Exploring Interabled Relationships
Having a physical or intellectual disability doesn’t change your needs for a loving relationship with another person or your desire to express it. When people living with a disability form an interabled relationship, they often experience cultural stereotypes and prejudices that can be hurtful and damaging. Interabled relationships involve a person without a disability and a person with a disability being in a romantic relationship together. Some of these stereotypes about people with disabilities include that they are not capable of leading a productive and fulfilling life, that they are easy to exploit, they should be “with their own kind” and that they deserve pity. This is untrue. A disability doesn’t make one less worthy of having a romantic relationship. In this blog post, we discuss ways to reduce these stereotypes and discuss how people with disabilities can find and experience love.
One way to counter stereotypes about people with disabilities is to educate yourself and others about the capabilities of people with disabilities. This can help change the way we think about disability and ensure that everyone is treated fairly. There are organizations that provide resources and workshops on sexuality and disability, boundary settings and protective behaviours, gender identity and disability and relationship workshops.
Another way to counter stereotypes is through direct exposure to people with disability. Direct exposure is a great way to learn about the diversity of disability, break down myths and stereotypes and enhance understanding of them. It is also important to understand that one’s disability does not define a person. We are all different and complex human beings. Look at the person for who they are, not their disability. People with disabilities just want to be accepted and treated normally.
In addition, people with a disability in a relationship can be capable of taking care of themselves and do not look at their partner as their caregiver. Their partner is not perfect and should treat them as an equal. They are not a burden to their partner. Communicating and setting boundaries is the key to a healthy relationship. Overall, everyone deserves to be loved and is capable of loving.