When it comes to talking about disability, we often forget to include sex in the discussion.
There’s a misconception that people with disabilities don’t have the same sexual desires as able-bodied people, which simply isn’t true.
Enhance the UK is attempting to address that misconception with their latest campaign, Undressing Disability, proving that people with disabilities can be as sexual as anyone else.
Jennie, who started the campaign over three years ago, said: ‘I believe that having a disability can be a very isolating experience.’
‘As well as physical barriers, there is still a huge amount of prejudice towards disability amongst the general public,’ she adds.
‘Undressing Disability is about challenging the misconceptions that create this unbalance and ensuring that better access to sexual health, sexual awareness and sex education is granted to disabled people.’
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Claire talked to Metro.co.uk about why she’s taking part in the campaign. ‘Being deaf myself I genuinely believe that some of the negative experiences that I have had in previous relationships have been linked to previously having a low self esteem mainly as a result of my deafness and not having fully accepted it,’ she explained.
‘Appropriate Sex and Relationships education would have helped me to address these issues.’
Campaigners believe that education about sex and relationships is essential to not only help young disabled people understand body image and sexuality, but also to protect them.
According to Enhance the UK, disabled children and young people are up to four times more likely to be abused and neglected than children and young people who are not disabled.
Scope’s A to Z guide will answer your questions about sex with a disability
Disabled women are also twice as likely as able-bodied women to experience domestic and sexual violence from their partners.
To help address this, they have launched a petition asking Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, to ensure all young disabled people have access to the correct information about sex.
Alongside the petition, the campaign encourages people to share their open and honest stories about sex with a disability on their blog, while experts Mik and Emily answer people’s questions in The Love Lounge.
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And by literally undressing and looking stunning in lingerie for this photo shoot, captured by Makenzie Whittle, people with disabilities are showing the world they are sexual beings and deserve to be seen as such.
Watch this powerful video to find out more:
