Ep. 15 - An Intersectional Analysis of The Big Bang Theory

10/31/22 • 51 min

An episode about The Big Bang Theory?? Yup! In this Halloween special (that barely mentions Halloween) Shruti and Harper dive deep into an intersectional analysis of the notorious CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.

Harper discusses the well-recognized Autistic coding of Sheldon Cooper, and his very much not recognized aromantic asexual coding. Sheldon Cooper is a queer, disabled man. Harper is here to explain why and why it matters.

Shruti examines the poor treatment Raj Koothrappali received as the show’s token character of color and its real-world impact. In discussing Raj’s role as the “unlucky in love hopeless romantic,” they discuss how Raj could have been—and maybe should have been—queer.

As two people with complicated, long-term, love-hate relationships with The Big Bang Theory and some of the very identities the show represents—for better or worse, canon or not—Shruti and Harper have a lot to say.

You can follow The Disabled Standard on Instagram @disabledstandard and on Twitter @disabledspod. Thank you for listening and supporting!

You can follow The Disabled Standard on Instagram @disabledstandard and on Twitter @disabledspod. Thank you for listening and supporting!

Previous Episode

Ep. 14 - Intersectionality Part 2: Intersectionality In Social Movements

In this week’s part two on intersectionality, Harper and Shruti discuss the role intersectionality plays in social movements and community. They dive into why it’s vital to be cognizant of your intersecting identities and the intersecting identities of others as you interact, advocate, and work together for collective liberation—and how to do it. Spoiler alert: It takes intentionality and a rejection of individualistic thinking.

Shruti and Harper also discuss the recent Lizzo song lyric controversy, how it brought the interaction of disability and Blackness to the forefront, and the complexities of racial intersections with disability. When is it time to speak up or step back to amplify others? What does it mean to do disability justice intersectionality from the start instead of band-aiding it in later? Why does healing play such a big role in intersectional justice work? What would it look like to center love, joy, and culture in activism and identity instead of oppression?

Check out Shruti's NPR article on the Lizzo controversy: https://www.npr.org/2022/06/14/1104925003/lizzo-rerecords-grrrls-criticism-ableism

Tune in to this week’s episode wherever you get your podcasts and join the conversation on social media!

You can follow The Disabled Standard on Instagram @disabledstandard and on Twitter @disabledspod. Thank you for listening and supporting!

Next Episode

Ep. 16 - Access Needs 101

The Disabled Standard is getting back to basics with Access Needs 101. In this week's episode, Harper and Shruti talk through the definition, theory, and framework of access needs.

An access need is something a person needs in order to fully participate in an activity, group, or space. The term comes from disability justice and the field of disability studies, but everyone, disabled or not, has access needs.

From giving examples of access needs and breaking down the ongoing collaborative process necessary for meeting everyone’s access needs, Shruti and Harper explore access intimacy in education, the workplace, and beyond. They also tackle the concept of conflicting access needs and share their thoughts on how to balance the diverse set of access needs for the collective benefit of everyone.

You can follow The Disabled Standard on Instagram @disabledstandard and on Twitter @disabledspod. Thank you for listening and supporting!