Women with Disability and Reproductive Rights: Deconstructing Discourses

Abstract

This article examines the experiences of disabled women in the context of sexuality and motherhood. Disability is a highly stigmatised identity and women with disability are viewed as asexual, dependent, in need of care, and therefore incapable of performing the culturally approved 'womanly' role of a sexual partner and nurturing mother. This article cites a range of cross-cultural studies that demonstrate how disabled women engage with sexuality and procreation. It examines how patriarchal social structures regulate the sexuality and fertility of women with disabilities and define and construct their humanity and personhood. It argues for a nuanced approach that respects the rights of women with disabilities to bodily integrity and personal dignity and at the same time takes cognisance of their need for support and assistance while making decisions about their bodies and lives.

‘You’re disabled, why did you have sex in the first place?’ An intersectional analysis of experiences of disabled women with regard to their sexual and reproductive health and rights in Gujarat State, India

“…To some degree, the disabled ‘role’ which all the women occupied diminished their scope to articulate their sexuality and health needs, or claim their SRH rights. Strategies to challenge restrictive discourses and raise awareness of SRH rights and services need to take into account the diverse ways in which disabled women may require specific practical and strategic support [36]. This support is critical in creating environments in which women might be better able to exercise their agency and to recognise and claim their rights.…”

“…Similarly, some participants expressed their experiences of neither marrying nor having children as fulfilment of their own desires. Whilst this may be interpreted as a possible internalisation of ‘desexualised subjectivity’ [43] and negative societal perceptions of disabled motherhood [36], it may also reflect an opportunity offered by impairment to circumvent restrictive gender roles. In addition, whilst literature has mainly reflected disabled women’s negative experiences of accessing SRH services [2,7,17], this study has identified some women’s positive experiences of interaction with staff and the receipt of ‘special care’ related to their disability.…”

“…For disabled people, communication about sexuality and SRH and rights is likely to have been especially silenced in conservative eras [36–38]. Recent decades have nevertheless seen SRH increasingly included within policy and programming [39].…”

“…Vaidya [36] describes the goal of disabled women’s sexual and reproductive rights as one that should transcend the right to decide about childbirth to include recognition of themselves as sexual beings. Furthermore, claiming the social position of motherhood (in a context where motherhood is highly valorised) allows a transition from dependency to independence; the role of motherhood can provide space for disabled women to resist dominant discourses surrounding disability and sexuality [42].…”

“…Furthermore, claiming the social position of motherhood (in a context where motherhood is highly valorised) allows a transition from dependency to independence; the role of motherhood can provide space for disabled women to resist dominant discourses surrounding disability and sexuality [42]. Nevertheless, both felt and enacted stigma surrounding disability and motherhood remain [36,42,46]. Neither is it helpful to uphold motherhood as a form of legitimisation, where women have historically struggled to seek legitimacy beyond this role (and for many women acceptance through motherhood may not be an option).…”