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.
