Of Being a Parent with a disability: The Dilemma that is.

There's been a long ongoing debate between economists, politicians and social activists on the issue of availing resources to initiatives that are aimed at boosting population numbers across the globe..Economists argue against the sustainability of giving resources to new mothers, while politicians propell this argument for numerical strength at the ballot. Social activists vouch for a change of attitude towards parenting, such that one is free to decide for themselves what they want to do and how they want to do it, be it being a single parent, a parent by adoption or any other legally and medically acceptable means of achieving parenthood.

Perhaps a group not accorded this variety of options are persons with disabilities, given that for one, disability is not fully embraced in some cultures around the world, in addition to sexuality being a taboo topic at the dinner table. This then makes sex education in relation to disabilities a far fetched idea, only practiced by those perceived to be liberal and open minded in their thinking.

Sexual education for persons with disabilities is hardly achieved due to various reasons such as cultural beliefs that persons with disabilities can't be parents, and largely the medical model of disability that largely addresses disability as a problem to be fixed not a uniquenes to be embraced. Sometimes information on aspects of sexual education is availed in formats not accessible to many. eg radio adverts on the use of contraceptives will be of no benefit to a person with hearing impairment.

While some disabilities make it difficult for one to become a parent, persons with disabilities can be educated on self awareness in addition to alternatives available for one to achieve parenthood. The alternatives could include adoption and surrogacy, and modalities made available such as the legal procedures to follow for adoption.

Information could also be availed to persons with disabilities on how to go about disabilities that are genetic, and this will come in handy in self awareness trainings from a medical point of view. Of course, this means that the medical view of disability has to change to include the social and psychological view of disability. The social view is that disability can be solved by reducing or eliminating the barriers to independent living, and this includes seeking solutions to medical barriers like reducing the chances of transmitting a disability from the 'parent' to the would be child.

What else can be improved in terms of sexual and reproductive health rights and education for persons with disabilities?

Making reproductive health services available and accessable to people with disabilities. At least by letting people with disabilities where they can get this services and be taken through different options step by step will also help archive a milestone in sex education

Good one @BKiwu , one thing that needs to be adopted is incorporating PwD to adverts that relate to contraceptives, sex education, memes and such. This will help in reduction of sex stigmatization which will help to make sex a normal thing persons with disability and those without.

Also early adolescence education and probably test will go a mile in solving problems related to sex. I think copping as an normal teenager is better than the adult 'shocker'.

@Wilie the last sentence is hilarious but true 😆😆😆

I betcha @BKiwu 😂😂

I agree with you @Wilie Imagine we also have a sense of humor and can live in relationships and of course, have intimate and sexual encounters with our other halves. I do agree that maybe our fellow PWDs on the severe end may have a challenge in this. But so long as you are a human being you are likely to have the urges the need. How to go about it and manage it is tricky.

Specialized Doctors in Sexual Reproductive must be well informed even in the disability aspect because we get to seek treatment, therapy or even consultation through them. Especially if one's Disability is genetic consultation is a necessity on the now how to get children without complications.