Sexual citizenship through resistance: a movement that centers disabled women’s voices

Abstract

This research examines the discourses that shape disabled women’s sexual subjectivity. I wanted to see how disabled women’s understanding of themselves as sexual is socially influenced. I held a focus group and individually interviewed five self-identified physically disabled women about their sexual lives. They shared detailed stories of personal experiences and societal influences. The main social influences that were present in the women’s stories were ableism, sexism, and resistance; the focus of this article is resistance. Resistance discourses challenge mainstream notions of disability and sexuality and combat the oppression that ableism and sexism can create. It is important work to highlight these resistance narratives; they are often overlooked in society. Diverse social understandings of disability and sexuality are needed, and it is important that they come from disabled people. This research seeks to make space for disabled perspectives in the interest of sexual inclusivity and sexual citizenship for disabled women. Points of interestThis research explores the social influences that affect the sexual lives of physically disabled women.Disability and sexuality are social constructs, and disabled women’s sexuality is often misunderstood, misrepresented, or disregarded altogether.Disabled women are sexual beings and their rights to sexual citizenship are important to consider.The social influence of resistance is a significant finding in this research; it encompasses sexual empowerment, liberation, pride, solidarity, and reclamation – it is opposition to oppression.Resistance plays a vital role in shaping disabled women’s sexual lives.

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