Sex and people with disabilities

The misconception that disabled people aren’t sexually active or aren’t sexual beings is unfortunately soooo common. It carries over to healthcare, too.

When it comes to asking questions about sex, alcohol, or drugs (oh my) . As a person with a developmental disability who has always known the truth — that disabled people are people who do regular people things — I’ve always found it strange that these misconceptions are even a thing.

The most common question I get asked by people in general is if I can have sex. I’ve never understood the logic that brings people to the conclusion that I can’t.

I I never knew people with disabilities can date.

You don’t look disabled or act disabled.

Do you get turned on?

Disabled people don’t have vaginas or peni?

How does this happen? I never knew that disable people can be sexually active

😂 I honestly don’t know. Anyways, it’s fun replying with off the wall answers when I get these questions 🙃

So I’ll let you in on a few things:

💖Sex is multifaceted and looks different for everyone, although the idea of sex is typically thought of as one

💖 yes women with developmental disabilities do get experience and you don’t need it infantilize us.

💖We are just like every human being

💖Disabled people have sex.

💖Disabled people can be asexual just like anyone else.

💖Sex looks different for everyone, disabled or not.

💖Start asking disabled patients about sex if it’s on the questionnaire.

💖Ableism creates a view of sex that stigmatizes disability and sexuality.

💖Consent always matters.