The Subject of Sex

This chapter introduces the theoretical background and empirical context of the study. It discusses the reasons why the topic of sexuality and disability is urgent and how past studies have examined it. Introducing the context of the study—Denmark and Sweden—the chapter explains how the two countries differ with regard to attitudes, policies, and practices regarding the sexual lives of people with disabilities, and why those differences highlight crucial questions about ethics, engagement, and social justice. The chapter ends with a discussion of the empirical material that grounds the study, and with a discussion of the very different kinds of language used in Demark and Sweden to talk about disability.