[humanser] Blind people and issues around expressions of sexuality, etc.

[Carmella D Broome]

Jonathan,

I think it is the right forum if the discussion is  clinical.   JD has an 
interesting research idea as far as wondering how blind couples  or 
individuals deal withissues such as this one.   How often are such matters 
addressed in adjustment to blindness counseling or training?  I suspect not 
much or often.  It is a reality that many people  feel less confident or 
less whole when they loose their vision or when they have  been blind since 
birth but  have to come to grips with the impact this has on their lives as 
adults.  Blind people are sexual beings  like everyone else.  There are a 
lot of clinically relevant directions this  discussion could go in.

Personally, as an MFT, I discuss sexual issues with  couples and individuals 
fairly often and  that does include being asked my opinion of  the use of 
sex toys and other additions, as well as  having to educate people  about a 
lot of basic stuff.  As far as JD's question here, my solution was to 
email him off list and suggest he compile responses and then summarize them. 
Reason being that  this list has archives that can be  publicly viewed and 
the topic is one that can be personal as well as professional.   I suppose 
it is controversial in the sense that  everyone has different comfort levels 
when discussing sexual topics also and what is offensive to one is not to 
another.  Of course, people can always delete if they're uncomfortable.  I 
think there is probably a lack of research about blind  people and sexuality 
issues, but I do know of some.

We're all adults here  who are intelligent and  can carry on a  civilized 
conversation, I think.


Carmella