Cover Image: A Quick & Easy Guide to Sex & Disability

A Quick & Easy Guide to Sex & Disability

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Member Reviews

Thank you to the publishers, via NetGalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read and review, "A Quick & Easy Guide to Sex & Disability by A. Andrews." Thoughts and opinions are solely my own.

I am coming to love and appreciate the A Quick & Easy Guide series. This is the second book I have read, the first being, A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & trans Identities by Mady G and JR Zuckerberg.

Being someone who is disabled, and often mis-abled by society (yay to the world of chronic, invisible disabilities), I took an interest in this guide. And I got to say, I was pleasantly captivated.

Props to A. Andrews who is disabled themselves, for shedding some light on many misinformed thought processes not just by able bodied people in society, but by even our own disabled selves.

Andrews does an amazing job with disability inclusiveness, (not just the physical, but also intellectual, and even chronic/invisible) and the facts, and fears, we all face when it comes to sex and intimacy. While it doesn't cover absolutely everything, it covers enough to get those conversations started with yourself, and your partner.

Factual, insightful, and educational. With some small bits of humour thrown in.

THANK YOU for creating this guide. I will recommend this to everyone!

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This is a #WeNeedDiverseBooks win! What a life-affirming gift this book could be to the differently-abled among us. A must have for all public library collections.

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Every single person can benefit from reading this.
This is a wonderful book to help you figure out what works for you and your partner.
While this can be read as an adult, I do think this would be perfect for teens & even pre-teens.
To help them get comfortable with speaking about and determining what they like and don't like before they actually start having sex.
Getting comfortable with talking about sex is a large hurdle for a lot of people and can help keep them out of some regretful situations with proper communication. Trying something you dislike and/or are uncomfortable with, because articulating the words is unpleasant, doesn't make sex better or easier.
It's a little cheesy, but there are a lot of great ideas in here for being more open and happy with whatever sex life you choose.
Much love to NetGalley and Oni Press for my DRC.

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Just what it says on the tin. The information is good and I really enjoyed the art style. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick primer on the subject.

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Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

I loved this! I haven't read the other books in the series but I really wanted to try this one. Sex and disability is a topic that is rarely talked about if ever. I love that this was super short but still very informative and offered a lot of great tips. I was amazed at how much was packed into 70 pages! From brief talks about discrimination, myths and lots of helpful tips this had a lot of information organized in a bite-sized entertaining way. I love the art, there wasn't any full nudity or hardly any but there was lots of diversity of bodies both by size and race! This is a must-read but also a mere introduction to learning more about disabled life.

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As a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher ( Limerence Press, an imprint of Oni Press.) for providing me with an advanced reader copy I shall give an honest review of “ A Quick & Easy Guide to Sex and Disability” by disabled cartoonist A. Andrews. For 72 pages this graphic novel attempts and succeeds in exploring the complexities around disability and sexuality. This comic may act as a tool in creating discussion around sexuality and how it may be expressed for those who are disabled physically, mentally or experience chronic conditions. This comic normalizes multiple experiences around sex and to remember at the end of the day. There is no one way to express your sexuality and to enjoy sex. I give these five out of five stars on good reads. This comes out in May 2020.

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Disclaimer: I received this through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really love these kinds of book/pamphlets because (1) obviously they're super important and (2) people might actually read them if they're short and illustrated.

A. Andrews - the author + illustrator of this - is disabled themselves, so I went into this with much less anxiety then I have gone into others. And, I have to say, I think this was super well done. It was widespread and inclusive, and also kind in how everything was explained.

Which I think is one of the most important things, is that it was kind to everyone and to how everyone can do things. It was thoughtful and I guess the word I'm looking for is sweet? Which might seem weird for a book about sex but here we are.

It is, of course, very basic but I feel like it covers a good amount of ground that, honestly, everyone should know in relation to people body autonomy related to people with disabilities.

Definitely check this out if you're disabled yourself - lend to potential partners maybe? - or if you just want to be educated about how to treat people. And, yes, it's focused on sex but a lot of this can also be applied to day to day interactions, or just to life in general. For example: communicate with people.

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As a disabled person who has sex, I am thrilled that this book exists, and I am thrilled to have had the chance to read it.

'Overall, I basically loved everything about A Quick & Easy Guide to Sex & Disability by A. Andrews. I was so excited about what this book could offer, and it did not disappoint. As much as I would love to read a similar but lengthier book on the subject, this is a wonderful introduction. The subjects covered are broad and surprisingly feel pretty thorough, the art style is easy on the eyes, the layout is easy to follow, and the whole tone is just incredibly welcoming, funny, understanding, sympathetic, and relatable. I would highly recommend this book to basically everyone, but especially other disabled folks, anyone having sex with disabled folks, and anyone interested in sex education or disability studies.'

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What a fantastic (and WONDERFULLY diverse!) guide to sex and disability. Books like this NEED to exist!

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This book is terrific! It does exactly what it says on the cover - it's a quick and easy guide to sex and disability.

This is a book that needs to be read by everyone, not just people with disabilities. Who knows who you'll be attracted to, and when, and what extra needs they might have. In 'A Quick & Easy Guide to Sex & Disability' A. Andrews reminds readers that sex is about intimacy and pleasure and finding out what you like and what your partners like, and sharing that information.

Rather than pretending to have every answer to every question (it's 'quick and easy', remember?) this book is a great conversation starter. It's a wonderful book to share with a partner who is disabled and start a discussion about having 'the talk' with your disabled partner, taking their disability/ies into account.

The graphics are wonderful, too - they complement the text beautifully, without being too explicit (or, 'graphic', if you will!).

I think every teenager should have a copy of this book in order to raise their awareness, and help them navigate what might otherwise be choppy waters with regard to sex and disability.

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As a paraplegic, I wanted to read this and see if it was different from other things out there about sex and disability. The author does a fantastic job of explaining it without going all clinical, while doing it in a casual, conversational tone. Be forewarned that this is just a general guide. You won't find anything here pertaining to any specific disability.

The author talks about important things like confidence, consent, and aftercare. Also the importance of talking about what and how sex works for you. While it can be awkward, its really important. The artwork is fantastic and inclusive among races, body types, and relationship types. I feel like this is something that would be good for partners (especially able bodied partners) to read as well. The only nudity is the depiction of nipples, and there are drawings of sex toys. I would recommend this to older teens and adults to check out.

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"If there's one thing that just about every disabled person on the planet is beyond familiar with, it's preparedness. In a world that is rarely built to accomodate us, we are often left to our own in adapting to spaces that don't work for us."

I heard great things about A Quick and Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns and A Quick and Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities (although I haven't actually read them yet), so when I saw this book was "read now" on Netgalley, I was very interested to give it a try. It seemed very educational, and I have been wanting to read more non-fiction. Also, as an autistic person, I want to do my best to be a good ally for people with all kinds of disabilities, and I can only do that if I educate myself.

I really appreciated that this was own voices, and I also really loved the art style. Those are two of the positives that I noticed right away. Overall, I mainly appreciated that this was hugely inclusive and hugely positive about disability, and it felt very uplifting and empowering. It was also very queer, yay!

Would definitely recommend this educational graphic novel for just about anyone, because it's very insightful and sex positive.

CWs: ableism

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So, why read a book about sex, and specifically disabled sex, by someone who is not an "Expert?"

The answer to that is: To avoid the typically clinical and frustratingly BORING books on this topic written by supposed "experts." I have read many books and magazine articles written by non-disabled "experts" and those were all so 'dry' they even managed to make sex seem boring and much of the information is, at best irrelevant, at worst dangerously flawed. To take the advice of someone who has never had to live with a disability, is unwise in my opinion. Realistically, how could they know anything about it?

As a queer person living with a disability, A. Andrews is much more qualified to discuss issues surrounding sex & disability than any able-bodied 'expert.' 

I love that the author acknowledges that many people do not think of disabled people as sexual beings, and that they acknowledge the squeamishness with which some  people react to this topic. It is a ridiculous notion and I am happy that the author confronts it head-on.

According to the author, "All disability presents differently. They are all valid, real, and have unique needs and considerations."

That said, this book focuses on sex for people with physical disabilities. After all, that is what the author deals with personally, which is why they are qualified to discuss it. It would have been a ridiculously long book if sex for every type of disability were to be discussed.

The emphasis placed on communication is great advice which applies to everyone, disabled or not. Included are some suggestions as to how not to offend a disabled partner. The illustrations depict a person asking or saying something offensive and offers a way to ask/say it in a nonoffensive way. I have never seen such awesome advice so succinctly shown before. I have to say that I am extremely impressed. Kudos to Author/Illustrator A. Andrews for including such valuable advice.

Let's face it. There are many different types of people and therefore there are many types of sexual partners. This book is designed as a resource for all genders, races, and for any and all sexual persuasions. The illustrations reflect that reality. They depict many different body types, genders, races, as well as different types of physical disabilities.

The illustrations are not sexually explicit, but sex positions are depicted. When positions are shown, there are no views of genetalia. In most illustrations, the people depicted are wearing underwear or are fully clothed. There is a single page containing illustrations of sexual aids, some of which are shaped like male genetalia (but in a tasteful way.)

In my humble opinion, I believe every physically disabled person who is thinking about and/or planning to become (or continue to be) sexually active needs to purchase one or more copies of this graphic novel. It could be casually placed on the coffee table where the potential partner(s) is sure to see it, thus creating the perfect opportunity to begin the dialogue necessary. It would also be an amazing resource to share with anyone who participates in your care. This graphic novel should be available in every local library and every physical rehabilitation center in North America and beyond. In fact, I am planning to speak to my local library as well as at the few physiotherapy clinics near my home.

I rate A QUICK & EASY GUIDE TO SEX & DISABILITY as 5+ Out Of 5 STARS (my highest rating.) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The thoughts I shared about A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities are pretty much the same ones I feel about this little book.

To me, this is an essential addition that everyone should get their hands on. Not only does it give a concise definition of what disability means and what shapes it takes, but Andrews also demystifies a few things about disabled bodies and sex with a disability, before diving into the focus of the guidebook.

There aren't any particular negative aspects that I came across while reading this, I appreciated the way everything was explained and how, no matter who you are with, communication and consent will always be critical when in an intimate setting. No matter how old you are, this is a book for all ages and that should be mandatory reading.

Also, the artwork is very engaging and diverse in representation. And it's an own voices' book!

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*received from netgalley for free for honest review* This is a really great book, the subject matter is important for everyone and the book itself is very inclusive and has so many types of bodies and disabilities I was pleasantly surprised, the length of this book is also great, to the point but not lacking. The language used was again inclusive and positive which is awesome! There should be more books like this, 5 star!.

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Very easy to use, and understand graphic novel style manual on how and whys of sex while disabled. Both LGBTQ and Straight are covered as well.

The main point of the book is to communicate, but that is true, even without a disability, still good to emphasize.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/sex-for-disabililty.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5578" />

Good introduction for those who are in love with those who are disabled, as well as disabled people who might want to know how others are "doing it."

Recommended reading.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

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Thanks NetGalley for the free e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great introduction for a topic that we do not often talk about. Imagine that if people already feel awkward about talking about sex, talking about disabled people having sex is even more awkward. But it shouldn't be! Luckily, more and more aspects of everyday life are being adapted for disabled folks and sex shouldn't be an exception.

Throughout this little guide, the author explains how communication is key for a successful sexual experience for everybody, and how that can be specially positive in the case of people with disabilities, since they can make their partners understand them better when faced with something they may have never experienced before and would feel lost otherwise.

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This is a really lovely introduction to having sex while disabled. It obviously can't cover everything, but it gives good jumping-off points for so many different scenarios. I love how casual the vibe of the comic is. It really cut through the stigma of the subject matter.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I currently work for an organization that provides services for adults with disabilities. This book is as advertised - quick & easy to read! A. Andrews' illustrations are engaging and diverse, and it covers many of the basics of sexual health that are relevant to both people with and without disabilities. It also provides some great general information on disabilities and communicating with someone who has a disability as well as the many intersectional identities that people with disabilities hold and how that impacts their sexual relationships.

If you have an interest in this topic, this guide is a great way to start to learn more. While A. Andrews is mostly addressing people with disabilities, the audience for this book should not be limited.

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This book is long overdue. I've seen almost every book out there about sex as it relates to disability, but as Andrews says from the get-go, they are all clinical, and they are all about if people with disabilities can have sex. There's always an underlying assumption that there is a difference for us in terms of interest in sex compared to any other person without a disability. They talk about stigma, but these books are never for people with disabilities, but for non-disabled people who rarely are attracted to reading on the topic.

This was a refreshing read that focused on how to handle these stigmas and provided an intro to some common emotional and physical barriers that may arise more frequently for us than for most. The author even addresses how to approach sex for non-disabled partners.

My only qualm with the book, which overall was very open and accepting of all identities, was that there seemed to be two allusions to BDSM and kink that were less than favorable. I think the author was trying to portray the common fears people have about these topics, but it came off very dismissively of the kink community and those who identify within it. Andrews presented aftercare as a strategy, and the person he was talking to said, "isn't that a BDSM thing?" the only response was, "yeah, it is, but..." implying a hesitation to come up with a rationale for why it is okay to use BDSM strategies. Andrews then writes, "...but it is really just an everybody thing!" I feel like this perpetuates the harmful stigma of BDSM being deviant or highlighting its otherness as opposed to it being a natural part of sexuality that is for some but not all, just like all other sexual preferences.

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