Ruth* is a young woman in her 20s and, like most people her age, she too experiences sexual thoughts and feeling – but people expect her not to.
She was one of the 18 people with an intellectual disability to participate in an educational programme about sex education.
“It was a good experience. I already knew some of the things, but I learned new things. I learned that you cannot trust everyone and you need to think of a lot of things in order to be safe. I learned that it is very important to accept everyone... if a man likes men, if a woman likes women or if a man dresses like a woman.
“I felt comfortable with most of the things I learned but others were difficult. Certain pictures were difficult but it is important to know things about men and women,” said Ruth.
The programme was organised by Inspire Foundation, through a project funded by the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation for Voluntary Organisations.
Entitled My Self – My Body, the programme aimed to promote safe, healthy and happy lives by providing sexual education, tools, insights and mechanisms to live and explore sexual and social identities in a safe and positive way. It also catered for parents and guardians, 15 in total, to address their mindset and help them understand that sexuality is natural.
They have the same range of thoughts, feelings, desires and fantasies as people without disabilities
“A common myth is that people with intellectual disabilities do not need education related to their sexuality because they will always be ‘child-like’ and, therefore, not sexual. But the truth is that education about sexuality is an important aspect at any stage of everyone’s life. People with an intellectual disability have the same range of thoughts, attitudes, feelings, desires and fantasies as people without disabilities. However, they often have fewer opportunities to participate in age appropriate behaviours,” said Naya Markomichali, team leader of the adults department within Inspire.
Nicole Piscopo, a tutor who helped deliver the programme, said it was important to provide a safe space for learning and asking questions about the topic that the participants would have otherwise never had the opportunity to ask. “While it is impossible for everyone to retain all the information, I hope that the experience acts as a springboard towards breaking the taboo of sexuality and disability and working towards a better understanding of sexuality in our lives,” she said.
Commissioner for the Rights of People with Disability Oliver Scicluna has been very vocal about breaking the taboo surrounding sexuality and disability. Two years ago, he told Times of Malta about how the social barriers to having sex and healthy relationships are painful for several people with a disability. He has been stressing the importance of sex education for people with a disability.
*Not her real name.