The Controversial World of Medically Assisted Sex for the Disabled

Summary

This transcript explores the intersection of disability and sexuality, focusing on how organizations like Sensual Solutions provide intimate coaching to individuals with disabilities. It challenges common misconceptions about disabled people’s sexual needs and highlights the importance of human connection and self-expression. Through personal stories, it showcases how these services help clients gain confidence, improve their sexual lives, and overcome stigma. The conversation also touches on the ethical aspects of sex work and its role in promoting sexual rights, offering an inclusive, therapeutic approach to sexual well-being.

Takeaways

• 😀 Spencer Williams, a 24-year-old radio host with cerebral palsy, uses his platform to address important topics related to disability and sexuality.
• 😀 Sensual Solutions is a Vancouver-based organization that helps people with disabilities overcome sexual obstacles by connecting them with intimacy coaches.
• 😀 Sex surrogates, also known as intimacy coaches, offer sensual touch and erotic coaching to clients with physical challenges to improve their sexual lives.
• 😀 Sensual Solutions operates in a legal gray area due to Canada's laws surrounding paid sexual services, but the work is focused on empowering individuals with disabilities.
• 😀 Many people with disabilities experience a lack of sexual life, and sensual solutions aims to provide a necessary service that challenges the misconception that disabled people are uninterested in sex.
• 😀 The show's episode on sex and disability was well-received, shedding light on the importance of access to sexual experiences for individuals with disabilities.
• 😀 Intimacy coaching involves a range of activities, such as cuddling, massaging, and helping clients access different forms of pleasure, including non-penetrative techniques.
• 😀 The program’s services are seen by clients as a form of therapy, helping them reconnect with their bodies and experience intimacy in new ways.
• 😀 There are ethical debates around the topic of sex work, particularly around the concept of sexual rights for people with disabilities, which Trish and Sensual Solutions advocate for.
• 😀 The stigma surrounding sex work often leads to misunderstandings, with people conflating intimacy coaching with illegal activities like sex trafficking, despite the therapeutic nature of the services provided.

Q & A

What is Sensual Solutions, and how does it help people with disabilities?

Sensual Solutions is a Vancouver-based organization that provides intimacy coaching to individuals with disabilities. It pairs clients with intimacy coaches who help them overcome challenges related to sexuality, offering services such as sensual touch, erotic coaching, and guidance on how to access and enjoy their bodies despite physical limitations.

Why did Spencer Williams feel it was important to discuss sex and disability on his radio show?

Spencer Williams, a radio host with cerebral palsy, felt it was crucial to discuss sex and disability because the topic is often overlooked or stigmatized. He wanted to create a platform where people with similar experiences could share their stories, helping others feel less alone and promoting greater awareness and understanding of the sexuality of people with disabilities.

How do clients of Sensual Solutions feel about the service?

Clients of Sensual Solutions generally express high levels of satisfaction. Many report feeling nervous at first but ultimately appreciate the opportunity to connect with others and express themselves sexually. The service boosts their confidence, improves their self-esteem, and helps them feel more human and worthy.

What challenges do people with disabilities face when it comes to their sexual health?

People with disabilities often face significant barriers to accessing sexual services, including societal misconceptions about their sexuality. Many are desexualized or ignored in discussions of sexual health, leading to a lack of proper resources, guidance, and support to navigate intimate relationships or explore their sexual needs.

Why is there a lack of sexual services for people with disabilities?

The lack of services is often due to a societal tendency to desexualize individuals with disabilities. People may avoid or overlook the sexual needs of disabled individuals, often due to discomfort, lack of understanding, or stereotypes about disability and sexuality.

What misconceptions do people have about individuals with disabilities and sexuality?

A major misconception is that people with disabilities do not experience sexual desire or cannot engage in sexual activity. This myth disregards the reality that thousands of people with disabilities have sexual needs, desires, and are entitled to fulfilling sexual lives.

How does Sensual Solutions address the physical limitations of clients during intimate sessions?

Sensual Solutions adapts its sessions to the physical capabilities of the client. Coaches may help clients explore new ways to experience pleasure, such as massaging non-genital areas, helping with repositioning, or focusing on activities like cuddling, touching, and earlobe massages. The goal is to remap the brain's pleasure centers and allow clients to access intimacy in a way that works for them.

What is the hiring process for intimacy coaches at Sensual Solutions?

The hiring process at Sensual Solutions includes an application form, phone screenings, in-person meetings, and a criminal record check. Coaches are often selected based on their health background and openness to working with clients with disabilities. They also receive specific training on assisting with physical transfers and providing emotional and physical support to clients.

What drives the intimacy coaches to work with people with disabilities?

Intimacy coaches are motivated by various personal reasons, such as having someone with a disability in their life, being human rights activists, or simply being open-minded about helping others access their bodies for pleasure. Many coaches view their work as a form of therapy, providing essential support for individuals to connect with their own sexuality.

What does Trish, the founder of Sensual Solutions, believe about sexual rights?

Trish believes that sexual rights are a fundamental human right, not a privilege. She views her work as an essential service that helps individuals with disabilities claim their right to sexual fulfillment and intimacy, challenging societal norms that deny these individuals their sexual autonomy.