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Candid Conversations: Narratives of Young Adults with Disabilities in Sri Lanka on Intimate Partner Relationships

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Diverse Voices of Disabled Sexualities in the Global South

Abstract

Conversations on ‘disabled sexualities’ are arguably non-existent in Sri Lanka, or if present, muted and peripheral to the dominant discourse on rights of persons with disabilities, poverty and stigma. This chapter explores the narratives of persons with disability (PWD), partners and centre/teaching staff on how PWD navigate intimate partner relationships. The chapter considers the narratives through the lens of the ‘lived experience’ of the narrators using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, critical disability studies and frames of culture and gender. The emergent themes discussed are of sexual agency, gendered experiences, curious enquiry, shaming, alternative relationships, diverse desires and of imbibing hyper-masculinity. The findings suggest that in spite of the ableist, stereotypical, heteronormative and patriarchal views on disability and sexuality in society, Sri Lankan PWD are transgressing boundaries in subtle, complex ways.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kelaniya, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Shyamani Hettiarachchi

  2. Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Shyamani Hettiarachchi

  3. Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Senarath Attanayake

Authors
  1. Shyamani Hettiarachchi
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  2. Senarath Attanayake
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Diversity Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Paul Chappell

  2. Social Work Department, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Marlene de Beer

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Hettiarachchi, S., Attanayake, S. (2019). Candid Conversations: Narratives of Young Adults with Disabilities in Sri Lanka on Intimate Partner Relationships. In: Chappell, P., de Beer, M. (eds) Diverse Voices of Disabled Sexualities in the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78852-4_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78852-4_10

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-78851-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-78852-4

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