Abstract: Since the end of 1990s, sexual assistance to people with disabilities has been the systematical subject, on an International level, of many researches and investigations. Earle (1999), Tepper (2000), Shakespeare (2000), Waxman Fiduccia (2000) pointed out taboos and silence around sexuality, as nowadays the intersection between people with disabilities and sexuality has become an emerging issue of social justice (Shuttleworth, 2007) and sexuality is an inalienable right, therefore moving from a medical to a social and cultural perspective within studies in this sector.

The present study follows the same direction and, while trying to link together pedagogical knowledge and the results generated by researches within sociological, psychological and political sciences, aims at clarifying the figure of the sexual assistant, which a recent Italian bill wants to regulate, in order to promote “healthy sexuality and psycho-physical well-being of people with disabilities” (Parliamentary Acts, n. 1442, 9 April 2014), just like in other European countries. This assistant has strong educational values, thanks to the Italian inclusive pedagogical tradition.

Also this paper will therefore seek to develop an idea of sex education for people with disabilities as the final outcome of research that has attempted to reflect on three levels: (1) Socio-cultural; (2) Political; (3) Pedagogical. The final outcome of the research is to rethink the sexual education of persons with disabilities, presenting some lines of project guidelines in accordance with the pedagogical literature (Mannucci, 2002; Gelati, Malignano, 2003; Castelli, Mariani, 2005; Goussot, 2008; Lascioli, 2013; Castelli, Cereda, Crotti, Villa, 2013).

 

Key words: sexual education, disability, inclusion