Supporting people with learning disabilities who identify as LGBT to express their sexual and gender identities

Marie Robinson, Zoe; Marsden, Daniel; Abdulla, Sam; Dowling, Florence

Abstract

People with learning disabilities experience many barriers that prevent them from expressing their sexuality and developing loving and sexual relationships, particularly if they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT). This article explores the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities who identify as LGBT in expressing their sexual identities and having sexual relationships, as well as the challenges faced by support workers and health and social care staff in supporting clients in those aspects of their lives. The method used consisted of combining the lived experiences of participants in a Twitter chat with an exploration of the recent literature.

The themes that emerged from these combined sources included the importance of love and sexual relationships, the policy context, legal framework, barriers in practice and the concept of intersectionality. This article discusses these themes and outlines implications for practice and research, including the training needs of staff.

Citation

Marie Robinson, Z., Marsden, D., Abdulla, S., & Dowling, F. (2020). Supporting people with learning disabilities who identify as LGBT to express their sexual and gender identities. Learning Disability Practice, 23(6), 24-31. https://doi.org/10.7748/ldp.2020.e2094

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Nov 26, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 26, 2025
• Journal: Learning Disability Practice
• Print ISSN: 1465-8712
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-8968
• Publisher: RCN Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 24-31
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7748/ldp.2020.e2094
• Keywords: clinical, diversity, ethical issues, gender, health promotion, learning disability, legal issues, lesbian gay bisexual trans, mental capacity, professional, sexuality, vulnerable adults
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/4133692