Skip to main content

Abstract

This chapter focuses on sexuality and gender in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and how practitioners can support the needs of the individuals they work with. Discussions pertaining to relationships and sexuality among people with intellectual disabilities have traditionally been difficult ones and there has, perhaps, been a tendency to veer away from them as they have often been contextualised by concerns regarding risk, safety, choice and abuse. Whilst such concerns also exist in respect of the general (particularly younger) population, they tend to persist throughout the adult lives of people with intellectual disabilities, arguably framing the discussion and pre-determining the outcomes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abbott D (2013) Nudge, nudge, wink, wink: love, sex and gay men with intellectual disabilities—a helping hand or a human right? J Intellect Disabil Res 57(11):1079–1087

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abrams M (2022) 47 Terms that describe sexual attraction, behaviour, and orientation. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/different-types-of-sexuality. Accessed 10 Jun 2022

  • Abrams M, Ferguson S (2022) 68 Terms that describe gender identity and expression. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/different-genders. Accessed 10 Jun 2022

  • Agaronnik N, Pendo E, Lagu T, DeJong C, Perez-Caraballo A, Iezzoni L (2020) Ensuring the reproductive rights of women with intellectual disability. J Intellect Dev Disabil 45(4):365–376

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2020) Definition of intellectual disability. Available at: https://aaidd.org/intellectual-disability/definition. Accessed 21 Sept 2022

  • Azzopardi Lane C, Cambridge P, Murphy G (2019) Muted voices: the unexplored sexuality of young persons with learning disability in Malta. Br J Learn Disabil 47:156–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baines S, Emerson E, Robertson J, Hatton C (2018) Sexual activity and sexual health among young adults with and without mild/moderate intellectual disability. BMC Public Health 18:667

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bates C, Terry L, Popple K (2017) Partner selection for people with intellectual disabilities. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil 30:602–611

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bates C, McCarthy M, Milne Skillman K, Elson N, Forrester-Jones R, Hunt S (2020) Always trying to walk a bit of a tightrope: the role of social care staff in supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to develop and maintain loving relationships. Br J Learn Disabil 48:261–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bathje M, Schrier M, Williams K, Olson L (2021) The lived experience of sexuality among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a scoping review. Am J Occup Ther 75(4). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.045005

  • Björnsdóttir K, Stefánsdóttir Á, Stefánsdóttir G (2017) People with intellectual disabilities negotiate autonomy, gender and sexuality. Sex Disabil 35(3):295–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bollinger H, Cook H (2019) After the social model: young physically disabled people, sexuality education and sexual experience. J Youth Stud 23(7):1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Callus A, Bonello I (2017) Over protection in the lives of people with intellectual disability in Malta: research findings. Available at: https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/337502/Reportonoverprotectionresearch.pdf. Accessed 10 Jul 2022

  • Charitou M, Quayle E, Sutherland A (2021) Supporting adults with intellectual disabilities with relationships and sex: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research with staff. Sex Disabil 39:113–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheak-Zamora N, Teti M, Maurer-Batjer A, O’Connor K, Randolph J (2019) Sexual and relationship interest, knowledge, and experiences among adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Arch Sex Behav 48:2605–2615

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chou Y, Lu Z, Pu C (2015) Attitudes toward male and female sexuality among men and women with intellectual disabilities. Women Health 55(6):663–678

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coston BM, Kimmel M (2012) Seeing privilege where it isn’t: marginalized masculinities and the intersectionality of privilege. J Soc Issues 68(1):97–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Council on Quality and Leadership (2017) Let’s talk about intimacy. Available at: https://www.c-q-l.org/resources/newsletters/lets-talk-about-intimacy/. Accessed 21 Sept 2022

  • Deffew A, Coughlan B, Burke T, Rogers E (2022) Staff member’s views and attitudes to supporting people with an intellectual disability: a multi-method investigation of intimate relationships and sexuality. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil 35:1049–1058

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dinwoodie R, Greenhill B, Cookson A (2020) ‘Them two things are what collide together’: understanding the sexual identity experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people labelled with intellectual disability. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil 33(1):3–16

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dukes E, McGuire B (2009) Enhancing capacity to make sexuality-related decisions in people with an intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil Res 53(8):727–734

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faught BM, Moore G, Hande KA, Walker-Hirsch L. (2020) Social boundaries in young adult females with down syndrome as a foundation for sexuality education, Am J Sex Educ. 15:4:426–443. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2020.1831677

  • Friedman C (2019) Intimate relationships of people with disabilities. Inclusion 7:41–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giami A (2016) De l’émancipation à l’institutionnalisation: santé sexuelle et droits sexuels [From emancipation to institutionalization: sexual health and sexual rights]. Genre Sex Soc 15:1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Gil-Llario M, Morell-Mengual V, Ballester-Arnal R, Díaz-Rodríguez I (2018) The experience of sexuality in adults with intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil Res 62:72–80

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Government of Ireland (2017) Criminal law (sexual offences act) 2017. Government of Ireland, Dublin

    Google Scholar 

  • Heifetz M, Lake J, Weiss J, Isaacs B, Connolly J (2020) Dating and romantic relationships of adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. J Adolesc 79:39–48

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hill C (2008) Human sexuality: personality and social psychological perspectives. Sage, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Höglund B, Larsson M (2019) Ethical dilemmas and legal aspects in contraceptive counselling for women with intellectual disability: focus group interviews among midwives in Sweden. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil 32(6):1558–1566

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Houtrow A, Elias E, Davis B, Council on Children with Disabilities (2021) Promoting healthy sexuality for children and adolescents with disabilities. Paediatrics 148(1):e2021052043. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latham J (2017) Making and treating trans problems: the ontological politics of clinical practices. Stud Gend Sex 18(1):40–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee G, Lee D (2019) Effects of a life skills-based sexuality education programme on the life-skills, sexuality knowledge, self-management skills for sexual health, and programme satisfaction of adolescents. Sex Educ 19(5):519–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Mitra M, Wu J, Parish S, Valentine A, Dembo R (2018) Female sterilization and cognitive disability in the United States, 2011-2015. Obstet Gynaecol 132(3):559–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mannion J, Blee P, Gallagher R, Gallagher T, Higgins B, McHugh M, Mulligan J (2022) We are proud to be researchers with disabilities. Methodspace. Available at: https://www.methodspace.com/blog/we-are-proud-to-be-researchers-with-disabilities. Accessed 24 Jul 2022

  • Matin B, Ballan M, Darabi F, Karyani A, Soofi M, Soltani S (2021) Sexual health concerns in women with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review in qualitative studies. BMC Public Health 21:1965. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12027-6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell Triska A (2018) Sexuality and intellectual disabilities: a guide for professionals. Routledge, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • McCann E, Lee R, Brown M (2016) The experiences and support needs of people with intellectual disabilities who identify as LGBT: a review of the literature. Res Dev Disabil 57:39–53

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCann E, Marsh L, Brown M (2019) People with intellectual disabilities, relationship and sex education programmes: a systematic review. Health Educ J 78(8):885–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath M, Sakellariou D (2016) Why has so little progress been made in the practice of occupational therapy in relation to sexuality? Am J Occup Ther 70(1):1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitra M (2017) Postpartum health of women with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a call to action. J Womens Health 26(4):303–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosher W, Hughes R, Bloom T, Horton L, Mojtabai R, Alhusen J (2018) Contraceptive use by disability status: new national estimates from the national survey of family growth. Contraception 97(6):552–558

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Newman W, Barnhorst A, Landess J (2018) A transgender woman with intellectual disability and borderline personality disorder. Am J Psychiatr 175(11):1061–1063

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • NHS, Leeds (2009) Puberty and sexuality for children and young people with a learning disability. Puberty & Sexuality Pack (sexualhealthsheffield.nhs.uk)

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Shea A, Frawley P (2020) Gender, sexuality and relationships for young Australian women with intellectual disability. Disabil Soc 35(4):654–675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pariseau-Legault P, Holmes D (2017) Mediated pathways, negotiated identities: a critical phenomenological analysis of the experience of sexuality in the context of intellectual disability. J Res Nurs 22(8):599–614

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patel P (2017) Forced sterilization of women as discrimination. Public Health Rev 38:15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-017-0060-9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rafter N (1992) Claims-making and socio-cultural context in the first U.S. eugenics campaign. Soc Probl 39(1):1–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reeve D (2019) Psycho-emotional disablism: the missing link? In: Watson N, Roulstone A, Thomas C (eds) Routledge handbook of disability studies. Routledge, Oxfordshire, pp 102–116

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Retznik L, Wienholz S, Höltermann A, Conrad I, Riedel-Heller SG (2021) “It tingled as if we had gone through an anthill.” Young people with intellectual disability and their experiences with relationship, sexuality and contraception. Sex Disabil 39:421–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaafsma D, Kok G, Stoffelen J, Curfs L (2017) People with intellectual disabilities talk about sexuality: implications for the development of sex education. Sex Disabil 35(1):21–38

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sheerin F (2019) Leadership and intellectual disability services. In: Sheerin F, Curtis E (eds) Leadership for intellectual disability service. CRC Press, London, pp 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheerin F (2021) Distributed leadership practices and interventions in intellectual disability services. In: Curtis E, Beirne M, Cullen J, Northway R, Corrigan S (eds) Distributed leadership in nursing and healthcare: theory, evidence and development. Open University Press, London, pp 109–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheerin F, Keenan P, Lawler D (2013) Mothers with intellectual disabilities: interactions with children and family services in Ireland. Br J Learn Disabil 41:189–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuttleworth R (2000) The search for sexual intimacy for men with cerebral palsy. Sex Disabil 18:263–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith E, Zirnsak T, Power J, Lyons A, Bigby C (2021) Social inclusion of LGBTQ and gender diverse adults with intellectual disability in disability services: a systematic review of the literature. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil 35:46–59

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stoffelen J, Schaafsma D, Kok G, Curfs L (2018) Women who love: an explorative study on experiences of lesbian and bisexual women with a mild intellectual disability in the Netherlands. Sex Disabil 36(3):249–264

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Toft A, Franklin A, Langley E (2020) You’re not sure that you are gay yet’: the perpetuation of the ‘phase’ in the lives of young disabled LGBT + people. Sexualities 23(4):516–529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unger R (1979) Toward a redefinition of sex and gender. Am Psychol 34:1085–1094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (2006) Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. United Nations, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittle C, Butler C (2018) Sexuality in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities: a meta-ethnographic synthesis of qualitative studies. Res Dev Disabil 75(2):68–81

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wickström M, Larsson M, Höglund B (2020) How can sexual and reproductive health and rights be enhanced for young people with intellectual disability? Focus group interviews with staff in Sweden. Reprod Health 17:86. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-00928-5

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson V, Theodore K, Raczka R (2015) ‘As Normal as possible’: sexual identity development in people with intellectual disabilities transitioning to adulthood. Sex Disabil 33(1):93–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson N, Macdonald J, Hayman B, Bright A, Frawley P, Gallego G (2018) A narrative review of the literature about people with intellectual disability who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or questioning. J Intellect Disabil 22(2):171–196

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilton R, Fudge Schormans A (2020) ‘I think they’re treating me like a kid’: intellectual disability, masculinity and place in Toronto, Canada. Gender Place Cult 27(3):429–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiseman P, Ferrie J (2020) Reproductive (in)justice and inequality in the lives of women with intellectual disabilities in Scotland. Scand J Disabil Res 22(1):318–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe P, Wertalik J, Domire Monaco S, Gardner S, Ruiz S (2019) Review of sociosexuality curricular content for individuals with developmental disabilities. Focus Autism Other Dev Disabil 34(3):153–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organisation (2006) Sexual health definitions. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/sexual-health#tab=tab_2 Accessed 24 Jul 2022

  • Xu X, McDermott S, Mann J, Hardin J, Deroche C, Carroll D, Courtney-Long E (2017) A longitudinal assessment of adherence to breast and cervical cancer screening recommendations among women with and without intellectual disability. Prev Med 100:167–172

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zirnzak T (2022) Commentary on: “Lost in the literature.” People with intellectual disabilities who identify as trans: a narrative review. Tizard Learn Disabil Rev 27(1):53–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zucker K (2001) Biological influences of psychosexual differentiation. In: Unger R (ed) Handbook of the psychology of women and gender. Wiley, New York, pp 101–115

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica Mannion .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mannion, J., Sheerin, F. (2023). Sexuality, Gender Identity and Relationships. In: Sheerin, F., Doyle, C. (eds) Intellectual Disabilities: Health and Social Care Across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27496-1_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27496-1_16

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-27495-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-27496-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics