Disabling Norms, Affirming Desires: A Scoping Review on Disabled Women’s Sexual Practices

Inês Silva (), Ana Cristina Santos and Alexandra Oliveira
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Inês Silva: Center for Psychology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Ana Cristina Santos: Center for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, 3000-995 Coimbra, Portugal
Alexandra Oliveira: Center for Psychology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: Disabled women have historically been marginalized from sexuality education and discussions due to harmful stereotypes that portray them as asexual or incompatible with cis-heteroreproductive sexual norms. To assess whether these assumptions are supported by empirical evidence, a scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s proposal and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework. EBSCOhost, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases were searched to map peer-reviewed scientific articles published between 2013 and 2023 on disabled women’s sexual practices. Seven qualitative studies were selected and analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Four key themes were identified: Reclaiming Sexuality, Navigating Constraints, Barriers to Awareness, and Building Inclusive Futures. The findings illustrate the diversity of sexual experiences among disabled women and highlight their active role in overcoming the barriers imposed by their bodies and environments. This review contributes to a broader discourse on sexuality and disability, challenges oversimplified narratives of de-sexualization, and provides evidence supporting a paradigm shift towards inclusive, affirmative sexual health education. Further research and policy reforms are essential to ensure recognition of their sexual citizenship, desires, and lived realities.

Keywords: sexuality; disability; disabled women; sexual citizenship; intersectionality; scoping review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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