ABSTRACT
Somewhere between a fifth and a quarter of adults in the United States, and approximately 15% of adults globally, identify as having a disability, impairment, or chronic illness. Many others will experience short- or long-term impairments during their lifetime. While society often perpetuates the ableist idea that disabled individuals and people with impairments are simply not sexual (or hypersexual in the case of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities [IDD]), nothing could be further from reality. This chapter will cover issues around the intersection of disability and sexuality, including disability inclusion in sex education, the process of coming out, how to discuss a disabled identity with a partner(s), how to discuss disability needs around sex (including sex toys, working with personal care assistants [PCAs], etc.), new things to try and creative ways to do so, use of sex workers and sex surrogates, correct and accurate terminology, negotiating sex play (including kink/BDSM play), and other topics.
