We answer your disability-related sex and relationship questions. This week: 1. visible vs. invisible disabilities; 2. why Jerry Lewis isn't funny; 3. the skinny on fat discrimination. Post your questions here.



Per this blog post, you can now view Accessible Intercourse with captions on YouTube. They're still working out the kinks, so the timing's off (if you can't stand it, the transcript's below), but you can check 'em out by clicking the triangle icon in the lower right of the YouTube window, and highlighting the "CC" icon.

TRANSCRIPT

Toshio: Are all disabled people oppressed equally?

Caitlin: No. No.

T: No.

C: Um -

T: Some disabilities you can completely get away with not showing them.

C: Exactly – a lot of disabilities are invisible. Some disabilities you don't even know are there. If you have an invisible disability it can even be kind of trickier in a lot of ways. Because people aren't going to be accommodating to you, or think you're faking. If you have an invisible disability, um -

T: It's harder for you to take advantage of all of those -

C: All of those perks.

T: [Laughs.]

C: All the privileges of being disabled.

T: Yep.

C: We have it so easy.

T: I know. You really do.

T: I recently saw the Jerry Lewis telethon, and wanted to support the cause, what are other charities that you recommend? For people who don't know, like, Jerry Lewis does a telethon, on what, PBS?

C: I don't know what it's on - I don't care. He's on a TV show every year, telethon, raising money for the MDA – muscular dystrophy association.

T: Able-bodies picking up phones, taking your donations.

C: And the MDA does good things, that's the thing, they do do good work, but Jerry Lewis is an abomination. He referred to people with disabilities as “half a person,” and said if you don't want to be pitied you should stay in your house. So, I do not support the MDA, and I will not support the MDA even though I have muscular dystrophy. I will not support that association until they get rid of Jerry Lewis, 'cuz he is so incredibly awful.

T: And he's not funny.

C: He's not funny. And another thing not even related to disability – he said women can't be funny. And the MDA is all about finding a cure for, a so-called cure for muscular dystrophy. You know what – instead of using that money to find a cure, use that money to help support people who are already disabled. Help them get accessible housing, help them get cars -

T: Get jobs...

C: Help them find employment.

T: Yeah, totally.

C: You know, that money can be used for the here and now, and not for finding a cure to eradicate people like us. There will always be disabled people. So, I think your heart was in the right place, but I think you can use that money for better causes.

T: Is obesity a disability?

C: There are ways to actually work with it, and counteract it. Not that I think there isn't extreme discrimination against people who are large and would technically I guess be considered obese. Like, there's a ton of discrimination. Is that a disability? I don't know.

T: Eh...

C and T: Eh...

C: Although, to be fair, some people have conditions that, like...

T: Right, thyroid...

C: Thyroid conditions, and stuff like that -

T: Sure.

C: Where they really can't – even if they're exercising and dieting they can't get down, so, that would be a disability. So I would say -

T: Counts!

C: What, counts?

T: Counts!

C: I would say maybe.