Abstract

This article aims at discussing the intersections of disability and sexuality as narrated by lesbian women with chronic illness. It draws from an empirical study conducted in Portugal and Italy between 2016 and 2018 with LGBTQA + chronically ill people: in particular, the article focuses on fifteen biographical interviews collected among participants that self-identify as lesbian. The interviews highlight intersections of sexuality through the experience of chronic illness, showing different strategies through which lesbian women re-invent their own self-definition and their sexual practices in intimate encounters with partners. The first part discusses the contributions of feminist disability studies and crip studies in the understanding of the entanglements between able-bodiedness and heteronormativity. In the second section, the analysis focuses on narratives around dating: in particular, it explores the difficulties reported by participants in coming out as chronically ill to their sexual partners. In the third section, the paper discusses desires and sexual practices: since illness influences the way desires are embodied and negotiated, participants find ways to face their vulnerabilities and establish self-caring sexual encounters. The last section addresses the importance of communication in this process, enabling forms of transformative actions and resilience through sexual practices. The article aims at contributing to the existing literature on disability and sexuality, shedding light on the specific aspects of the experience narrated by lesbian women with chronic illness: such aspects challenge normative assumptions over the entanglements between disability and sexuality and question some of the pillars on which disability is constructed.

摘要

本文旨在讨论患有慢性疾病的女同性恋者所讲述的残疾和性行为的交叉点。它来自于 2016 年至 2018 年在葡萄牙和意大利对 LGBTQA + 慢性病患者进行的一项实证研究：特别是，本文重点关注在自认为是女同性恋的参与者中收集的 15 份传记访谈。采访通过慢性病的经历突出了性行为的交叉点，展示了女同性恋在与伴侣的亲密接触中重新定义自己的自我定义和性行为的不同策略。第一部分讨论了女权主义残疾研究和瘸子研究在理解健全和异性恋之间的纠葛方面的贡献。在第二部分，分析的重点是围绕约会的叙述：特别是，它探讨了参与者报告的慢性病向其性伴侣出柜的困难。在第三部分，论文讨论了欲望和性行为：由于疾病会影响欲望的体现和协商方式，参与者会想方设法面对自己的弱点并建立自我照顾的性接触。最后一部分讨论了沟通在这个过程中的重要性，通过性行为促成了变革行动和复原力的形式。这篇文章旨在为现有关于残疾和性的文献做出贡献，阐明患有慢性病的女同性恋者所讲述的经历的具体方面：