13 research outputs found
Cripping sex education: lessons learned from a programme aimed at young people with mobility impairments
This paper analyses sexuality and relationship education (SRE) in a Swedish college programme aimed at young people with mobility impairments. Interviews and focus groups were conducted to explore studentsâ experiences of the structure, content and usefulness of SRE, and college personnelâs SRE practices. Results show that, although many of the issues covered are pertinent for all youth, being disabled raises additional concerns: for example how to handle de-sexualising attitudes, possible sexual practices, and how reliance on assistance impacts upon privacy. Crip theory is used as an analytical framework to identify, challenge and politicise sexual norms and practices. Studentsâ experiences of living in a disablist, heteronormative society can be used as resources to develop cripistemologies, which challenge the private/public binary that often de-legitimises learnersâ experiences and separates them from teachersâ âproperâ knowledge production. Crip SRE would likely hold bene ts for non-disabled pupils as well, through its use of more inclusive pedagogy and in work to expand sexual possibilities. Crip SRE has the potential to disrupt taken-for-grantedâ dis/ability and sexuality divides as well as to politicise issues that many young people presently experience as âpersonal shortcomingsâ