Ableism

Ableism is a set of beliefs enacted by non-disabled people and experienced and often internalized by those with disabilities. For example, if our notion of "sex" is constrained to activities that involve moving the body in certain ways, we may assume that people who are incapable of such motions incapable of sex, even if those people are capable of experiencing sexual pleasure and enjoying their sexuality in many other ways. This is ableist thinking, and it can impact disabled people in their relationships and the way they are treated in settings that involve sexuality, including dating, sexual education, and healthcare.