Experiencing Difference: Stories of Gender and Cognitive Diversity in Public School

• In Event: Equity, Ethics, and Care in Leadership for School Improvement

Abstract

This article explores the lived school experience of young adults who are both gender and neurodiverse. Publicly acknowledged gender nonconforming identities have become increasingly common and there are strong indicators that this population overlaps with the neurodiverse population (van Schalkwyk, 2018; George and Stokes 2018). School improvement efforts often focus on marginalized groups, but struggle to address intersectionality (Kyle, 2022). Additionally, LGBTQIA+ students have yet to reap the rewards of these efforts in any meaningful way (Sadowski, 2020). We hope that by sharing these stories and the current research we can spark conversations in schools around ways to include these students.

Authors

• Tanya DaMommio, Texas State University

• Lori Schunka, Texas State University