
HOME |
ABOUT | INDEX |
FACEBOOK |
CONTACT |
DONATE
DISABILITY
Dickie Hearts: Paving the Way for a Rainbow of Deaf
Stories
Mother of Disability Rights Movement, Judy Heumann Dies
at 75
Disabled LGBTQ Activists & Advocates Who You Need to
Know
Daniel Durant Celebrates Deaf and LGBTQ Communities on
DWTS
Nyle DiMarco: Role Model for Deaf and LGBTQ Communities
Tokyo Paralympic Games Welcomes Record Number of LGBTQ
Athletes
Jillian Mercado on Repping Queer Disabled Latinx
Visibility
LGBTQ People Living With Disabilities
Disabled LGBTQ Creatives Imagine a Better
Tomorrow
T11 Incomplete: Queer Disabled Love Story
Disabled LGBTQ Activists Redefining Sex and Sexuality
Special: Gay Disabled
Comedy TV Series
Rainbow Alliance for
the Deaf
Sign: Silent Film Project

Respectability: LGBTQ People With
Disabilities
Queer and Trans Creators with Disabilities Fighting for
an Accessible World
Addressing Needs of LGBTQ People with Disabilities
Hell No: Ingrid Michaelson ASL Music Video
Disabled Queers Facebook Page
Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
Video: Push Girls
LGBTQ People with Developmental Disabilities
Netfilx Series: Queer and Disabled
PBS Video: Differently Abled and Bisexual

Addressing
Disability Within the LGBTQ Community
One of the
nice things about being part of the LGBTQ community is
that it’s incredibly diverse. Yet diversity isn’t just
about race, of course. Issues of disability can pop up
in the community, leaving room for very awkward pauses.
The truth is that we have to do more than just tolerate
people with disabilities. We have to embrace them as
full-fledged members of this community. People assume
that someone with a disability doesn’t have any interest
in relationships, but that couldn’t be further from the
truth. In reality, it makes sense. Say you lose your arm
tomorrow. Does this mean that you no longer have a
desire to be with your gay partner? Not at all.

It’s a great idea to start looking at disability issues,
because it’s up to all of us to be great advocates for
each other. The more attention that you give towards
handling everyone with respect, the more likely it is
that respect will be paid back to you. Here are some
tips to keep in mind if you’re going to be a strong
advocate for disabled LGBTQ people.
Let Go of Stereotypes - Hollywood is full of stereotypes
with disabled people. Not every disabled person wants to
break world records or stand out. They’re regular people
living everyday lives, and they want their feelings
respected. Assuming that someone lives a wildly radical
life simply because they’re disabled is disrespectful.
Instead of stereotypes, focus on what they want as
individuals.
Be a Great Listener - This is a great chance to hear how
someone else lives. You can be a great friend as long as
you’re willing to never stop learning and keep an open
mind. This isn’t the time to go on some big long rant
just because you feel like you have a “captive”
audience. Hear the other person out and be sure to ask
questions only after they’re done talking. Giving them a
chance to speak up is great because we never really know
what someone is going through, or feeling.

Stand Up For Their Real Life - Want to know a secret?
The life of gay people doesn’t differ all that much just
because disability is involved. So why then is the
community often too silent when it comes to people with
disabilities? We assume and act like their lives are
completely different, when that isn’t the case. At the
end of the day, they deserve the same rights that we’re
fighting for. They have other issues that they have to
face because they are disabled, and this means that they
deserve good allies.
However, there has to be a balance between the two
points as well. Just as you don’t want to be
disrespectful, you also don’t want to assume that
everyone needs your help. It’s important to keep this to
the individual at hand, rather than what you think they
need. They will speak up and let you know, believe us.
Keeping these tips in mind encourages not just open
communication, but a true exchange of ideas. You can’t
have that without respect being at the start of
everything. People dealing with disabilities just want
to feel like they’re truly part of the community, rather
than just a convenient talking point when you want to
win an argument. Don’t ignore these tips if there is a
chance for genuine communication and sincere connection.
You won’t regret it!

Matthew and Paul
Black, Gay, Autistic and
Beautiful
Deaf Queer Resource
Center
Being Blind and Gay
Queer and Trans Creators with Disabilities Fighting for
an Accessible World
Jessica: Disabled and Gay
Embracing My Queer
Disabled Identity
MAP Report: LGBTQ People With Disabilities
Born Without Limbs - Now I'm Marrying My Dream Man
Nancy Eves: Autistic, Trans, Non-Binary
LGBTQ People Living With Disabilities
Netfilx Series: Queer and Disabled
Video Roundtable: Disability, Sex, Relationships, Dating
Dandy Dodlez: Artist,
Queer, Disabled, Sexually Active
One-Third of LGBTQ Adults
Identify as Having a Disability
Black, Gay, Autistic and
Beautiful
Living With a Disability
in the Gay Community
Disabled Queer Man Hires Sex Workers
Books
Eyes of
Desire: Deaf Gay and Lesbian Reader by Raymond Luczak
Do You
Dream in Color by Laurie Rubin
Mean
Little Deaf Queer by Terry Galloway
Queer
Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories by B. Guter
and JR Killacky
My Life as
a Deaf Gay Man by Peter Beach Morier
Captive
Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial
Complex by Eric A. Stanley and Nat Smith
Crip
Theory: Cultural Signs of Queerness and Disability by
Robert McRuer
Feminist,
Queer, Crip by Alison Kafer
Normal
Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics
and The Limits of Law by Dean Spade
Black on
Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C.
Riley Snorton
Films/Shows
T11 -
Written and directed by Suzanne Guacci
Special - Written by Ryan O'Connel, Executive Producer
Jim Parsons
Margarita with a Straw - By Shonali Bose
Euphoria - Starring Zendaya
Queer and Disabled: Misconceptions
Dickie Hearts: Paving the Way for a Rainbow of Deaf
Stories
Disabled LGBTQ Activists Redefining Sex and Sexuality
Respect Ability: One-Third of LGBTQ Adults Have a
Disability
Jessica Kellfren-Fozard: Gay and Deaf
Scholarly Paper:
Intersectionality of Disabilities and LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Alliance for
the Deaf
Deafies in Drag
Man With Cerebral Palsy Recalls First Experience At Gay
Bar
Video Talk: Disabled LGBTQ Couple
Gay and Disabled: Nothing Can Stop Me
Queer and Disabled: Misconceptions
Tiphany Adams: True Love Within Yourself
Inter-Abled Relationships: Benefits of Dating a Disabled
Person
Addressing Needs of LGBTQ People with Disabilities
Interview With Kay Ulanday
Barrett
Mobility Aids: Time to Sit Down
Influential Disabled LGBTQ Activists
Jessica and Claudia: Wife as Caregiver
Disabled LGBTQ Creatives:
Imagining a Better Tomorrow
Disabled World Report: Over One Third of LGBTQ Adults
Identify as Disabled

Disability Pride
Flag (2017)
The Disability flag (Disability Pride
flag, Overcoming flag,Flag of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities) is a flag that represents people who have
disabilities. It was created by the Valencian dancer
Eros Recio in 2017 and then presented to the United
Nations. The flag is meant for general use, particularly
at disability-centered events. It has been used at the
International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The flag is intended to represent people with
disabilities, their struggle for rights, and related
concepts including the disability pride movement and the
Paralympic Games.
The flag is a tricolor flag with three equally-sized
horizontal stripes of gold, silver, and bronze. These
colors are meant to evoke the three medals at the
Paralympic Games, and are intended to represent the
collective's overcoming of obstacles, rather than the
competitive sentiments related to the event itself.
According
to Recio, the three colors also represent the different
forms of disability. More specifically, according to
Eros Recio, the flag is designed with the colors of
three metals: gold, silver, and bronze. These are meant
to represent the three main types of disability:
physical, mental (intellectual, psychosocial), and
sensory.

Disability Pride
Flag (2021)
The Disability Pride Flag,
created by Ann Magill,
features parallel stripes that stand for intracommunal
solidarity. The colors on the flag symbolize various
disability experiences. The black background mourns
disabled people under abelist oppression who have died
due to negligence, suicide, rebellion, illness, and
eugenics. The stripe’s color represents disability
types:
Red: physical disabilities
Gold: cognitive and intellectual disabilities
White: nonvisible and undiagnosed disabilities
Blue: psychiatric disabilities
Green: sensory disabilities
Disability Flag: Explanation

Organizations
Respect
Ability
Respect Ability is a diverse, disability-led nonprofit
that works to create systemic change in how society
views and values people with disabilities, and that
advances policies and practices that empower people with
disabilities to have a better future. Our mission is to
fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with
disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of
community.
Disabled, Queer and Here
In
2018, Wayne Allingham launched Disabled, Queer and Here,
a performance show featuring talented LGBTQ disabled
people. The events showcase a range of performance art,
including drag, poetry, dance and song. The group aims
to break down barriers and increase awareness,
inclusion, diversity and accessibility for LGBTQ
disabled people.
Brownton Abbey
Created by queer black and brown disabled people,
Brownton Abbey is a political performance party that
creates spaces which centre, celebrate and elevate the
disabled QTIBPOC community. Through these spaces the
collective paves the way towards intersectional and
accessible arts, community and activism.
ParaPride
ParaPride is committed to helping disabled people fully
engage with the LGBTQ community and all its activities.
The charity works with venues, public spaces and online
platforms to create inclusive events that cater to the
needs of all those living with disabilities, mental
health and chronic health conditions, and impairments.
They hosted the first London ParaPride in 2019.
Blind LGBTQ Pride
International
The
purpose of Blind LGBTQ Pride is to provide for the
betterment of the lives of those who are visually
impaired and who are LGBTQ. By providing a forum for the
views and concerns of visually impaired persons
interested in issues facing those who are LGBTQ.

New Film: Queer
Disabled Love Story
“T11
Incomplete” is a medical term, which refers to a
paraplegic patient whose spine is severed but who still
has some feeling in their legs. It is also the title of
a groundbreaking new film in which two broken people,
Kate Murphy (Karen Sillas) and Laura (Kristen Renton),
find love through a caregiver-patient relationship.
T11 Incomplete is groundbreaking for several reasons.
One is its director and writer, Suzanne Guacci, a former
state trooper who lost her leg and went on to begin a
production company, Aspire Productions, dedicated to
telling stories at the intersection of disabled and
LGBTQ identities.
Second is how the film, which was recently released,
fulfills this promise, centering historically
marginalized people while also employing them on set and
behind the camera. Such is Guacci's commitment to
uplifting these communities that a cat named Peanut
Butter is blind in real life.
Third, T11 Incomplete is a universal film about damaged
people who have wronged others but are fighting for a
brighter future for themselves and their loved ones. In
addition to disability, the film also addresses
substance abuse, recovery, and the work that goes into
maintaining and repairing family relationships, a topic
that any viewer can relate to.
Guacci discusses these themes, the lessons Hollywood can
learn from the film and its creation, and her own
survivor story.

Movie Trailer: T11 Incomplete
T11 Incomplete: Queer Disabled Love Story
Films and TV Shows About Disabilities
That Put Disabled People First
Films and Shows With Messy, Amazing, Ridiculous, and
Real LGBTQ Disabled Characters
Tell us
what inspired you to write and direct T11 Incomplete.
It started
with me wanting to write a story about nursing. I think
they are extraordinary human beings. We’ve all seen it
now through COVID, but nurses played a major part in my
own recovery, and over the past 10 years I’ve had a host
of aides and hospice nurses and RN’s and LPN’s in and
out of my house for my aging parents and my in-laws, so
they have been very prevalent in my life. And
simultaneously to that, I wanted to write a story with a
lesbian female disabled character. T11 Incomplete is
what came out of all that.
There are
still so few representations of LGBTQ disabled
characters. What did it mean to you personally to bring
this visibility to film?
It was
very important to me to bring this story and the
character of Laura to light because I’ve never seen a
character like her or an LGBTQ story like this. It’s
different and it’s timely, and being disabled myself, I
felt a responsibility to get it right.
Kate and Laura are not only abled and disabled; there is
also an age gap in their relationship. As the filmmaker,
what was it like exploring a romance between characters
who are bridging different divides?
It was
interesting for me as a writer to explore this
relationship because on one hand, it is complex with all
those different divides, but in its true essence, after
you peel away those differences of age and ability and
socio-economic, it is really quite simple. It’s just two
souls who cling to each other in their mutual suffering.
Suffering knows no divide. That is indeed the bridge.
And then as a filmmaker, watching Karen Sillas and
Kristen Renton embody these characters, was just so
beautiful.

Movie Trailer: T11 Incomplete
T11 Incomplete: Queer Disabled Love Story
Films and TV Shows About Disabilities
That Put Disabled People First
Films and Shows With Messy, Amazing, Ridiculous, and
Real LGBTQ Disabled Characters
What were
some of the challenges of creating a protagonist like
Kate who is at once sympathetic and flawed?
It is
tricky because as a writer you don’t want to tip the
scale either way. You need to find the balance. But I
always strive for the truth, and I think if the
character is grounded in truth, it works. You can’t fake
a character like Kate. It won’t work if you do. And
that’s why as a director, putting Kate into the hands of
magnificent Karen Sillas, who hit all the right notes,
was just incredible to watch every day on set.
The film
deals with good and bad (and the gray area that falls in
between) from the point of view of criminal justice as
well as individual judgment. How did your career as a
New York state trooper influence how you judge others
and how you wanted to present judgment and forgiveness
in the film?
As a
former trooper I was very aware that I held people’s
lives in my hands. Whether I was arresting someone for
DWI or giving someone a speeding ticket. The power I
held, I took very seriously, and how you handle a
situation when you hold the power means everything. But
I tried always to see people and not the act they were
committing. And I learned that nothing is completely
black and white. No two speeding tickets are the same,
no two DWIs are the same. There is so much gray, and it
requires discernment when you deal with people. It
requires listening and understanding. And I think in T11
Incomplete I wanted to really emphasize all of that. The
characters are neither completely good or bad. They have
moments of each, and they are all learning and growing
at different paces and stages. But to judge them on one
act is unfair. We are all more than our mistakes or our
poor decisions.
How did
losing a leg in the line of duty change your point of
view of the world?
I had never known an amputee before I lost my leg.
Actually, my only reference was from movies I had seen
or veterans, who in many cases were in wheelchairs as
opposed to ambulating with prosthetics. So just in that
regard, my world opened because I was thrust into
becoming a member of this group that I knew nothing
about. But I was hit by a young girl when I was on duty.
She had smoked a little and drank a little, and I was in
her path that fateful night, but I have to say I never
felt anger or blame. It always just seemed to me that
this was lined up for me. My destiny, so to speak, and
her destiny would be her own. It wasn’t my job to judge
her. Not that it wasn’t earth-shattering at the time
because it absolutely was, and it took time to grieve
the loss of not only my limb and my physicality but my
career and my abilities. But after a while, I moved past
all of that, and I realized the gift that I was given.
Not only to be alive but to have known excruciating pain
and to have persevered through and healed. To have felt
my world crumble but to rise and start anew. I know
grace and appreciation in such a profound way today that
I am always on the verge of tears. It has truly been an
awakening. I am aware now of the amazing disabled
community that I am very proud to be part of. I am so
proud of actors like Katy Sullivan and Kristen Renton
and Lauren Russell who do their thing and give their
all, no matter what their day brings or how they are
feeling. And my hope is that I can continue to be an
advocate in my work and in my own way.

Movie Trailer: T11 Incomplete
T11 Incomplete: Queer Disabled Love Story
Films and TV Shows About Disabilities
That Put Disabled People First
Films and Shows With Messy, Amazing, Ridiculous, and
Real LGBTQ Disabled Characters
Many of
the characters are struggling with or recovering from
addiction — a struggle that is, unfortunately,
disproportionately seen in the LGBTQ community. What
message did you hope to send about folks who are
struggling and recovering?
I'm not sure I wanted to send a message, and I certainly
have had my own struggles with abuse before I came out.
But Kate's character surely knows the struggle. Her
sobriety is what changes her life and connects her to
her family again. And although temptation is always
there, she holds steady to the love. Especially of her
grandson Brady. That’s her driving force, that is what
gives her the strength she needs to stay sober. So I
say, cling to the love in your life and let it be your
source of strength.
The film is not only centered on queer and disabled
people — it also employs them as actors and crew
members. What lessons can Hollywood learn from this?
To open your eyes and be creative. Judy Bowman, our
casting director, and I took the task very seriously of
thinking outside the box when casting and putting actors
in spots that allowed them to be seen as actors first
and foremost. We have Zach Booth playing a straight
character, Katy Sullivan playing an able-bodied
character, Kristen Renton playing a wheelchair user. We
flipped the labels while still being inclusive and
representing our communities. For me as a disabled
lesbian director, I felt a great responsibility not only
to serve the story with superb actors but to represent
our communities honestly, and that extended to having
disabled crew members as well. And, believe it or not,
we chose a blind kitten to play Peanut Butter! So this
was the way for me that felt like I was satisfying
everything and gave me peace about it.
What do
you hope is the takeaway for audiences?
I hope that the story resonates with people. It’s a
human story about loss and forgiveness and suffering,
but it’s also about hope. And I think as human beings,
especially after the last year we’ve had, we can all use
a little hope.
[Source: Daniel Reynolds, Advocate Magazine, April 2021]
Signing LGBTQ
Matthew and Paul
Dickie Hearts: Paving the Way for a Rainbow of Deaf
Stories
Queer and Trans Creators with Disabilities Fighting for
an Accessible World
Nancy Eves: Autistic, Trans, Non-Binary
Disabled LGBTQ Activists Redefining Sex and Sexuality
Special: Gay Disabled
Comedy TV Series
Incredible Makeup Artist With No Arms
Rainbow Alliance for
the Deaf
Disabled LGBTQ Creatives:
Imagining a Better Tomorrow
Sign: Silent Film Project
Disabled Queer Man Hires Sex Workers
No, the Wheelchair Is Not a Prop: Sarah Palegic, Not
Your Ordinary Drag Queen
Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
LGBTQ People Living With Disabilities
Addressing Needs of LGBTQ People with Disabilities
Disabled Queers Facebook Page
Influential Disabled LGBTQ Activists
Deaf and Gay
Hands and
fingers move through the air with amazing speed and
precision. I sit watching, hoping the weak smile on my
face will mask my befuddlement. All I see in these
movements is a blur. Everyone else at the table sees
jokes, anecdotes, and answers to the omnipresent dinner
party question, "What have you been up to lately?"
I am at a birthday dinner for a deaf friend of my
sister, and I am only one of two hearing people in
attendance who doesn't sign. The other looks like she
has suddenly been transported to a marketplace in
downtown New Delhi and she has no idea what to do or how
to act.

ASL Music Video: This is Me
Waiting to Be Heard: On Being Deaf and Gay
Nyle DiMarco: Role Model for Deaf and LGBTQ Communities
Dino Petrera: Gay and Hearing Impaired
Rainbow Alliance for
the Deaf
Signing LGBTQ
I imagine as I am sitting there that this is but a small
taste of the daily experiences of the deaf. Far too
often, they find themselves at the table, so to speak,
but excluded from the conversation. In the decade since
that dinner party, fortunately, there has been advances
in awareness of the challenges facing deaf people, in
large part due to efforts to comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act in the United States and similar
laws elsewhere. Consequently, deaf individuals aren't
excluded from the conversation quite as often, anymore,
but still too much.
While the rest of the world catches up and works to
include the hearing impaired in the fabric of society,
the deaf have created their own community through
organizations, social gatherings, and internet forums.
In this way, the deaf community is much like the LGBTQ
community, and a substantial body of research that looks
at issues of inclusivity and diversity has included
sections on challenges facing both deaf and LGBTQ
individuals, as they are often the same. However, scant
research has been done on those individuals who are both
LGBTQ and deaf. This is surprising, considering what my
sister, an interpreter for the deaf, has told me: "You'd
be surprised how many deaf people are gay." How
many exactly? According to the Deaf Queer Resource
Center, there are about 2.8 million deaf LGBTQ persons
in the United States alone.

Jessica: International Week of the Deaf
You Need to Calm Down: Sign Language
Sign: Silent Film Project
Deaf Queer Resource
Center
Jessica: Disabled and Gay
Short Film: Signage
Perhaps because of the lack of widespread attention, the
deaf LGBTQ community has developed its own subculture.
Several organizations exist to help facilitate the
spread of information about LGBTQ persons with hearing
impairments and to bring together the community as a
whole. Among those organizations is the previously
mentioned Deaf Queer Resource Center, whose primary
function is the dissemination of information about and
for deaf LGBTQ individuals.
More proactive is the Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf (RAD),
which advocates for the rights of the deaf and LGBTQ, as
well as having a bi-annual conference. Not only does the
conference educate and have workshops, they also name a
man and woman of the year, for those individuals who
have excelled in advocacy and charity work in their
communities. Additionally, they have a pageant with a
Mr. RAD, Ms. RAD, and Miss RAD named.
Interpreting Queer Words in ASL
ASL Music Video: The Way I Am
Queer and Deaf: Tackling Oppression Together
Deaf and Gay and Totally Okay
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard: Disability Misconceptions
Respectability: LGBTQ People With
Disabilities
Dickie Hearts: Paving the Way for a Rainbow of Deaf
Stories
LGBTQ in the Deaf Community
Queer Signing

According to a 1990 study by Daniel B. Swartz,
Perceptions & Attitudes of Male Homosexuals from
Differing Socio-Cultural & Audiological Backgrounds,
deaf gay men very likely to join organizations and gay
rights groups. Further, deaf gay men are happier in
their relationships and have more positive self-images
than hearing gay men. However, Swartz found that the
level of confusion about one's sexuality was the same
for hearing and deaf men who had deaf parents, which
suggests a general lack of knowledge of LGBTQ issues
among straight deaf individuals.
Unfortunately, a couple of separate studies found that
deaf LGBTQ persons are more likely to be victims of
sexual, physical, and psychological abuse or assault.
Gay deaf individuals are also more likely to contract
HIV. Klinger concluded that the more comfortable an
LGBTQ person is with his or her identity and feels a
connection to the community, the more likely he or she
is to have acquired sexual knowledge, although this is
more likely among deaf gay men than deaf lesbians.
Of course, those who are deaf and gay aren't the only
ones facing challenges. Anyone who deals with both
disability and sexual orientation issues must navigate a
different path. While there is a dearth of literature on
being gay and deaf, it's an abundance compared to the
amount of literature available concerning LGBTQ
individuals who are blind. Fortunately, there has been
more research devoted to handicapped individuals who are
LGBTQ. Regardless of how much attention or research has
been devoted to them, those with disabilities who are
gay or lesbian must deal with an extra burden of both
societal judgment and misconceptions.
[Source:
Michael Abernathy, Pop Matters]

Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
Out: Opera Singer Inspires With
Her Story
Being Blind and Gay
Matthew and Paul
Short Film: The Way He Looks
You
Tube: Do You Dream in Color?
Blind LGBTQ Pride
International
Dating a Blind Gay Person
Washington Post: Laurie Rubin Describes Her World of
Color
Hell No: Ingrid Michaelson ASL Music Video
Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
Video: Push Girls
LGBTQ People with Developmental Disabilities
Netfilx Series: Queer and Disabled
PBS Video: Differently Abled and Bisexual
Black, Gay, Autistic and
Beautiful
Deaf Queer Resource
Center
Being Blind and Gay
Jessica: Disabled and Gay
Embracing My Queer
Disabled Identity
MAP Report: LGBTQ People With Disabilities
Celebrities: LGBTQ
People and Disabilities
Frida
Kahlo - Artist
Laurie
Ruben - Opera Singer
Peter Beach Morier
- Author
Geri
Jewell - Writer
Justin
Chappel - Political Activist
Aaron
Philip - Model
Umber
Ghauri - Make-Up Artist
Dino
Petrera - Actor
Jennifer
Restle - CFO, Educator
Bethany Stevens - Educator
Riva Lehrer - Artist
Josh
Feldman - Actor
Andrew
Gurza - Activist
A Andrews - Author
Reggie
Greer - White House Advisor

|
Jessica Kellfren-Fozard - Educator, YouTuber
Dr.
Laura Rifkin - Professor, Therapeutic Recreation
Specialist
Leah
Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - Artist, Author
Jess
Thurber - Communication Designer
Tiphany Adams - Model, Actor, Speaker
Sky
Heyn Cubacub - Designer, Artist
Melissa
Yingst - Journalist
Nomy Lamm - Musician, Filmmaker
Patrick
Califia - Writer
Kay Ulanday Barrett -Artist
Eli Claire
- Artist
Eva
Sweeney - Educator
Dandy
Doodlez - Artist, Illustrator
Julian
Gavino - Writer, Activist
Chella Man
- Fashion Model

|

Infographic: LGBTQ People With Disabilities
Honoring LGBTQ People With Disabilities
LGBTQ Disabled Women in History
One-Third of LGBTQ Adults
Identify as Having a Disability
Excluded: Queer and Disabled
Signing LGBTQ
Activists Who Are Disabled and Transgender
Video Roundtable: Disability, Sex, Relationships, Dating
Disabled LGBTQ Creatives:
Imagining a Better Tomorrow
Influential Disabled LGBTQ Activists
Paul and Matthew
A message
from Paul, a blind gay man, about his relationship with
Matthew...
As a
person with gradual vision loss, I had only been using a
white cane for 2 years when I met Matthew. Honestly, I
should have been using one much earlier in my life, but
I struggled to accept it. Mostly because I didn’t want
to “look disabled” and draw attention to myself. I felt
embarrassed and lesser-than; all the things a disabled
person grapples with at some point on their journey.
Eventually, my safety became a priority and I applied
for cane training. It was a life-changing decision in
many ways. It allowed me to be more independent, and it
forced me to get comfortable with having a visible
disability. It wasn’t always easy, and there were some
days I didn’t leave my apartment.

But
when Matthew came into my life, something rather
unexpected happened: I got a seeing-eye boyfriend! I
hadn’t anticipated the benefits of being able to
hold hands and link arms with a fully sighted human
being. I could tuck my cane away and let Matthew
guide us through the busy streets of Seattle, the
even busier streets of New York City, and all the
airports in between.
One
year ago, my seeing-eye boyfriend became my
seeing-eye husband and together we’ve traveled to
Mexico, Canada, Australia, and all over the United
States. Always hand-in-hand while Matthew describes
the various sights around us (that’s something he’s
very good at doing!)
Another thing he’s good at doing is encouraging me
to use my cane for independence, and not to rely on
him too often. And you know something? I no longer
feel embarrassed or lesser-than. I actually feel
pride in my disability. And I owe so much of that to
my Matthew.
Video: Push Girls
LGBTQ People with Developmental Disabilities
Video Talk: Gay, Disabled, and Just Fine
Deaf Queer Resource
Center
Video Roundtable: Disability, Sex, Relationships, Dating
Jessica and Claudia: Dating a Disabled Lesbian
Living With a Disability
in the Gay Community
Born Without Limbs - Now I'm Marrying My Dream Man
Andrew Gurza on Queer Disability and Sex
Nancy Eves: Autistic, Trans, Non-Binary
Being Blind and Gay
Push Girls: Tiphany Adams
Gay and Disabled: Nothing Can Stop Me
3000 Attend NY's First Disability Pride Parade
Matthew and Paul
Report: LGBTQ
People and Disabilities
The
Americans with Disabilities Act was passed and signed
into law by President George HW Bush on July 26, 1990.
The ADA is a civil rights law that protects people with
physical or mental impairments that substantially limit
major life activities from discrimination in all areas
of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation,
and all public and private places that are open to the
general public. People living with HIV are also
protected from discrimination by the ADA. Research shows
that LGBTQ people are more likely than the general
population to have a disability and face systemic
challenges finding employment, community, and more. Even
30 years after the passage of the ADA, more work is
needed to ensure that people with disabilities,
including LGBTQ people with disabilities, have full and
equal access in American society.
An
Estimated 3-5 Million LGBTQ People Have Disabilities
2 in 5 transgender adults
1 in 4 lesbian, gay, bisexual adults
...compared to 27.2% of the overall population
40% of bisexual men
36% of lesbian women
36% of bisexual women
26% of gay men
...reported having a disability

MAP Report: LGBTQ People With Disabilities
Incredible Makeup Artist With No Arms
Special: Gay Disabled
Comedy TV Series
Disabled Queer Man Hires Sex Workers
Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
Influential Disabled LGBTQ Activists
Disabled LGBTQ Activists Redefining Sex and Sexuality
Jessica: Disabled and Gay
Unique Challenges for LGBTQ People with Disabilities
Limited access to LGBTQ-inclusive and fully accessible
services. Accessing affordable, accessible, and
inclusive health care, community services, and more is
challenging for LGBTQ people with disabilities. This is
particularly true for people in rural communities. Not
only are people living in rural areas more likely to
have disabilities, but the distances needed to travel to
find LGBTQ-competent and fully accessible service
providers, community programming, and more placed LGBTQ
people with disabilities in rural communities at a
greater risk for isolation and increased discrimination.
Bullying
and exclusion for LGBTQ youth with disabilities. LGBTQ
youth with disabilities report high
rates of harassment and are more likely to be bullied or
harassed than students without disabilities. LGBTQ
students with disabilities are more likely to be
disciplined in school and to drop out of school,
compared to LGBTQ students without disabilities.

Mobility Aids: Time to Sit Down
Inter-Abled Relationships: Benefits of Dating a Disabled
Person
Interpreting Queer Words in ASL
Disability and Dating: Sexy, Seated, and Single
Disabled Queers Facebook Page
Nyle DiMarco: Role Model for Deaf and LGBTQ Communities
Dino Petrera: Gay and Hearing Impaired
Jessica: People Accept My
Gayness But Not My Disabilities
Added
barriers to employment. People with disabilities report
incredibly high rates of employment discrimination and
unemployment. In 2017, only 36% of adults with a
disability were employed compared to 77% of those
without a disability. This discrimination compounded by
the discrimination based on sexual orientation and
gender identity, as well as racial and ethnic
discrimination, means that LGBTQ people with
disabilities may struggle to find and keep jobs, and to
access support services like unemployment benefits,
leaving them and their families economically insecure.
Invisibility within both communities. LGBTQ people with
disabilities often report that it is challenging to have
their identities fully recognized. In spaces focused on
disability, their unique experiences as LGBTQ people may
not be recognized. And in LGBTQ spaces, services and
facilities may not be inclusive or accessible, including
having accessible buildings or restrooms, ASL
interpretation and/or CART captioning for deaf or hard
of hearing people, and more.
LGBTQ
people are more likely to experience mental health
conditions that can impact daily life. Mental
health conditions can potentially impact a person’s
daily life to such an extent that it is a disability in
the eyes of the law, medical professionals, and/or the
individual living with that condition. Research finds
that LGBTQ people are more likely to have a mental
health disorder in their lifetimes, including mood
disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance use
disorders. A growing body of research links experiences
of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender
identity, as well as race, ethnicity, and disability
status, prejudice, barriers to competent health care,
lower rates of health insurance, poverty, experiences of
violence, and more to these health disparities.

LGBTQ People Living With Disabilities
Dino Petrera: Gay and Hearing Impaired
Signing LGBTQ
Matthew and Paul
MAP Report: LGBTQ People With Disabilities
Dickie Hearts: Paving the Way for a Rainbow of Deaf
Stories
Disabled LGBTQ Creatives:
Imagining a Better Tomorrow
Gay and Disabled: Nothing Can Stop Me
Dandy Dodlez: Artist,
Queer, Disabled, Sexually Active
Rainbow Alliance for
the Deaf
Sign: Silent Film Project
Black, Gay, Autistic and
Beautiful
PBS Video: Differently Abled and Bisexual
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard: Dating a Disabled Lesbian
Queer and Disabled: Representation and Accessibility
Addressing Needs of LGBTQ People with Disabilities
Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
Born Without Limbs - Now I'm Marrying My Dream Man
Video: Push Girls
LGBTQ People with Developmental Disabilities
Huff Post: Queer Disability Anthology
Laurie Rubin:
Blind Lesbian Opera Singer
Blind since birth, mezzo-soprano
Laurie Rubin tells her empowering story in memoir Do
You Dream in Color? Insights From a Girl Without Sight.
Acclaimed mezzo-soprano opera singer Laurie Rubin has
been blind since birth, is openly lesbian, and of Jewish
background. What better reason to write a memoir? On
paper, she was, obviously, not your typical everyday
teenager growing up. But with determination and a strong
support system, she continually surpassed and redefined
others’ expectations, both professionally in the music
industry and outside of it.

Defying the naysayers since childhood, the lively and
charismatic Rubin released Do You Dream in Color?
Insights From a Girl Without Sight in 2012,
recounting her experiences from childhood to
full-fledged opera singer. An uplifting story about her
journey to follow her dreams, Rubin’s story asks those
universal questions (Who am I? and Where do I fit
in?) while giving an insight into a musical world you
probably know nothing about. Not only does she have a
busy concert schedule, Rubin is also in developing a
curriculum for Yale music (where she earned her master's
degree) that will aim to dispel stereotypes and better
the perceived value of people living with disabilities
by allowing people of all ages and walks of life to
share in the experiences of blindness.
MAP Report: LGBTQ People With Disabilities
Blind and Gay Man Discovers He's Not Alone
Disabled LGBTQ Activists Redefining Sex and Sexuality
Jessica: Disabled and Gay
Mobility Aids: Time to Sit Down
Inter-Abled Relationships: Benefits of Dating a Disabled
Person
Interpreting Queer Words in ASL
Disability and Dating: Sexy, Seated, and Single
Dino Petrera: Gay and Hearing Impaired
Jessica: People Accept My
Gayness But Not My Disabilities
Incredible Makeup Artist With No Arms

Dandy Doodlez:
Artist, Queer, Disabled
Artist
Dandy Doodles is proving you can be disabled, queer and
sexuality active one powerful illustration at a time.
She has opened up about sex, the intersection between
queerness and disability, and why the LGBTQ community is
so inaccessible. Dandy developed Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis (ME), a complex neurological disease
that presents with symptoms in multiple body systems,
around two years ago.
“Overnight, I sort of lost everything in my life. I was
a very active person,” she said. “I was doing a degree,
and I was working for Oxfam. I was doing all these
different things, and it just suddenly struck me down. I
lost the ability to walk, to tolerate light or sound, to
read, to count. I had all of this joint and muscle pain,
and fatigue. I spent about just over a year in the dark
in my room. I couldn’t tolerate any kind of light. I had
to wear my sunglasses in bed. It was it was very, very
extreme."

Before she
developed ME, Dandy’s biggest passions were writing
novels and music, and she desperately needed a creative
outlet. At the beginning of 2020, it was suggested to
her that she could start drawing using an iPad. “I found
it was really, is really a great way of expressing
myself,” she said. "Having been isolated for so long, I
didn’t really have a voice. So I started to post these
things on Instagram as a way of connecting with other
disabled people and queer people, just like having that
sense of community. From there it just kind of
exploded.”
Dandy began receiving messages from companies who wanted
to work with her, and was even commissioned by Warner
Brothers and the BBC. But her most recent project she
describes as “astounding”. Sex toy company Lovehoney has
entered into a partnership with disability start-up
Handi to overhaul the taboos on sex and disability
through a new book, titled The Handi Book of Love, Lust
& Disability, which features the stories and poetry of
50 disabled contributors. Dandy was originally
approached to be one of the contributors but while in
talks with Handi, she found herself “offhandedly”
offering to illustrate the entire book, on top of
contributing her story.
Dandy Dodlez: Artist,
Queer, Disabled, Sexually Active
Nyle DiMarco: Role Model for Deaf and LGBTQ Communities
Queer and Disabled: Representation and Accessibility
Disabled World Report: Over One Third of LGBTQ Adults
Identify as Disabled
Matthew and Paul
Gay and Disabled: Nothing Can Stop Me
Respectability: LGBTQ People With
Disabilities
Disability and Dating: Sexy, Seated, and Single
Special: Gay Disabled
Comedy TV Series
Jessica: People Accept My
Gayness But Not My Disabilities
Video Roundtable: Disability, Sex, Relationships, Dating
Inter-Abled Relationships: Benefits of Dating a Disabled
Person
You Need to Calm Down: Sign Language
Netfilx Series: Queer and Disabled
Disabled Queers Facebook Page
Respect Ability: One-Third of LGBTQ Adults Have a
Disability
Disabled LGBTQ Activists Redefining Sex and Sexuality
Black, Gay, Autistic and
Beautiful
Video Talk: Disabled LGBTQ Couple
Scholarly Paper:
Intersectionality of Disabilities and LGBTQ Identity
Living With a Disability
in the Gay Community
Born Without Limbs - Now I'm Marrying My Dream Man
Nancy Eves: Autistic, Trans, Non-Binary
Influential Disabled LGBTQ Activists
Jessica: Disabled and Gay
Deaf Queer Resource
Center
Being Blind and Gay
HOME
QUEER CAFE
│ LGBTQ Information Network │ Established 2017 |