A Happy Place of Taboos - Maey T.


Description:
This artifact depicts a set of traffic lights; red represents stop, amber represents slow down, and green represents go. It is a universal tool for traffic control. The traffic lights are traditional although the shape of each light is phallic, representing penises.
Significance:
The traffic lights represent sexual performance. For too long the focus of sexuality has been on sexual performance and dysfunction and correcting the dysfunction to enhance performance by reaching orgasm. The Good Enough Sex model shifts the goal from performance and achieving orgasm to intimacy, and connection. Within the traffic light image, dysfunction is represented by the red light, performance by the green light, and intimacy by the amber light.
The Good Enough Sex model is a vital tool for those living with a disability as it centralises realistic sexual expectations. Research published by McCarthy (Cited in Rullo 2018) found that among the general population, less than half of all sexual experiences were considered ‘very good’ by both partners involved. This research is lacking in findings on people with a disability. Unfortunately, the topic of disability and sexual satisfaction has been inadequately researched (Kattari & Turner 2017), therefore it is difficult to determine but one could speculate that satisfaction is much lower than the general population. Other trials of the Good Enough Sex model on people with multiple sclerosis, breast cancer patients, and people who are infertile – all yielded positive results.
The Good Enough sex model consists of twelve dimensions covering a range of elements including age, physical health, relaxation, and flexibility (Metz & McCarthy 2007). For people with a disability, I believe that dimension twelve, sexuality is personalised, is the most poignant and very much influences the intimacy of the amber light. This dimension is all about being playful and creating something special through sexual experiences which in turn, strengthens and enhances intimacy.
Positionality:
I am interested in Disability and Sex because I am a Disability Support Worker. When I work with participants who become intimate in group settings, who hug or kiss, we the staff are made to tell them to “keep their hands to themselves” much like you would say to a child who is too young for sex education. We do not tell participants why they shouldn’t be intimate; we just tell them that it is not appropriate without explaining why it is not appropriate nd without giving them opportunities to be intimate where it is appropriate.
I am interested in Disability and Sex because I want to give the participants I work with opportunities to be intimate and express their sexuality, which is often repressed by carers, parents and support staff that view adults with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities, as asexual, infantile, and incapable of being sexual in an appropriate way.
One of the core values of Social Work is social justice – upholding and fighting for people's rights (AASW 2020). Just as people living with disabilities have rights, sexual rights are also human rights although, for people with a disability, those rights are often overlooked as unimportant (Kattari & Turner 2017). This unit has helped me to understand that and made me want to become an advocate for the sexual rights of people with a disability.
Impact:
The subject of Disability and Sexuality has given me the desire to become an approachable and askable social worker. One way this is possible is through the use of the PLISSIT Model. This model aims to address issues in the least invasive way possible by starting at the most basic level and progressing based on the client's comfort and engagement (Martinez-Gilliard 2023). PLISSIT is an acronym that stands for permission, limited information, specific suggestions, and intensive therapy. The PLISSIT model can be incorporated in any stage of treatment and across many areas, not just sexual health, it is empowering for the client, is based on conversation and has a foundation of permission, all of which are important for a social worker to build quality reciprocal relationships with clients.
Wish List:
I would like viewers to slow down as if they were approaching an amber light. I want them to focus on intimacy in their upcoming sexual experiences, rather than performance. Sometimes you can still go through an amber light to a green and reach orgasm, which is great however it is not the ultimate goal.
Things to explore in the amber light are being flexible and variable in your sexuality. Consider not only penetration but focus on being playful and sensual, through massage, holding, touching, eye contact, toys, and roleplay for example. Through this, you can broaden your sexual definition and encourage intimate connection.
Lastly, I would like viewers to consider how people living with different disabilities may experience sexuality and consider how they view disability and sexuality – do they view people with a disability, whether it be intellectual, physical, psychosocial, or other, as in need of protection from the taboo, or do they agree that they are sexual beings who deserve to express their sexuality? I hope that this image and my interpretation encourage the latter.
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One Comment
I really enjoyed how you linked your artifact with the Good Enough Sex model! I agree that society’s traditional views on sexuality are far too focused on sexual performance and orgasm, which may not be feasible for people with disabilities, traumatic injuries and/or illnesses, as well as sexual trauma.
As a Disability Support Worker, I can resonate with the discomfort that comes from telling participants that their behaviour is inappropriate; it upsets me that we are instructed to deny them the right to explore and express their sexuality without even explaining why – as you said yourself, it is akin to talking to a child who is too young for sex education, only these are grown adults.
Your writing has also allowed me to reflect on my own sexual experiences and preferences, enabling me to think about the many intimate sensations that bring me sexual pleasure – other than sexual intercourse.