“If we give all people the opportunities to shine, the sky is the limit.”
Paralympian, television presenter and author Ade Adepitan said that what disables people is not their impairments, but the society around them. It is the discrimination built into our systems. When buildings are not accessible, or when employers avoid hiring someone because meeting their needs seems too difficult, that is discrimination.
Intersectionality, a term introduced by lawyer and activist Kimberlé Crenshaw, along with the concept of positionality, can guide how we teach and learn.
These ideas help us see the different layers we have, the power relationships that affect people, and make us more aware of our own conscious and unconscious biases. This is especially important when we work with students or colleagues who face challenges that we may not fully understand.
Lukkien, Chauhan and Otaye Ebede (2024) looked at 38 studies from 1990 to 2022 to see how intersectionality is used in higher education. They focused on staff who belong to more than one marginalised group, like those affected by race, gender, class or disability, as they often face extra challenges. The authors say universities should use an intersectional approach in all their decisions and policies. This means thinking about different types of discrimination together, not one at a time. They also point out that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each university should respond to its own situation and the real experiences of its people.
The animated video on disability from UAL is a powerful example of how society should look like. It shows a circle that opens to include different shapes and ways of being. This is how I believe universities, and the wider world, should work. A place where everyone feels they belong.
Trans man activist Chay Brown highlighted that what is inclusive for disabled people is beneficial for everyone. His message underlines the importance of building a more inclusive world, showing that inclusive practices improve life not only for disabled people but for the entire society.
As a lecturer in journalism, I have been reflecting on how my own identity both supports and limits my work with students, particularly those with disabilities. To explore these ideas further, I created a mind map, which I believe will be a useful tool in developing my teaching practice moving forward.
REFERENCES
Adepitan, A. and Webborn, N. (2020) Nick Webborn interviews Ade Adepitan. ParalympicsGB Legends [online video]. YouTube, 27 August. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnRjdol_j0c [Accessed 29 Apr. 2025].
Crenshaw, K. (n.d.) Intersectionality and Gender Equality [online video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DW4HLgYPlA [Accessed 29 Apr. 2025].
Crenshaw, K. (n.d.) Intersectional Feminism [online video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROwquxC_Gxc [Accessed 29 Apr. 2025].
Crenshaw, K. (n.d.) National Urban League Demand Diversity Emergency Session on DEI [online video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG3buxRIslQ [Accessed 29 Apr. 2025].
Lukkien, T., Chauhan, T. and Otaye-Ebede, L. (2024) ‘Addressing the diversity principle–practice gap in Western higher education institutions: A systematic review on intersectionality’, British Educational Research Journal [online]. Available at: https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/berj.4096 [Accessed 29 Apr. 2025].
University of the Arts London (UAL) (n.d.) The social model of disability at UAL [online video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNdnjmcrzgw [Accessed 29 Apr. 2025].
The mind map is a really interesting way to examine and interrogate your own personal positionality, It would be interesting to read your reflections on how you feel your positionality has shaped your personal practice and your teaching practice.
The ‘Inclusive Practices’ unit might also offer some changes or adaptions to how you approach that perspective in your teaching so it would be interesting to read that reflection at the start of the unit and again at the end to see if there are new insights. Well done!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I look forward to exploring how the ‘Inclusive Practices’ unit might deepen my understanding and shape my teaching.
This blog post highlighted that we should also consider our own barriers when we are discussing intersectionality. It is not only about others but it is about us as individuals to make the changes and to break the cycle. I agree that opportunities should be presented to all to reach full potential, it should not be selective.
I like the way that Claudia brings to existence their own personal responsibility to the discussion. This was illustrated so well in the diagram at the end of the blog. It is not them and us. It has to start with us as individuals to take that stand. Considering all our multi faceted surfaces should not be a grand initiative this should be standard behavior. This starts with the individual as this post has demonstrated only then will all benefit.
This has made me want to question and really reflect on my own layers to ensure that I too do not become a barrier to my students and to society at large, this is not as easy as it seems.
This has also made me think to introduce a mind map to exercise individual self- discovery of identities for my students, particularly when they are collaborating with their peers. Understanding not only yourself but others is key to inclusivity and collaboration.
I really agree that it all starts with us, and I am glad the post made you reflect in that way. I love your plan to use a mind map for self-discovery in group work. I have tried a similar exercise with first-year students, but I preferred to frame it as an individual exploration, as some students might not wish to disclose aspects of their identity. I suggested they use symbols that made sense to them but were not necessarily clear to others, allowing them to keep parts private. A few volunteers shared their drawings, and it worked quite well. I look forward to hearing how it works with your students.
I love your idea of the mind map to initially recognise your own identity, and through that, develop your teaching practice. This presents ideas in a really creative way and is therefore something myself and others can relate to. It has also inspired me to think about aspects of my positionality I hadn’t considered and how these might affect my teaching. Do you ever make mind maps like this with your students or colleagues?
It was also interesting to hear how much the graphics from the UAL ‘Social Model of Disability’ video resonated with you. I completely agree that the world should be inclusive of different ways of being, and it was interesting to consider how this visual easily illustrates a complex concept.
Yes, I definitely use mind maps and drawings a lot in my teaching because I am a visual person, and they really help me organise my thoughts. I find they work really well for me, so I think they might also be useful for students who think in a similar way. I have found mind maps particularly useful with students with ADHD, as they can help them break down ideas and stay focused. It is a great way to make complex ideas feel more manageable, and it encourages a creative approach to problem-solving. I have not used mind maps a lot with colleagues, for example, when planning, but you have given me a great idea. I should definitely start incorporating them more in those situations! They could be a great way to visually organise ideas and bring a more creative approach to planning as a team.
The first paragraph does indeed summarise the reality faced by disabled people: lack of accessibility and thus not offering equity for them to embrace the same opportunities and succeed. As my subject of study Kaitlyn Yang says that non-disabled people assume everyone has non-disabled bodies and create this kind of world as a status quo… She also states that one overlooked way to build trust is not offering help (as if they are the victims) but by asking for help.
I like the fact that you mentioned that our conscious and unconscious biases are important to define what our positionality really is when working with not only students but also our colleagues… Many times, companies and institutions want to show appearances to external stakeholders (clients, students, auditors, governments etc) and treat internal stakeholders (staff, colleagues etc..) in a different way. I personally felt oppressive tick box by an outsourced company when entering information about my health during application form at UAL… It was indeed the most complicated recruitment process I have ever been… I was almost giving up the post.
Your mind mapping is absolutely brilliant, and you gave me inspiration to create my own. I like the fact that you highlighted coming from middle class. One of my students sent me a text on Teams saying that she wouldn’t come to my class because she didn’t have money for the train ticket. I just stopped in horror and evaluated my whole life, my past, my privileged background: I have never been in a situation like this…