jialu pombo
We are all multiple, you know, inside us. We are not just one thing, and our sense of existence and our identities are always changing. Some things can be more permanent. But, we are always changing. I think intersectionality tries to deal with the multiple layers that everyone has, that is, in relation with the other layers of others. So for me it’s very important to not be stuck in a rigid sense of identity. Because the identity policies are very restricting around the immensity of our existence in the universe.
So I think intersectionality can help us to look at our existence in a larger way. Not just as an identity criteria. And even when we look at the identity criterias with intersectionality, we can remember the identities are also multiple and changing. And I think this could be connected with the sense of creation. I think creation is life. We are creations, and we are creating as we live. Creation is not something rigid and life is always changing. jialu pombo, Creator 2023
jialu works with art and research. They have a PhD in Clinical Psychology from PUC/SP, Brazil, with a thesis on clinical processes and language creation as ways to decolonize life of the western society binarism structure. jialu also has a Masters in Visual Arts from UFRJ, Brazil. jialu is involved in artistic and craft processes connected to reflections on care, seeking to create works that offer a multi-sensory experience. As someone who is neurodivergent and gender dissident jialu’s research focuses on issues that promote social justice and equity. Topics such as gender, sexuality, the body, subjectivity, self-expression and language have been present in jialu’s artistic and academic work and also explored in lectures, workshops and classes they teach.
invisible diversity: intersectionality between invisible disabilities and gender & sexual diversity
jialu combines academics, storytelling, and poetry in a booklet on the intersectionality between invisible disabilities and gender and sexual diversity. The booklet, produced as two versions, in English and Portuguese, is a collection of stories about the experiences of six people (including jialu) from different regions of Brazil, whose invisible disabilities are also uniquely interconnected with their journey with gender and sexual diversity.
To tell these stories, jialu established a small network working with individuals including persons with hearing impairments (one of them with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD), a person with a psychosocial disability, a person with fibromyalgia, and a person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). jialu held informal one-on-one conversations and collective meetings with the individuals who form the backbone of this project. Working together on thematic focus and storytelling, each of them created their own narrative using text and/or images. The stories are preceded with an introduction text based on jialu’s academic background that foregrounds invisible disabilities as necessary and important in how we define and think about disability. The stories weave together nuance and focus across multiple topics including gender identity, transition, accessibility, autonomy, sexuality, ableism, normativity and more. The booklet embodies jialu’s way of thinking — questioning and reflecting on issues — and is an attempt to communicate these reflections that can educate and allow for continuing and growing conversations.
jialu is open to collaborations and/or requests to host this resource in alternative spaces.
pdf (english) audiobook (english)
Although it's an ongoing process to limit their use as much as possible, this website also sets some cookies to provide a better user experience and to analyze site traffic.
Data collected is anonymized. By clicking 'I accept', you consent to the use of cookies on this website.