Interesting "Disability Now” Article
on being both Disabled and LGBT
Please find an edited transcript from the article, a more detailed article with lots of personal stories can be found at the link at the bottom of the edited article: -
"Questions of Identity - Coming out as disabled
.......What is it like "coming out" in two different ways; being disabled and gay/lesbian/bi/pansexual? And which is the most difficult for others to acknowledge?......
.......Of course, with some disabilities you "come out” every time you leave the house......Similarly, wheelchair-users are equally visibly disabled; and when something as simple as making eye contact with another person is difficult, finding a way to start a relationship – gay or straight – is even more so.
People with less evident, so called "invisible” conditions and impairments, however, have a different problem to face. They need to make a judgment as to when to tell potential partners about their disability. Often they come out about their sexuality earlier than they do about their disability, sometimes because they’re worried about being rejected before they’ve ever had a chance to get to know someone......
......Perhaps the most awkward sort of disability to come out about, however, is mental illness. People with mental illnesses often suffer from even more prejudice than those with other disabilities; and the combination of not being heterosexual and having a mental illness can make for further difficulties.....
.......Another difficulty disabled GLBTs often encounter is the problem of meeting people in the first place. Many disabilities, whether mental or physical, make it difficult to leave the house, which also makes attending gay-friendly events more difficult.
You might have thought that GLBT event organisers, who ought to understand what it means to be treated as an outsider, would be better at being inclusive towards people with disabilities......
.......Happy ever after is possible for everyone, and no one should forget it.”
Link to full article: -
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/features/questions-of-identity-coming-out-as-disabled
If you have any concerns about the above article, please do not hesitate to contact Liam Ryan, Community Development Worker at CERC, who might be able to forward you to support organisations who can help:
07530193965