This week you are required to watch the film, “Take a Look at This Heart” (Length 1 hr. 38)

Discussion Board Questions 

1. Prior to watching the film, what were your assumptions about disability and sexuality? 
2. After watching the film, explain how your perspectives changed or stayed the same? 
3. What was the most impactful part of the film and why?

   Reply:

friend 1:

1. Prior to watching this film I did not think that people with disabilities were able have a sexual connection. I assumed that if they had physical disabilities they were not able to have a child with their partners. I had these assumptions because I thought that they were not able to have a child since they had a disability.
2. After watching the film, my viewpoints have changed. I was able to see that people with disabilities were able to have intimate relationships and were able to participate in sexual activities.
3. The most impactful part of the film was when all of the people were telling their stories. it was really important because they were able to prove a point and to show the world that just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you can’t have sexual tension with another person. I believe that this was important because it sends us the audience as a message.

Reply

friend 2:

Prior to watching the film, what were your assumptions about disability and sexuality?

• I honestly had not heard much about people with disabilities having sex or exploring their sexuality at all. So before watching this film, I assumed they had minimal to no sexual contact at all which was extremely inaccurate. I guess it also makes me realize how the lack of thought or awareness really forces you to realize your privilege in our own lives. How easily it might be to connect with someone on a physical level and how not everyone has that luxury, which makes you think about the stigmas that are placed within a society about people with disabilities and their sexual experiences.

After watching the film, explain how your perspectives changed or stayed the same?

• My perspective has changed in the sense that now I know that people with disabilities do experience sexual pleasure and they are more than capable of doing so. I also have realized how this entire topic is not talked about enough because I truly have never even given it any thought and that comes from a place of privilege. I also feel like it is so important to have this talked about more because I feel like it definitely erased my personal stigma about relationships with disabled people.

What was the most impactful part of the film and why?

• The part where people talked about how not having bladder control is one of the hardest things to explain and that was so heartbreaking to hear about. Mostly because I know that in most relationships as it is it can be hard to talk about stuff that is so personal like that, even more so when it is something that you NEED to disclose. They explained how they explain it so it prevents future embarrassments or discomforts which is heartbreaking to hear. For the most part, they said that their partners are cool and understanding people and like the gentleman from california said, if someone doesn’t understand these things then it truly was not meant to be and I couldn’t agree more with him.