Twice-exceptional (2e) learners — those who are both gifted and have a disability or learning difference — already navigate a complex set of challenges in academic and social settings. When you layer in diverse racial, cultural, gender, and socioeconomic identities, that complexity deepens significantly.
Intersectional Identities of Twice-Exceptional Teens: How Diverse Identities Affect the Social and Academic Experience, edited by Joy Lawson Davis, C. Matthew Fugate, and Wendy Behrens, examines exactly that intersection. The book explores how overlapping identities shape the lived experiences of 2e adolescents — and what educators, counselors, and caregivers can do to better support them.
For those working with high-potential youth in foster care, this kind of research is essential reading. Our residents frequently carry multiple, intersecting identities that influence how they learn, relate, and grow. Understanding that complexity is central to the Xavier House model.
