| CODE | DBS2004 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Sexuality and Disability | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Disability Studies | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit aims to give students a general grounding in the context of disability and sexuality. Socio-cultural influences and attitudes towards the sexuality of persons with disability will be out at the fore. Policies, conventions and legislations related to the sexuality of persons with disability will be explored to substantiate the topic. The transition from childhood to adulthood and the related implications of friendships and relationships in the life of persons with disability will be discussed in relations to parental involvement and available support services. Students will be encouraged to investigate the opportunities persons with disability have for formal and non-formal sex education. Students will be exposed to areas of intersectionality between sexuality and disability, gender identity, sexual orientation and mental health issues amongst others. While the connection between disability, vulnerability and sexual abuse will be highlighted. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit aims at bringing a theoretical as well as a practical understanding of the realities surrounding disability and sexuality. By exploring foreign and local scenarios, the study-unit aims at delivering a holistic picture of sexuality and disability. A chronological approach looking at persons with disability from puberty to adulthood will further round up the aspects of sexual exploration and expression encountered by persons with disability in the life course. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - define and conceptualise sexuality in the context of disability; - understand which characteristics are related to the sexuality of persons with disability; - identify the main challenges encountered by persons with disability in relation to sexuality and understanding their origin. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - have an improved understanding of the socio-cultural impact on the sexuality of persons with disability; - show and awareness of the examples of good practise that can be put in place to support persons with disability who want to explore and express their sexuality. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Lane, C. A., & Martino, A. S. We Are Sexual Too: Sexuality in the Lives of Disabled Adolescents. In The Lives of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities (pp. 207-225). Routledge. [will be provided by lecturer] - Azzopardi Lane, C. L., Cambridge, P., & Murphy, G. (2019). Muted voices: the unexplored sexuality of young persons with learning disability in Malta. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 47(3), 156-164. [will be provided by lecturer] - Azzopardi鈥怢ane, C., & Callus, A. M. (2015). Constructing sexual identities: people with intellectual disability talking about sexuality. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(1), 32-37. - L枚fgren-M氓rtenson, L. (2004). 鈥淢ay I?鈥� About sexuality and love in the new generation with intellectual disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 22(3), 197-207. - Waxman, B., & Finger, A. (1989). The politics of sex and disability. Disability studies quarterly, 9(3), 1-5. - McCarthy, M. (2014). Women with intellectual disability: Their sexual lives in the 21st century. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 39(2), 124-131. [will be provided by lecturer] Supplementary texts: - Johnson, K., Hillier, L., Harrison, L., & Frawley, P. (2001). Living Safer Sexual Lives. - Yoshida, K. K., Li, A., & Odette, F. (1999). Cross-cultural views of disability and sexuality: Experiences of a group of ethno-racial women with physical disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 17(4), 321-337. - McCarthy, M., Hunt, S., & Milne鈥怱killman, K. (2017). 鈥業 know it was every week, but I can't be sure if it was every day: Domestic violence and women with learning disabilities. Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities, 30(2), 269-282. [will be provided by lecturer] - Aunos, M., & Pacheco, L. (2021). Able or unable: How do professionals determine the parenting capacity of mothers with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 15(3), 357-383. [will be provided by lecturer] - Carter, A., Strnadov谩, I., Watfern, C., Pebdani, R., Bateson, D., Loblinzk, J., ... & Newman, C. (2021). The sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people with intellectual disability: A scoping review. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 1-19. [will be provided by lecturer] |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Independent Study, Lecture & Online Learning | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Solange Ignatia Bonello |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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