‘Hey this is what disability can look like’: a duoethnography examining disabled PhD students’ disclosure

Abstract In this duoethnography, we-two graduate students who identify as disabled/’crip’- reflect on our personal experiences disclosing disability in higher education. Though we have different diagnoses and relationships with our disabilities, we share similar positions of power as PhD students in disability studies-related fields. Through written reflections and ongoing conversations, we explore the question: How have we, PhD students with different orientations to disability, navigated disability disclosure in higher education? Using the frameworks of Figured Worlds and Third Spaces, we share two key shifts in our thinking. First, we discuss how we navigate different contexts where disclosure might be necessary- or risky. Second, we examine how disclosure is closely tied to feelings of belonging, often in complicated and contracting ways. We reflect on moments when we chose to disclose (or not), what shaped those choices, and how these experiences have either supported or challenged our sense of belonging in academia. Points of Interest This article shares the real experiences of two disabled PhD students as they decided when and how to tell others about their disabilities during graduate school. We found that telling people about disability was not always easy or helpful—sometimes it led to support, but other times it brought feelings of isolation or worry about being judged. Many disabled students, like us, do not use official channels to get help during graduate school because the process can be complicated and does not always meet our needs. We discovered that sharing our stories with each other helped us feel less alone and made it easier to understand our own identities as disabled people. Our experiences show that there is no single ‘right’ way to talk about disability in higher education, and that building understanding and community can make a big difference for disabled students