Summary of the Documentary.

Summary of the Documentary.

Produced by Fatima Kazmi, Able is a documentary that takes us through the experiences of some of the disabled people on matters about sexuality. It opens up the discussion and also the plans that the disabled people and also the initiative that every one of them is undertaking to make sure that they can overcome such challenges. KaitaLaForce is a lady that has Klippel- Trenaunay Syndrome, which led to her developing arthritis and also affects bone development. She states that she faces the same issues that people without disability face in addition to that come with the Disability. She also says that most men are scared of it, especially when they learn that it won’t go away. Tim Rose, who was married to Natalie in 2013, gives insight about their sexuality and how they make it work for them. He also states he aspires for Disability to be celebrated rather than trying to overcome it. Andrew Morrison, who is a disability awareness consultant with Cerebral palsy who also happens to be gay, also shares about his struggles and the sexual experiences that he has had. Some left him disgusted and feeling bad. Stephen Trumper, who has been married for more than 34 years and has a daughter, states that it is more about understanding.

Research Paper

Search Process.

Disability as a whole has been talked about in various forms. But through the search process on the topic of sexuality in Disability, there is great difficulty in finding books and articles that address that topic. When I logged in into the library websiteonline at the Education and Social Sciences Library and searched about sexuality in Disability, there was the only available result. Even so, that was not enough to understand and breakdown this topic. I had to broaden my search and looked for general books about sexuality, and I had to read through so many pages before finding the desired content. The reason why I selected these books and articles (Invitation to dance – disability in 21st century America, Disability in antiquity, SEXUAL Problems Of The Disabled- Proceedings Of A Written Symposium Published In The Nursing Mirror, and Culture and Disability in Sexuality Studies: A Methodological and Content Review of Literature)that I have used for this research is because they have not shied away from addressing this issue about sexuality in the disabled and also because they have broken down the problem in detail..

Research Paper

Every person has their sexual desires, fantasies, and interests hence making us sexual beings, and therefore, having the Disability does not stop one from having those desires. However, people with disabilities have to go through various challenges and concerns that arise due to their limitations. These would be in the form of; difficulties in finding a life partner that will stay with them despite the Disability and see them for who they are. This has also been highlighted in the documentary in the case of Kaita and even Andrew, who has had a challenge in finding a lasting partner.They have self-esteem issues on their sexual abilities and whether their partners will adjust to how their body moves and reacts to certain positions, lacking or having lesser sexual energy and desires, and also if they would have children of their own. (Tippelskirch, C. ., & Linton, S., 2016).

When having sex, both parties need to enjoy the whole process. However, for people with disabilities, there may be challenges that may hinder this and also solutions to these challenges to the partners. These include; the medication. Some of the medicines used may alter sexual moods. As a way to solve this, it is essential to talk to your doctor and resolve this issue. Fatigue is also common to people with Disabilities since there are days when the body lacks the energy to perform many tasks; therefore, this may prove to be another challenge. As a way to solve this, the partners should consider engaging in sex on days when the energy levels are high. Pain is also another challenge for people with disabilities. Several positions might be painful for people with a particular condition. Therefore, the partners have to adjust their bodies in a way that both parties can enjoy sex. For the case of Tim and Natalie, they were able to find their right position and also have the assistance of the sex toys to make sure that all enjoy sex. (Greenwell, A., & Hough, S., 2008).

Some of the ways that may help partners live happily with each other despite one having a disability include; accept and acknowledge that that is how it will always be. This will help you devise ways to live in happiness for both of you. Communication is also vital in this context because it enables you to discuss issues concerning your sexuality and desires, and this makes the sexual life more exciting and fulfilling. It is also essential to seek help. At times the problems that partners go through, especially in such a state, would require counseling, and therefore partners should not be afraid to ask advice. Always show that you care for each other, and this improves the confidence of the couple in general.(Laes, C., 2017).

Future ideas

When writing this paper, several things come to mind. There are so many issues and psychological effects that affect people with disabilities. The various problems, such as stigmatization, also have a significant impact on sexuality because they make you negatively self-conscious about your body. Therefore it affects your self-esteem and could make you fall into depression. My suggestion would be the creation of more forums to create social awareness about such people and improve the treatment accorded to these people. Therefore the general feeling of being loved would be vital to them and also for then to even consider starting a family. Enlightening people that the taboos about these people with Disability that they would not offer tremendous and fulfilling sex are wrong and misguided would also allow for them to be more accommodated in the society. A lot of materials and books and articles should be written to enlighten people about such topics.

Self-Reflection

This content has been essential for me to learn because it has opened my eyes to the real issues that these people with disabilities go through. There is more than meets the eye. It has challenged me to treat these people with more kindness and show love to them and also inspired me to teach and encourage others on the need to show compassion and care to people with disabilities. These kinds of teachings are also essential to society at large because the awareness that would have been created will push for more inclusion of the people with Disabilities to the decisions made in the development of a place. The voice of the disabled would be heard. This content will be useful to me in my future engagement because it is very sure that I shall come across people with disabilities. Instead of showing pity, I will rather celebrate them and view and treat them as I would to any reasonable person. I will also increase my engagements and support to organizations that champion for the sensitization of the society concerning this group of people. Indeed it has been a great and enlightening journey in this program.

References

Tippelskirch, C. ., & Linton, S. (2016). Invitation to dance – disability in 21st century America.

Laes, C. (2017). Disability in antiquity. London [etc.: Routledge

SEXUAL PROBLEMS OF THE DISABLED- PROCEEDINGS OF A WRITTEN SYMPOSIUM PUBLISHED IN THE NURSING MIRROR. (n.d.). Sexual problems of the disabled- proceedings of a written symposium published in the nursing mirror

Greenwell, A., & Hough, S. (December 01, 2008). Culture and Disability in Sexuality Studies: A Methodological and Content Review of Literature. Sexuality and Disability: a Journal Devoted to the Psychological and Medical Aspects of Sexuality in Rehabilitation and Community Settings, 26, 4, 189-196