Intersectional representation : LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse voices in transmedia fiction

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Authors
Drake, Tynan
Advisor
Moloney, Kevin T.
Issue Date
2020-12-19
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (M.A.)
Department
Department of Journalism
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Abstract

Diversity representation in fictional stories is a growing concern for many minority communities, as these representations have a significant impact on how members of these communities are treated by society. Cultural stigmatization of LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse communities has led to repeated misrepresentation in media which harms members of these communities and denies them the agency to define their own experiences. Though fictional narratives written by these communities are beginning to emerge, very few represent the intersectional experiences that common occur between these communities. This paper uses design thinking methods to explore the intersectional experiences of neurodiverse (plural and autistic), queer, and gender nonconforming identities and to prototype a fictional transmedia experience that presents these intersectional experiences in ways that are empowering and return agency to the communities it represents.