Sexuality and Disability: A Case of Occupational Injustice

Sakellariou, Dikaios; Algado, Salvador Simó

doi:10.1177/030802260606900204

“…The results stem from a broader study that had as its aim to explore sexuality issues from the perspective of men with spinal cord injury [17,18]. The research procedures followed are detailed in previous work [18,19]. In brief, the research received ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board of Sapporo Medical University, Japan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

If not the Disability, then what? Barriers to Reclaiming Sexuality Following Spinal Cord Injury

Sakellariou

¹

2006

Self Cite

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Human sexuality has been medicalized and largely reduced to its physical components. This has led to a focus on the performative part of sexuality, and to a lack of interest in its social component. Men with spinal cord injury often report an unsatisfying sexual life, with limited chances to express their sexuality. This study shows that sociocultural barriers may be as disabling as physical impairment. The participants of this qualitative study felt that several barriers compromised their right to a satisfying sexual life, including certain social beliefs and attitudes (e.g. social disapproval and exclusive notion of sexuality), lack of employment, inappropriate personal assistance and inaccessibility among others. Impairment per se was not viewed as a barrier, since the new situation assumed status of normality. It is suggested that changes in education as well as the removal of physical barriers may positively influence societal attitudes and make sexuality more ''accessible'' to disabled people.

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“…Since health professionals support the rights of people with mental illness (32), health professionals could also give voice to the ethical, moral, and civic entitlement to leisure of very old people. The alienation of very old people may be compounded by the silence of health professionals who overlook participation in leisure for very old people, in the same way that people are alienated by silence around sexuality and disability (33). To date, the leisure occupations of very old people, such as television watching or meeting with friends, are absent from the typical division of labour and occupational classifications that are oriented to the occupations of employed adults (17,18).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupational Justice—Bridging theory and practice

Nilsson

¹

,

Townsend

²

2014

Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy

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The evolving theory of occupational justice links the concept to social justice and to concerns for a justice of difference: a justice that recognizes occupational rights to inclusive participation in everyday occupations for all persons in society, regardless of age, ability, gender, social class, or other differences. The purpose of this descriptive paper is to inspire and empower health professionals to build a theoretical bridge to practice with an occupational justice lens. Using illustrations from a study of leisure and the use of everyday technology in the lives of very old people in Northern Sweden, the authors argue that an occupational justice lens may inspire and empower health professionals to engage in critical dialogue on occupational justice; use global thinking about occupation, health, justice, and the environment; and combine population and individualized approaches. The authors propose that taking these initiatives to bridge theory and practice will energize health professionals to enable inclusive participation in everyday occupations in diverse contexts.

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“…Since health professionals support the rights of people with mental illness (32), health professionals could also give voice to the ethical, moral, and civic entitlement to leisure of very old people. The alienation of very old people may be compounded by the silence of health professionals who overlook participation in leisure for very old people, in the same way that people are alienated by silence around sexuality and disability (33). To date, the leisure occupations of very old people, such as television watching or meeting with friends, are absent from the typical division of labour and occupational classifications that are oriented to the occupations of employed adults (17,18).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupational Justice—Bridging theory and practice

Nilsson

¹

,

Townsend

²

2010

Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The evolving theory of occupational justice links the concept to social justice and to concerns for a justice of difference: a justice that recognizes occupational rights to inclusive participation in everyday occupations for all persons in society, regardless of age, ability, gender, social class, or other differences. The purpose of this descriptive paper is to inspire and empower health professionals to build a theoretical bridge to practice with an occupational justice lens. Using illustrations from a study of leisure and the use of everyday technology in the lives of very old people in Northern Sweden, the authors argue that an occupational justice lens may inspire and empower health professionals to engage in critical dialogue on occupational justice; use global thinking about occupation, health, justice, and the environment; and combine population and individualized approaches. The authors propose that taking these initiatives to bridge theory and practice will energize health professionals to enable inclusive participation in everyday occupations in diverse contexts.

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Sexuality and Disability: A Case of Occupational Injustice

Cited by 38 publications

References 23 publications

If not the Disability, then what? Barriers to Reclaiming Sexuality Following Spinal Cord Injury

If not the Disability, then what? Barriers to Reclaiming Sexuality Following Spinal Cord Injury

Occupational Justice—Bridging theory and practice

Occupational Justice—Bridging theory and practice

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