Male, Female or Disabled: Barriers to Expression of Sexuality

This research is based in social model of disability and emancipatory research paradigm, and it explores barriers to the expression of sexuality in a small group of disabled persons in Italy. It has been carried out exclusively through Emails, Newsgroups and Internet, and it also explores the role of internet-based information technologies in participatory and emancipatory research. For this research “sexuality ” is considered in its broadest sense, covering the full range of affective and family relationships and not just limited to sexual intercourse. Twenty one (21) volunteers were identified for this research through Italian disability-related Newsgroups and Internet. The research was conducted through emails. The participants were involved in all phases of the research. The participants first helped in defining broad areas for discussion. There was an initial phase of individual discussions on those broad areas. From the different individual communications, the author prepared a number o