Date: Fri, 29 Sep 95 15:36:29 EST
From: "Edwards, Victoria" <vedwards@cc2smtp.emr.ca>
Subject: Coming Out Differently abled 

     From: ae606@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Victoria Edwards)
     
     by J.Abramchyk
     Working with Differently Abled Lesbians
     
     -    Differently abled lesbians face particular challenges.
     
     -    Myths about disabled people:
     
     (a) they are not whole people,
     
     (b) they need a great deal of help to function,
     
     (c) they are unlikely to seek or find sexual partners
     
     (d) they are sexually undesirable, sexually inadequate and lack
     sexual feelings,
     
     (e) disabled lesbians become lesbians because of an inability to
     succeed sexually in a predominantly heterosexual society.
     
     -    Consequences of these myths: limits the range of acceptable
     sexual expression; person takes on beliefs of their oppressors and
     learn to discount and suppress their sexuality.
     
     -    It is important that counsellors learn a basic understanding
     of the client's disability. Specific consequences of various
     disabilities can be very different. Disability may be in hearing,
     vision, mobility, mental abilities or other physical or mental
     functioning.
     
     -    Each person is unique and may be significantly affected by the
     type of disability, age of onset, educational experience, parental
     acceptance and overprotection, etc.
     
     -    Discrimination experienced by lesbians with disabilities
     involves homophobia among peers in the disabled community,  
     devaluation and denial of potential in the gay community, and
     some of each from the able-bodied straight world.
     
     -    The experience of stigma and oppression as a disabled woman
     makes it easier for some to cope with stigma of lesbianism, but for
     others, the experience of one stigma complicates the other.
     
     -    A counsellor can help sort through these stigmas and recognize
     every individual's right to be viewed as a sexual being; assume
     little; facilitate clients's discovery and expression of her
     potential (sexual and otherwise).
     
     -    A counsellor should confront her own emotional responses to
     disability and the stereotypes she holds.
     
     -    Counsellors can examine the facilities, policies and programs
     of their workplace to identify the barriers that prevent equal
     access to people with disabilities.