Greetings! Your Prince of Unpopular Opinions has returned! Sorry about the disruption in content: there’s a pandemic out there. But I’m here with a review that I am frankly stoked for: A Quick and Easy Guide to Sex and Disability by A. Andrews. Now this is where I have to say: I am able-bodied. I do have some chronic conditions that do make getting down to pound town a little difficult sometimes but I am not physically disabled. But as someone who is an equal opportunity lover of those of age and consenting, it was important for me to ingest this kind of content and gain a whole new perspective on how folks who are not like me get it on.
This is also where I pause to mention that: hey, this book is for adults only and features sex, sexual talk and the like. So not for kids unless you’re a cool mom or dad trying to each a fun lesson about sex ed.
So I will say this right off the bat, this book does a lot for me. There are frank talks about sexuality and gender with charts and a very open conversation about disability; which actually includes mental illnesses and other cognitive difficulties. So under that lens, because of my “invisible illnesses” I do benefit from this guide more than just as someone who is mostly able-bodied.
Most people don’t talk about invisible illnesses and assume disability only means being in a wheelchair or missing a limb (not to make light of those forms of disability) but it was validating to have that aspect of my physical and sexual history validated.
The guide features some fantastic and honest conversations about sex from self-pleasure to toys to positioning: all incredibly helpful and affirming. The language is supportive and frank without being graphic and the images are comforting and do their best to show the beauty in all kinds of bodies.
I honestly can’t recommend it enough: able-bodied, disabled or dealing with an invisible illness; this guide is for everyone.
A Quick and Easy Guide to Sex and Disability comes out on 6/3/2020 from Oni-Press and I sincerely hope you give it a go!
