b'INTERSECTIONALITY OF DISEASE COMMUNITIESWhile we consistently refer to the MS community in this booklet, people with MS may nd they have goals, interests, and experiences in common with the larger communities of people with disability, those with chronic illness, and people affected by autoimmune disease. There is signicant overlap in the challenges, goals, and need for public awareness ineachofthesegroups.SomepeoplewithMS choose to also identify as chronically ill, disabled, or as a person with autoimmune disease. Incorporating these terms may assist you in nding people and resources. For example, while there arent a great deal of resources available for artists with multiple sclerosis, there are grants, programs, and groups available to artists with disabilities. Or you might struggle to nd a therapist who specializes in multiple sclerosis, but therapists who specialize in treating people with chronic illness and disability are fairly common.While most people with MS will feel comfortable identifying as a person with a chronic or autoimmune illness, some people feel uncomfortable using the term disablediftheyarenotseverelyandcontinuouslyimpairedbytheirMS, particularly their walking ability. Keep in mind that according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person is disabled when a physical or mental health condition substantially limits any of their major life activities, or when that person has a record of their condition substantially limiting their major life activities in the past. A substantial impairment is one that signicantly limits or restricts a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, learning, or working. If you had optic neuritis at the time you were diagnosed and your ability to see was substantially impaired, you would be protected from discrimination on that basis under the ADA denition of disability, even if your sight has returned. If there have been times you found yourself unable to function at work or school because of heat sensitivity, fatigue, or pain, you could be afforded protections under the ADA. Bladder and bowel problems, depression, and many other invisible MS symptoms can become substantial impairments. This demonstrates the denition of disabled is broader than many of us perceive it to be. If your symptoms signicantly impair any of your normal activities or abilities, you have the right to identify as part of the disability community if you choose.What are the benets to identifying as part of the disability community if you dont have a visible disability? Your example can help shift the publics thinking about what disability means, ght discrimination against those with visible and invisible disability, help decrease the stigma of disability, and provide you with access to a broader array of resources and advocacy opportunities. Joining with others in the autoimmune or chronic illness communities can similarly increase your reach. 6'