Disablity and sex

[annie]

'I have a life-limiting condition and I want to talk about sex'

Talking about sex and relationships is tricky for many people, but it can be especially tough if you have a life-limiting condition like Lucy.

She has a severe form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which affects her collagen.

It has caused organs such as her gut to fail, so she is fed through a tube. She also uses a wheelchair.

"We are still young people with wants, needs, desires, emotions. We all want a relationship," she tells Newsbeat at her home in Essex.

Sex and relationships with a disability or life-limiting condition is normal, because we're still normal people

A new set of guidelines is being published on Tuesday for staff working with young people who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

It aims to help professionals such as doctors and carers support people like Lucy when they are exploring sex and relationships.

One of the biggest myths according to Lucy is that people like her can't have sex.

"Anyone can have sex. There are ways around doing things and, at the end of the day, relationships aren't just about sex. It's about the whole emotional, the physical, everything that comes with a relationship.

"People don't realise that. They think that if you're in a wheelchair you can't do anything at all, whereas you can."

More

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/3 ... -about-sex

[Rosalind]

go90 tha22222

[wendy]

Many years ago I went to an all day seminar on this subject.
It was most interesting and informative.

[maureenho]

A very delicate subject.

[daisy]

Yes, it is a delicate subject.

[JaneJ]

I don't think it is discussed enough as it is so delicate