Unbound Love - Rania I.
Description:
This image features a disabled man and an able-bodied woman playfully interacting, with her finger in his mouth as they smile together. It was taken by Ashley Savage and it represents Unbound Intimacy.
Significance:
I Chose this artifact because it captured a moment which highlights their romantic connection, challenging stereotypes about disability and sexuality, and celebrating the richness of intimacy and desire in diverse relationships. By depiction of this joyful and intimate moment highlights the reality that disabled individuals can experience love and desire fully. It promotes inclusivity, encourages conversation about intimacy in diverse relationships and fosters a more nuanced understanding of disability as part of the human experience. It serves as a powerful reminder that love knows no boundaries.
Positionality:
There are many reasons why I’m interested in this area, but at the forefront is that disability and sex is an area of study that has been overlooked in the past, and not often discussed. This creates a sexually repressed mire of stereotypes and stigma around the sexualities of people with disability. Everyone deserves to have their desires and relationships recognised, no matter whether they experience ability, disability or something in between. By exploring this cross-section, I hope to unsettle normative orders and challenge stigma, and encourage greater visibility and connection. Where sexualities and disability are not seen as taboo topics but are openly discussed and explored. This will be a way to help to enable greater expression of love and desire, while creating more inclusive spaces, people and communities.
Impact:
Taking the unit 'disability and sex' has really opened my eyes to the breadth of human experience, and how attitudes towards disability can distort what people perceive as possible or imaginable in terms of intimacy and relationships. It has helped me to see where I have been limited in my assumptions and expectations about the possibilities for people with disabilities. It has also shown me how important it is that people experience love, sex and sexuality in whatever way feels right for them. My experience of studying the intersection of those identities has been empowering, and I hope that our society will one day be a more open and inclusive place when it comes to this topic. Ultimately, I believe that everyone should be allowed to feel valued and celebrated for who they are.
Wish List:
I hope that viewers of my artefact will take concrete steps toward better awareness and appreciation of the intersection of disability and sexuality. These include; Considering the beautiful and diverse nature of relationships, and how this can be integrated into our society. Supporting the incorporation of inclusivity into all aspects of life. Questioning norms and assumptions about intimacy. Recognising that, not only does the range of human relationships go much farther than what is commonly displayed, but so does the spectrum of human experiences. Advocating for space, representation and agency of people with disabilities. Together as a society, we can create a more compassionate and inclusive world for all.
Scholarship:
The way that the disabled man and the able-bodied woman are both depicted as laughing and being playful at the same time is also powerfully emblematic of many of the themes brought up in Crip Camp. That is, it is about the role that community and connection play in the lives of disabled people. It is about the idea that sex and intimacy and joy are important to the lives of disabled people. It is about the struggle for visibility and acceptance. And it is about celebrating what the film celebrates: the possibility of real, honest relationships that reject dominant social norms and expectations. It is about sex and love being part of the disabled experience, and for disabled people living in a world where all kinds of relationships are possible and celebrated. In contrast, The Sexual Politics of Disability explores the institutional structures that inform impressions of sexual agency in disabled populations. ‘Disability is often understood as a lack,’ writes the author, ‘and this framing can obscure the diverse and rich sexual lives of disabled people’ (Mitchell Snyder 2015, p.45). What is captured in this image is the sense of joy, the pleasure of connection. Yet the book critiques the systemic structures that can marginalise such happenings. Collectively, these works emphasise not only the importance of recognising and celebrating diverse relationships but the need to allow for greater dialogue around sexuality and disability. The works collectively emphasise that love, intimacy and sexuality should be recognised as part and parcel of the disabled experience.
6 Comments
As you have mentioned in your reflection, this artifact captures a sense of playfulness and lightheartedness that I find to be missing from most mainstream depictions of romance and sex, especially for people that do not fit neatly into the categories deemed to be acceptable. The artifact explicitly depicts the interaction as being sensual, yet makes it clear that at least one of the two individuals has a disability, breaking the boundaries set around the ability for people with disabilities to be sexual. I especially appreciate the emphasis you placed on the right for all to have their desires and relationships recognised, as this is something that I feel has been overlooked in discussions around these topics.
Both the artifact and reflection have made it clear to me that sex and intimacy are topics that should be integrated into current conversations surrounding disability, and should be normalised within these conversations. This has further reinforced my learning from Turner, Vernacchio & Satterly (2018), which states that social workers must see sexual justice as being social justice, insead of being separate from and less important than it.
Excellent reflection Shil
Hey! I really enjoy that you chose photography as your artifact, which is a powerful medium to depict human experience. Your work has offered an oftentimes overlooked perspective of disability and sexuality: romance. I find that we so often look at sexual experience, but not the friendship, the passion, and the trust of romantic connection within an interabled relationship. Your discussion about relationships going beyond what is dominantly displayed reminds me of work by Liddiard (2017), stating that the depiction of interabled relationships challenges the idea that people with disabilities lack desire and agency. Overall, I take away the idea of recognizing the capacity for both desire AND romance for people with disabilities in relationships. Thank you for your perspective, and great work!
Fabulous reflection Blake
Hey Rania I really enjoyed your piece as it has a really good meaning to it. As you mentioned in your reflection the challenging stereotypes about disability and sexuality, and celebrating the richness of intimacy and desire in diverse relationships. which I found interesting as there are stereotypes that surround disability and sexuality. and they need to be changed as we are seeing things change. but good job overall
Your artifact wonderfully showcases a joyful and intimate moment that defies stereotypes surrounding disability and sexuality. Your thoughtful analysis emphasizes the need for visibility and inclusivity in relationships. By addressing these often-ignored topics, you’re fostering awareness and fostering open discussions about desire and love. Fantastic work!