Department of Disability Studies, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta
Sex, life, death and everything in-between: the intersection of male gender and disability
Prof. David Abbott
University of Bristol
Thursday 25 May, 18:00
Lecture Centre Rm 217
Several groups of disabled people with long-term conditions and/or life threatening illnesses are living longer than ever before largely due to advances in medical technology. Men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who have seen relatively rapid increases in life expectancy. Amidst the challenges of planning for an ‘unanticipated’ adult life, men with DMD may well not have been supported to be and become men either. If transition to ‘successful manhood’ is equated with paid work, sexual relationships, financial independence, physical and psychological separation from parents and so on, how do men with DMD who face the challenges in many of these areas, and construct their own versions of being a man similarly or differently to non-disabled peers? The lecture will discuss the intersection of disability, male gender and sex and draws on a number of research projects.
About the speaker
David Abbott is Professor of Social Policy and currently Head of School at the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. He joined in 1999 and has worked on a range of research projects relating to disabled children/young people on topics including residential schools, transition and multi-agency working. He has worked over a number of years with the Duchenne muscular dystrophy community on topics including gender, social care, transition and end of life. Other work focuses on the experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans Disabled People.