Intimate relationships amongst young adults with physical visible impairments : challenges and support

Abstract

Growing up with a physical and visible impairment, I have noted how many people are startled by the sight of my impairment leading to a host of attitudes that differ greatly from those towards my non-impaired peers, attitudes that singled me out. While I am very thankful for all the support I have received from my family and friends, I never felt that my impairment should impact my life chances in any way. As I matured into a young adult, I often ruminated about how the visibility of my physical impairment would impact the possibility of a romantic relationship and settling down with a partner. With the social model of disability as the conceptual framework for my study, this research set out to explore and understand all the challenges and support that either discourage or empower young adults with a physical, visible impairment to form an intimate loving relationship. As agents of social change, it is important that social workers are aware of this reality and its implications on the lives of physically and visibly impaired individuals. This awareness could help them better support these individuals, as well as advocate for change. This study recruited five physically and visibly impaired young adults between the ages of eighteen and thirty, who were encouraged to recount their experiences concerning the challenges and support they encounter to form and maintain intimate relationships, through semi structured interviews. These interviews were than transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis as a method of data analysis. This study confirms that the visibility of a physical impairment immediately subjects the individual to a host of attitudes that single them out. Some also face assumptions about their overall abilities, sexual potency, and their potential as candidates for intimate relationships. Despite these challenges, this study confirms that impaired individuals are sexual beings who want to engage in intimate relationships. Perennially, the inaccessibility of public places serves as a barrier for physically impaired young adults to frequent many trendy youthful places. Overall, family members and friends expressed support, but this study reveals that the support of parents is sometimes infused with overprotection and concern regarding the challenges that their offspring are bound to encounter in their pursuit to form intimate relationships. Furthermore, this study shed light on the fact that while current legislation ensures equality and support for these young adults in their quest to form an intimate relationship and start a family, this often does not translate into an accurate representation of reality.