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Inclusive Intimacy: Sexual Experiences, Debut, and Partners Among Females Ages 15-25 with and Without Disability,
J Dalton Stevens1,2, Anne Valentine2, Jessica N Hoyle2
1Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA.
Sexuality and Disability
|February 23, 2026
Summary
Young females with disabilities engage in active sexual lives, with higher likelihoods of early sexual debut and more partners compared to peers without disabilities. This highlights the need for inclusive sexual education and healthcare for disabled youth.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Disability Studies
- Sociology of Sexuality
Background:
- Limited population-level data exists on the sexual experiences of adolescent and young adult females with disabilities.
- Understanding these experiences is crucial for developing targeted sexual health interventions and policies.
- Previous research often overlooks the diversity of sexual experiences and partner types among disabled young women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between disability and sexual experiences, debut age, and number of partners in females aged 15-25.
- To compare sexual behaviors of females with and without disabilities using nationally representative data.
- To inform comprehensive sexual education and healthcare for young females with disabilities.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the 2011-2019 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) data.
- Inclusion of 7884 females aged 15-25.
- Use of Chi-square and modified Poisson regression to compare sexual experiences between females with and without disabilities, considering disability type.
Main Results:
- Females with any, cognitive, or physical/sensory disability were more likely to have an opposite-sex sexual debut before age 15.
- Females with any or cognitive disability reported higher numbers of opposite-sex and same-sex partners.
- Specific oral and anal sex experiences with males, and any same-sex experiences, were more frequent in females with any or cognitive disability.
Conclusions:
- Young females with disabilities have active sexual lives, challenging assumptions of asexuality or passivity.
- There is a significant need for comprehensive sexual education and healthcare tailored to the needs of disabled young women.
- Services should address relationships with all genders, STI prevention, sexual rights, and consent for disabled youth.
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