Disability and Sex/Sexuality
A common misconception about disabled people is that they are non-sexual or unable to have sex, especially those with physical impairments. If they do want sex, it is often assumed that no one would desire them, and they must hire a sex worker in order to have sex.
These are common misconceptions because there is little to no sexual education surrounding sex and disability. However, I have spent some time digging to find some resources that might answer some burning questions that you may have concerning how disabled people have sex and feel about sex.
First up is a YouTube video published by the Health Equity Institute in collaboration with the San Francisco State University (SFSU) as part of a transdisciplinary film production course called “Documentary for Health and Social Justice”. The video is called (Sex)abled: Disability Uncensored (2013). It’s a fantastic insight into the different experiences of disabled people and their feelings about sex and sexuality. (Captioned)
The next is a podcast created by Andrew Gurza, a disabled queer man, called Disability After Dark which covers a multitude of topics discussing disability, sex, and identity. These podcasts don’t pull any punches and are frank and upfront about many issues. Andrew also interviews other disabled people about their experiences, is a sparkling conversationalist and has a great sense of humour, making his podcasts both educational and hilarious.
It’s only taboo if you make it that way. The more we learn and talk about sex and disability, the more accessible our society becomes — not just physically, but socially and sexually too.