A full-colour picture book about sex for people with learning disabilities, to be compiled by Dr. Tuppy Owens and Victoria McKenzie.
Many people with learning disabilities never experience sexual pleasure. It is not uncommon for them to be sexually abused (90% of women is a statistic quoted about females in New York City) . Their knowledge is minimal, and they usually develop mixed feelings about touch. A survey in the UK (McCarthy 1997*) revealed that only one out of the 60 women with learning disabilities who were asked if they enjoyed oral sex, said yes. Reared to be passive and obedient, then later told to say no to sexual advances (thus feeling guilty about their sexual urges) women with learning disabilities usually find themselves unable to enjoy the most exquisite of life's free pleasures. Their male peers find sex a problem for many different reasons, sometimes getting themselves into trouble with the law.
We propose to produce a pretty, sexy, romantic picture book, especially aimed at women with learning disabilities, but aimed at men as well. The pictures will be life-like illustrations, including step-by-step strip-style storytelling, featuring people with learning disabilities, including people with Down's Syndrome, people with physical disabilities, overweight people, people with sensory impairment, of all ages, sexualities and races, all enjoying sex. Coping with potential dangers, emphasizing safer sex, and need for private spaces will be included, but the book will primarily be devoted to gaining confidence through knowledge, and exploring sexual pleasure.
The book will be hardback, compact enough to keep privately, and perhaps lockable, with a clasp. Our aim is that copies can be given free of charge to any adult with a learning disability who expresses an interest.
We plan to gather together an editorial board of top international expertise, appoint a sympathetic and sensitive artist to paint the pictures, and establish ways of distributing the books so they reach our audience safely.
A pilot study is planned to establish what people with learning disabilities would like, or would have liked, in such a book. We seek groups and individuals to help and advise.
We are also looking at how the book might best be presented to the intended audience whether it might be best done on an individual basis, with therapeutic back-up, bearing in mind how many of these people have been abused and may be vulnerable to viewing explicit sexual material.
The search for the right artist has already begun. We are approaching a young female artist who lives in Valencia. Her first adult picture book is about to be launched there. Her characters are sweet and her surroundings romantic, and she is skilled at painting emotions, without making faces look frightening. Pictures of sobbing faces will illustrate in a non-verbal and meaningful manner without repeating the 'No! Stop! THIS IS WRONG!' they may have heard so often. The reader will be able to see that unacceptable and selfish behaviour causes sadness. Our proposal is being sent to her, in the hope that she will be interested in the project.
As a matter of fact, everyone we have mentioned the project to, has passionately shown positive interest.
The pilot scheme needs funding, to complete the research and seek long-term funding**, to cover the cost of composing the book, the artwork, the printing and distribution. We estimate this to be a three-year project.
We very much hope that the book will be distributed world-wide and published in other languages.
Versions for blind and deaf-blind people will be discussed.
The Introduction will show a range of life's pleasures, including physical affection, flirting, being in love and having sex. The reason for presenting this wide range is that many women with learning disabilities do not associate sex with pleasure, and they need to be taught that it is possible.
Pictures will show that you don't need to be lonely, or fear rejection.
The book acknowledges that many readers may have suffered sexual abuse. We aim to create an appropriate context for teaching about sex by:
Picture stories show how sex happens with nice strangers sometimes, but mostly sex feels best in a relationship with the person are in love with. And celibacy is fine - if you're not in the mood, or can't have the one you love!
Outsiders was founded by Dr. Tuppy Owens in 1979, to help people with social and physical disabilities find partners. At this time, people with social and physical and social disabilities were dismissed as sexless. Recognising their sexuality was regarded by most health professionals and disabilities agencies as inviting scandal and threatening to give them lots of extra work! Outsiders proved them wrong. Providing sexual autonomy to people is empowering for them and actually makes them less of a burden on the NHS and Social Services, because they are happier and couples look after each other. We hope to prove this history will repeat itself in the worlds of people with learning disabilities today.
In 2003, Tuppy took over the SPOD Sex and Disability helpline, taking on the responsibility of providing advice about the sexuality of people with learning disabilities.
Around the same time, we gained the services of Victoria McKenzie who had been working in HIV and social skills training at YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities and New York City Department of Mental Health.
Tuppy is now the Coordinator of Outsiders, which she does from her croft in Scotland, and Victoria runs the Outsiders London lunches and workshops. They are working together on the Outsiders 25th Anniversary celebrations, planned for August 14th 2004.
Victoria McKenzie and Tuppy Owens work together in Outsiders. They both attended the Choices (Kirkless Teenage Pregnancy Strategy) conference on Sex and Relationship Education with Young People with Disabilities in Huddersfield on 22nd March 2004 to learn what is happening in the UK and met the experts. Hearing that most people with learning disabilities get the majority of their sex education from late-night television, Tuppy and Victoria decided they deserve better.
Victoria McKenzie was coincidentally born in Huddersfield. She
has a BA from the
University of Sussex.
She has spoken on HIV education
and awareness at many conferences and on radio and
Dr. Tuppy Owens was born in Cambridge and has a B.Sc in Zoology from Exeter University. After working in ecology in the Serengeti, Trinidad and at th Natural Environment Research Council, London, she elected to run an erotic book publishing company, creating her own genre of very personal erotic books. She is internationally respected as a sex pioneer, and has been an agony aunt and sex columnist for over twenty years. She was trained as a sex therapist from London University (St. George's Hospital Medical School) where she gained a diploma in Human Sexuality in 1986, and was in the same year awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the Institute of Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco.
Tuppy compiled the Outsiders book, Practical Suggestions. She was disability consultant on 'Cassell's Sex Book' by Suzi Godson, and on the original 'Lovers' Guide'. She is the Chair of the Sexual Freedom Coalition, and director of the fund-raising Night of the Senses. She is the founder and a Judge for The Erotic Awards, awarding the most creative people and products each year, including publication.
The following figures come from Nancy E. O'Malley, Chief Assistant District Attorney, Office of the District Attorney, County of Alameda (that's in California).
© 2004 The Outsiders Trust