Psychology discipline:
According to the World Health Organization, “Sexuality is an integral part of the personality of everyone: man, woman and child; it is a basic need and aspect of being human that cannot be separated from other aspects life.” People who have physical or intellectual disabilities are often label as non-sexual adults. People don’t talk about sex and disability in the same sentence. It tends to be a taboo area for many people. As a result, more than 50% of disabled people don’t have any form of a regular sex life.
For most people, sexuality is a very intimate area in their personal life or in the relationship which they are not easily share with someone else. Sexuality is important in the romantic relationship, or even in the marriage. Imagine that a man got an car accident and became paraplegia. People may think he doesn’t need sex anymore, his whole life has changed. He was able to enjoy sex, having intimate connection with his girlfriend or wife, but now he can’t. It doesn’t mean that he is disabled and physically can’t have sex so he doesn’t need it; instead, he is disabled but his thoughts and desire are not taken away with the physical disability. People with disabilities are easily get frustrated of not able to pleasure their partner. Their disabilities may affects the way their body works. Their partners need to more effort to pleasure them, and this can make disabled people feel embarrassing that they can’t do anything for their partners.
Disability has been a difficult topic of society for years. Many people find discomfort in the presence of the disabled and many feel pity for those who are disabled. Back in the 1800s, the disabled were perceived as unable to contribute to society, often forced to undergo sterilization, and forced into institutions and asylums (“A Brief History”). In fact, this treatment of the disabled and mentally ill has been persistent until somewhat recently, when the Civil Rights movement took place, and those with disabilities decided to take a stand for their rights. Although people with disabilities continue to face difficulties in finding jobs, legitimizing their opinion, having the right to vote, and choosing whether or not they receive or refuse
The amount of people who live with disabilities is a controversial number. Depending on what law and diagnostic tools used, a person may have a visible disability, or one that may lie beneath the surface of his or her appearance. Some people believe that the term “disability” is merely a label use to hold back, or prescribe helplessness. Meanwhile, individuals who have been properly diagnosed with disabilities struggle to maintain respect and acceptance every day. In plain language, there is a lot of misunderstanding between people with disabilities and those without. It is firstly important to get everyone on the same page regarding the definition of disability.
Disabled. Disabled is a word commonly defined as being physically or mentally impaired, injured, or incapacitated (dictionary.com). There's a stigma over the word disabled with its negative connotation. Nancy Mairs, author of “I Am a Cripple, dislikes this word because she thinks that the English language incorporates too many euphemism in our speech. Mairs wants people to use more straightforward language, even if it might be offensive to others. In “ I Am a Cripple”, Mairs eloprates on how she became disabled from the disease multiple sclerosis or (M.S). M.S., a disease that attacks the central nervous system and often disables or cripples the person who has this disease. To describe her first symptoms of M.S.(infinitive phrase) Mairs flashbacks to when she was in college. Also how some days she wishes she was not disabled. Allusions in Nancy Mairs’s “I Am a Cripple” provide a deeper understanding of her complex feelings of having M.S.
While there is some slow improvement in the U.S. towards upholding disabled rights with improved consideration of capacity to consent and best interests, the stigma around the disabled continues, especially when it comes to reproduction and parenting, and media representations of this population perpetuate stereotypes about alleged unfitness to parent and function in society. Feminist conversations around rights of the disabled and ethical medical and legal treatment may be an important piece missing from mainstream discussions around reproductive rights. It is crucial for the well-being of disabled individuals to further increase the awareness of physicians, support service workers and caretakers, and the general public when it comes to these issues and the practice of using the least restrictive options when dealing with sexual and reproductive needs of women with
The topic of sexual orientation is both sensitive and controversial. This is evident in events, such as the Pride Parade, and also in media, where authoritative figures preach against it and speak of its “sinful nature” (Emmanuele, Blanchard, Camperio-Ciani, & Bancroft, 2010). Sexual orientation exists in various forms, it differs in the way it is viewed by different cultures, and researchers propose different perspectives to explain the emergence of an individual 's sexual orientation. In the discourse of sexual orientation,
This paper will outline sexuality at different life stages, and as a sexual therapist I will coach an adolescent girl with a boyfriend who is pressuring her to have sex; an elderly couple with a wife exhibiting a renewed interest in sexual activity and a unwilling husband; and finally a handicapped male that has been paralyzed since he was four years old.
Within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention article there are people who share their story about living a disabled life. Nickole has spinal muscular atrophy, which is a genetic disability she had since birth. She talks about
Coping with a disability many would assume that sexuality is no longer a factor or want. However, this is another result of societal barriers and stigmas people place on individuals with disabilities. Sexual healing as Mitchell mentioned, should be part of the rehabilitation process. Mitchell states that he learned more from his peers and mentors whom have acquired disabilities and I find this interesting. He learned and gained the most knowledge from others in his situation and I believe many are educated this way similarly to young children learning societal norms. The social learning theory is a great example of Mitchells closing analysis about men with disabilities. Men apply what is learned socially throughout life. After an individual becomes disabled attitudes prior to and after the disability should be addressed in treatment. For Mitchell learning from others that he could understand and relate to was a form of
Formerly, persons with disabilities were kept private and out of public view. In recent years, the number of people living with disabilities has increased due to longer life expectancy and advancement of medical treatments for life-threatening illness. With the transition of persons with a disabilities into more conventional lifestyles, they are now thriving in society. Disabled persons can be increasingly independent through an assisting device such a cane or wheelchair, though cultural barriers still exist between disabled and able-bodied persons.
Research has shown that females with disabilities are twice likely to suffer sexual abuse as females without disabilities (Clark & Vasta, 2007)
Disability in a socio-cultural context can be defined as "a barrier to participation of people with impairments or chronic illnesses arising from an interaction of the impairment or illness with discriminatory attitudes, cultures, policies or institutional practices" (Booth, 2000). The traditional view of disability often focuses on the individual, highlighting incapacities or failings, a defect, or impairment. This focus creates obstacles to participation on equal terms since an individual who seems to lack certain capacities may not be able to attain autonomy.
The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society acts and is organised, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference. They believe society should change to meet the needs of the child/young person. It looks at ways of removing barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people. When barriers are removed, disabled people can be independent and equal in society, with choice and control over their own lives. An impairment is defined as
What do you think of when you hear the word “disability”? Do you think of individuals who need extra resources? Or do you think of individuals who are limited by society? The topic of people with disabilities is often controversially. Some individuals take the firm stance that labeling a person as “disabled” can be helpful as it ensures that individual that they will get the extra resources they need to have the best quality of life. On the other hand, people take the stance that the term “disability” should be eliminated because it leads to social stigma and individual who do suffer from health, whether it is physical or mental, complications are often given less opportunities because they have been labeled as “disabled.” Especially because some individuals are targeted as being “sick” when they are healthy, which
Disabled people are those whose impairments, physical or mental, restrict them, affecting their daily lives, ability to cope and employment prospects. (Madden, D, 1999).
Approximately 15% of the world’s population is, in a way, disabled. Whether it is a physical disability or a serious chronic disease, we have about one billion people in the world that live with a disability every day of their lives. It often occurs that these people are seen as an outcast of society; people that cannot live normal lives. It is important to realize that this is not true at all. People with disabilities are completely able to be part of the world. It is just the world’s duty to accept them.