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Description:

This artifact shows the love and intimacy between two individuals. In this artifact, one person appears to be physically disabled and is seated in a wheelchair. The other person leans in closely, sharing an intimate moment as they appear to be exploring the outdoors together, surrounded by nature.

Significance:

People with disabilities often have their emotional and sexual needs ignored by society, assuming they are incapable or unwilling to engage in intimate relationships (Giertsen et al, 2023). The reason why I have chosen this Artifact is because it challenges this stereotype and illustrates the close relationship between sexuality and disability, showing that love has no limits and showing that love and intimacy are experiences everyone can have.

This Artifact is shown to be in an outdoor setting, which can be extremely powerful as it shows that having a disability doesn't mean you can't go out and enjoy life. The concept that no one's disability should prevent them from living life to the fullest is further highlighted by this Artifact. Every individual is capable of having an intimate, meaningful relationships, even in public settings (Teunis & Herdt, 2006).

Positionality:

Growing up, my family talked about disability and sexuality openly, but I never learned much about it in school or in other public settings. It’s interesting how they have combined the two topics into one. After my first couple of classes, I went home and asked my friends about disability and sexuality, and I was surprised to find out how many of my friends felt uncomfortable discussing it. I found that quite interesting and it really highlighted how important it is to have these conversations even when they may feel uncomfortable. I'm interested in the topic of disability and sexuality because I want to make sure that those with disabilities may have open conversations without feeling judged. This subject will benefit me in my future career as a social worker as well as in my every-day life, I want to engage in more discussions, listen to different perspectives, and support my friends and other individuals in being more accepting of the topic around sexuality and disability
(Shuttleworth et al 2020).

Impact:

This subject has impacted me in many ways. It has allowed me to reflect on what my beliefs and values are as well as stepping outside of my comfort zone. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I learned how to discuss subjects that I would have considered “uncomfortable” to talk about in my very first lesson. Throughout this subject I have learnt the importance of being open minded as well as the importance of engaging in conversations about disability and sexuality as it can help challenge misconceptions and stereotypes (Giertsen et al, 2023). This topic has made it easier for me to see things from the perspective of people with disabilities, who are frequently disregarded by society when it comes to their emotional and sexual needs (Shuttleworth et al 2020). Sometimes people don't fully understand what these individuals with disabilities are going through since they may not have known someone or have gone through it themselves. This emphasizes the need of challenging these misunderstandings and rase more awareness, Cause after all if we were all the same our world would be boring.

Wish List:

By Normalising open conversations about sexuality and disability, I hope my Artifact will inspire viewers to take action. I want my viewers to realize that people with disabilities have the same rights to intimacy and love as everyone else. I hope thatmy Artifact encourages people to always have an open mind and be willing to step outside of their comfort zone and challenge their own biases (Turner, 2020. This Artifact aims to eliminate misconceptions and may spark discussions about the value of inclusion (Teunis, & Herdt, 2006). By raising awareness and being more accepting, we can eliminate misconceptions and assumptions around sexuality and disability (Turner, 2020. We can also inspire others to encourage and support individuals with disabilities in their sexual lives.

Scholarship:

Studies have indicated that a client's sexuality is essential to their identity and overall health (Bancroft, 2009). However, 85% of patients expressed dissatisfaction with primary care providers' handling of sexual functioning talks, despite their desire to discuss sexuality with their doctors, according to Marwick (1999). This Is a big indication that these specific health care professionals are not fully trained or educated enough on how to have these professional conversations about sexuality. Maddock, (1997) draws attention to the misconception that individuals with disabilities lack sexual feelings. They then receive less sexual education as a result than people without disabilities. Individuals with disabilities could be more vulnerable to other people's manipulation or exploitation. These individuals might not feel empowered to speak out for themselves or recognise dangerous circumstances if they lack the necessary information.

"Sensuality, Intimacy, Identity, Reproduction, and Sexualization" are among the five categories that comprise the strengths-based perspective known as "The Circles of Sexuality" (Turner, 2020). This model can have a significant importance on people with disabilities. It can emphasise that people with disabilities also experience these aspects of sexuality. It demonstrates that they are people with identities, emotional attachments, and physical needs just like everyone else. In relation to the Artifact this closely Professionals may assist clients with disabilities in reducing emotions of guilt and stigma surrounding their sexuality by utilising the circles of sexuality and a sex-positive approach. We also need more awareness and education around sexuality and disability to ensure that we eliminate these misconceptions and stereotypes (Giertsen et al, 2023).

Home » Teaching » Cripping Sexuality Gallery 2024 » Connection between Disability and Sexuality – Lauryn D.