusive world for all.