Regulating, fostering and preserving: the production of sexual normates through cognitive ableism and cognitive othering

Linn J. Sandberg, Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, Alisa Grigorovich

Résultat de recherche: Articleexamen par les pairs

11 Citations (Scopus)

Résumé

People with cognitive disabilities are commonly positioned as risky sexual subjects. This article discusses the discursive production of sexual normates in the form of desirable and normative able-minded sexual subjects, in scientific research on the sexuality and cognitive disabilities of younger and older individuals (in particular those with dementia). We identify three interrelated discourses: regulating sexuality; fostering sexuality; and preserving sexuality. The first of these, regulation, pathologises sexuality of people with cognitive disabilities as faulty and in need of restriction. The second discourse, fostering, is more affirmative and argues for educating for a ‘healthy’ sexuality of people with cognitive disabilities, to mitigate risks of abuse. This discourse is more salient with younger people. The third discourse, preservation, in contrast, is more visible with older people with dementia and affirms sexuality so long as it is consistent with a ‘genuine’ or ‘authentic’ sexuality of the past. In conclusion, scientific research reinforces the cultural ideal of the rational and autonomous individual (and as such the mature/adult) capable of making independent decisions and engaging in healthy, good sex, based on stable sexual identities. Findings demonstrate how age intersects with cognitive ableism to intensify the cultural anxiety that exists around the sexualities of people with cognitive disabilities.

Langue d'origineEnglish
Pages (de-à)1421-1434
Nombre de pages14
JournalCulture, Health and Sexuality
Volume23
Numéro de publication10
DOI
Statut de publicationPublished - 2021
Publié à l'externeOui

Note bibliographique

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte) under Grant No. 2013-00275 held by Linn Sandberg. Alisa Grigorovich gratefully acknowledges funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Award) and from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Health System Impact Fellowship)

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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