Disability Studies Quarterly Call for Papers: Disability and Sexuality
Although academicians and disability studies scholars have been discussing the complexity of the disability experience for many years, the sexual lives of individuals within this community have remained veiled at various levels. Multidisciplinary research focusing upon disability has addressed issues around gender, identity, sexual orientation, and sexual behavior, yet, lesser attention has been paid to "sexual access" among members of the disability community. Obstacles interfering with access to sexual relationships and sexual expression are often quite similar to those barriers faced in attempting to integrate into the majority society at symbolic, economic, social, architectural, psychological, and interpersonal levels. That is, attitudinal constraints, lack of monetary and/or programmatic access to personal assistance services, physical barriers, communication issues, and transportation difficulties all can contribute towards the prevention of full expression of sexuality. Unique to sexuality, however, are the cultural meanings of sexual attractiveness and desirability. While advocacy efforts and policy development have focused on broad ideas of universal access, a sexual right's agenda that ensures access to sexual expression has not been included in these endeavors. Based upon these ideas, a search for a deeper understanding of sexual policy and rights for people with disabilities is sought.
We want papers that interrogate the multiple kinds of access issues related to sexual expression and to negotiating sexual relationships for disabled people. We seek scholarship that discusses disabled people's resistance to the myth of asexuality, their access strategies, and also their successes in love. We also want to include research and writing on difficult topics such as facilitated sex, surrogacy, sex work, and the access opportunities of those disabled people residing in institutions and more structured living environments. Some possible types of questions that might be fruitfully addressed include the following: 1) What are the policy changes required that will enable all disabled people access to their sexual rights? 2) Are there perils in losing credibility within the disability civil rights movement if arguments for sexual rights is on a broader agenda? 3) How are people with disabilities engaging in sexual expression and establishing sexual relationships given the potential obstacles faced at both meta and micro levels?
While we do not want to discourage papers that deal with sexual identity, sexual subjectivity, the issue of gender, and other important topics, if at all possible, we want authors to connect these aspects to the notion of access. If interested, please submit paper ideas and/or a brief abstract by February 10, 2002 to Linda R. Mona, Ph.D. at LRMona@aol.com and Russell P. Shuttleworth, Ph.D. at shuttleruss@juno.com. Manuscripts will be due by April 15, 2002. Submit papers via electronic file to both e-mail addresses noted above or send postal mail to:
Russell P. Shuttleworth, Ph.D.
6010 Sacramento Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804
We look forward to reading your work!
Linda R. Mona, Ph.D., Co-editor
Russell P. Shuttleworth, Ph.D., Co-editor
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