Abstract
This chapter draws on interviews with intellectually disabled people about their experiences of everyday legally relevant decision-making to explore the multiple sociolegal dimensions of decision-making around intimate relationships and marriage by intellectually disabled people (here understood to include people with learning disabilities, brain injuries and other cognitive impairments). After a brief introduction and methodological note, I contrast legal responses to sexual relations, marriage and divorce with disabled people’s stories about how these things have influenced their lives. Through this analysis, I challenge the construction of disabled people as vulnerable subjects, to be protected by and through family law. Instead, I argue for accessible family law frameworks that allow disabled people to enjoy their legal rights, relationships and family lives.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Disability, Care and Family Law |
Editors | Beverley Clough, Jonathan Herring |
Place of Publication | London |
Publisher | Routledge |
Chapter | 9 |
Pages | 156-181 |
Number of pages | 26 |
Edition | 1 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780429328015, 9781000375114 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780367232085 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 13 Apr 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 selection and editorial matter, Beverley Clough and Jonathan Herring; individual chapters, the contributors.
Keywords
- Disability
- Divorce
- Marriage
- Sexual Relationships
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences
- General Psychology
- General Medicine