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Program Information:
Title: We Swipe Right Too: Examining the Barriers to Disabled Sexual Health
Presenter: Caroline L. Muster, LCSW
Date: May 17, 2024
**Zoom Event**
Event Location: Virtual
** After you've registered, look for the ZOOM link included in your confirmation email. The same ZOOM link will also be emailed again Thursday and Friday as a "just in case".**
9:00 am - 10:30 am
(Announcements, networking) 9:00 - 9:30 am
(Presentation) 9:30 - 10:30 am
Presentation Summary:
There are approximately one billion people worldwide living with a disability. Whatever percentage of those billion people are, at any time, in a romantic relationship, sexual health, behavior, and orientation is relevant to the entire community as part of each member’s lifespan development and human experience. Yet the intersection of sexuality and disability is significantly overlooked in healthcare, education, and sociopolitical milieus. Furthermore, the impact of disability on romantic relationships remains an underexplored issue, especially as it relates to partners navigating ableism, homophobia, and other systems of oppression—an experience that can challenge and strengthen the relationship. As a queer, female clinician with a physical disability (osteogenesis imperfecta), I offer my ethnographic perspective of the barriers for disabled people to access inclusive sexual healthcare and education, the limits to practicing autonomous sexual behavior, and the struggle to affirming one’s sexual orientation. I also offer reflections on the impact that disability has had on my romantic relationships, the influence that my sexuality has had on my identity as a disabled woman, and the applications of disabled sexual health to mental health practice.
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants of this webinar/virtual training will be able to identify the systemic barriers to sexual health and romantic partnerships for people with disabilities.
2. Participants of this webinar/virtual training will understand the impact of intersectionality on sexual health and romantic partnerships for people with disabilities.
3. Participants of this webinar/virtual training will learn the relevance of disabled sexual health and romantic partnerships to mental health practice and social justice advocacy.
Speaker Bio: Caroline L. Muster, LCSW earned her Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Psychology, summa cum laude, in 2010 and her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in 2012, both from Texas State University. She has served as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Florida since 2017 and is now also a Qualified Supervisor for clinical social work interns. Ms. Muster's professional experience includes roles in community mental health, medical social work, psychotherapy, forensic social work, and higher education. Her published research and other academic works address topics related to disability rights, women's issues, trauma recovery, criminal justice, and intersectionality. Ms. Muster completed her third year of a PhD in Social Work program at the University of South Florida (USF) in May 2022. In August 2022, Ms. Muster began her current full-time role as the lead psychotherapist for AdventHealth Medical Group's pediatric and adolescent psychiatry practice in Winter Park. In addition to this role, Ms. Muster continues to serve as an adjunct professor for USF's School of Social Work, teaching graduate students of the online MSW program.
