At the conference, a group of disability scholars and activists held conversations around intersectionality in relation to neurodiversity. Dr. Jessica M. F. Hughes organized a series of panel discussions over Twitter prior to the conference, while the conference was canceled the Twitter discussions continued under the hashtag #intersectionalND. Questions posted included questions about how intersecting identities changed individuals' embodiment of their neurotype. Activists and self-advocates named a myriad of ways their identities converged with their various neurodiverse identities to complicate their existence under systems of power and conceptions of identity. 

Example:  2016 Society for Disability Studies Conference

-  The neurodiversity perspective utilized by Robertson and Walker addresses the notion that identity and power systems are geographically, historically, and culturally significant.  Also, that privilege and marginalization can co-exist for individuals.
- Commitment to social justice is embedded within the neurodiversity paradigm because naming neurodiversity as a natural part of human diversity opens the door for the increased recognition and acceptance of diverse neurotypes.
- The neurodiversity paradigm is inherently anti-essentialist, and is evident through statements about neurodiverse populations including "there is great variability among autistic people."

Using Smooth's tenets to understand the Neurodiversity Paradigm

- Using Smooth's tenets to understand the Neurodiversity Paradigm
- Example: 2016 Society for Disability Studies Conference

University of Wisconsin - Madison

In this article, Strand discusses how Intersectionality Theory and the Neurodiversity Paradigm have been conceptualized, utilized, and operationalized - understanding how a theoretical concept is applied in context. Through this study, Strand poses that intersectionality theory and the neurodiversity paradigm can work to strengthen the theoretical aims and application of each other. 

Charting Relations between Intersectionality Theory and the Neurodiversity Paradigm

- inclusive
- reflexive
- anti-essentialist

Research Qualities that Consider Intersectional factors 

Strand, L. (2017). Charting Relations between Intersectionality Theory and the Neurodiversity Paradigm. Disability Studies Quarterly, 2017 (2017).

- The coining of Intersectionality Theory by Kimberlé Crenshaw
- Earlier pre-coining works in Intersectionality Theory
- Criticisms of Intersectionality Theory and Responses
- Contemporary Intersectionality Theory frameworks

History of of the coining of Intersectionality Theory and foundational works

- Underlying Philosophy and Relation to Intersectionality and Disability Studies
- Harvey Blume and the popularization of "Neurodiversity"
- The neurodiversity paradigm and autistic identities


History of the Neurodiversity Paradigm

- Disability has been largely under-explored in Intersectionality Theory works as compared to identity categories such as race, gender, and class. 
- One of the reasons for this under investigation is how disability as an identity itself contains so many smaller identities, which causes the larger disability identity groups to be more variant.
- These variations often cause an over-emphasis on individual boydminds rather than disability as an identity group that faces unique systemative oppression. 
- Contemporary Intersectionality theory foregrounds the interplay in other communities, as seen in the disability community, between individuals and groups. 
- Critically engaging with disability could potentially substantially change the understanding of the use of Intersectionality Theory as a theoretical method, methodology, paradigm, and analytical framework.

Disability as Understood through Intersectionality Theory and Praxis

- Why do practical applications matter?
- Coalition-building within the autistic rights movement and "identifying with"
- Example: Activist Movements around ending Police Violence 

Practical Applications and Interactive Relationships between Intersectionality Theory and the Neurodiversity Paradigm 

Neurodiversity and the autistic rights movement can be looked towards as examples of where strong communal ties are continuing to form without diving into strategic essentialism, and actually these ties are stronger due to the resistance to essentialism.

How the Neurodiversity Paradigm can add to Intersectionality Theory 

(1) An understanding that social identity categories and power systems shift over time and space.
(2) A recognition that privilege and marginalization can coexist within individuals and groups
(3) A commitment to social justice
(4) A dedication to anti-essentialism and the variation within categories
(5) An investment in the multiplicative nature of identity(ies)

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