GSDD5016 Sexuality and Developmental Disability

This unit introduces you to some of the key sexuality and relationship issues which people with developmental disabilities experience. You will be asked to explore some of the historical themes, which have influenced current attitudes, values and practices of service providers and families of people with developmental disability. The unit also aims to challenge prevailing professional discourses about sexuality and relationships and to enable you to explore them from the perspective of people with a developmental disability. If we are to support people with developmental disability to lead safe and inclusive lives then it is important that we understand the historical themes that inform our practice, our own values and attitudes and to also have knowledge of new approaches to sexuality in relation to this group of people.

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of how the subjectivity of people with developmental disability is viewed and the relationship between this and attitudes towards their sexuality and relationships.
2. Discuss the development of sexuality and sexual identity as part of overall social/cognitive development and restrictions/limitations 'imposed' by community or societal attitudes.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of preferences for the expression of sexuality.
4. Discuss the interconnections between sexuality and identity and their relationship with gender.
5. Discuss the interconnections between sexuality, identity, gender, friendship and other relationships.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the life stories of young and older men and women with developmental disability about their sexuality and how this is viewed, encouraged or denied by others.
7. Discuss approaches or programs, which may assist young people with developmental disability to understand and realise their sexuality.
8. Discuss approaches or programs to assist family members and formal services to understand, appreciate and support the realisation of the sexual lives of people with developmental disability.

Dr Russell Shuttleworth, a medical anthropologist, has a primary research interest in sexuality and disability and an extensive background in qualitative research. He has a passion for conceptually innovative research that makes a difference! He is developing an interdisciplinary model for international collaborative research in sexuality and disability with the University of Sydney as the hub. Russell is keen to involve both colleagues and postgraduate students in developing a holistic sexuality and disability research agenda that transcends disciplinary differences.

For several years, Russell chaired the San Francisco Bay Area’s Sexuality and Disability Research Consortium, a discussion group on sexuality and disability research issues. He has conducted ethnographic fieldwork with men with cerebral palsy on their search for sexual intimacy, and he has also completed several life histories of notable disabled men focusing on their sexual narratives. Russell also has a longstanding interest in disability studies and has conducted social justice research with disabled people on many issues including social barriers to health care for people with speech impairments and the construction of identity for disabled political leaders. Other areas of interest include aging and sexuality; masculinity and disability; culture mental health and aging; anthropology and disability; and qualitative research methods.

Russell has extensive experience in the development of educational programs in sexuality and disability. For fall semester 2008, Russell developed an interdisciplinary unit of study in Sexuality and Disability that focused on research issues, which is being offered in Web CT in the Graduate Program in Sexual Health. He is currently modifying the unit of study Sexuality and People with Developmental Disability in the Graduate Program in Developmental Disability, maintaining its major focus on people with an intellectual disability but adding a module on those people with developmental disability whose impairments are primarily physical, as well as incorporating discussion of some recent cutting edge issues in sexuality and disability such as facilitated sex and use of sex worker services. Other courses he is teaching at Sydney University include Aging and Sexuality and Qualitative Health and Social Research.

For relaxation Russell enjoys blowing some mean blues harp, doodling with coloured inks, and listening to multi-genre music.

Dr Russell Shuttleworth
+61 2 9351 9647