Disability & Sexuality Lab Podcast

Episode 11 - From Silos to Synergy: Dr. Amy McPherson on Breaking Barriers in Disability and Sexual Health

In this episode of the Disability and Sexuality Lab Podcast, we welcome Dr. Amy McPherson—senior scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and associate professor at the University of Toronto. With a background spanning taboo health topics, psychotherapy, and participatory research, Amy brings a refreshingly practical, inclusive, and justice-oriented lens to conversations about disability and sexuality. We explore the birth of the Let’s Talk Disability and Sex hub, the importance of collaborative and culturally responsive resource development, and how participatory methods—like photovoice and arts-based exhibits—create space for disabled youth to reclaim their sexual identities on their own terms. Amy also discusses knowledge mobilization that works, including her work with the ProFILE lab and her belief in starting with people’s lived realities—not researcher assumptions. From DIY sex toy adaptation workshops to the growing backlash against inclusive sex ed, Amy reflects on how ableism and stigma remain barriers to sexual expression, and why representation, intersectionality, and humor matter. With humility and care, she emphasizes the value of asking questions, centering disabled voices, and creating research that serves real-world needs. This episode is a thoughtful, hopeful look at what it means to build a world where pleasure, intimacy, and sexual health belong to everyone.

Episode 10 - Dr. Patsie Frawley on Rights-Based Sexuality Education and Inclusive Research

In this episode of the Disability and Sexuality Lab Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Patsie Frawley, Associate Professor at the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health at the University of New South Wales and one of the leading voices in inclusive, rights-based sexuality education. With nearly four decades of experience, Dr. Frawley reflects on her journey from developing grassroots sexuality programs to shaping international research collaborations focused on violence prevention, peer-led education, and reproductive justice. We talk about the enduring challenges of control and protectionism in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and why reframing vulnerability as a structural issue—rather than an individual trait—is critical for justice. Dr. Frawley highlights the wins, from grant programs requiring partnerships with disabled people, to the sustained success of initiatives like Sexual Lives and Respectful Relationships and the emerging work of Rainbow Rights and peer educators in Australia and Sweden. This conversation is full of practical wisdom: from strategies for working with caregivers and parents, to the urgent need for hubs that bring together scattered resources, campaigns, and sex ed programs. Dr. Frawley also challenges the limits of awareness campaigns and tokenistic inclusion, advocating instead for systemic shifts that recognize disabled people as full, complex sexual beings—not exceptions, but part of the expected fabric of everyday life. Tune in for a powerful episode on listening, learning, and undoing the systems that continue to sideline disabled people’s sexual rights and desires.

Episode 9 - Crip Coalitions and Queer Futures: Dr. Po-Han Lee on Disruption, Desire, and Disability Justice in Taiwan

In this episode of the Disability and Sexuality Lab Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Po-Han Lee, associate professor at National Taiwan University and a leading voice in the growing movement to reimagine disability and sexuality in Asia. Drawing from his research and activist work in Taiwan and across the region, Dr. Lee reflects on the silences, structural exclusions, and creative coalitions shaping queer and disabled lives. We dive into the powerful work of organizations like Disabled + Queer and Hand Angels, who are not just advocating for access, but radically rethinking what pleasure, care, and intimacy mean. Dr. Lee offers a critical analysis of how disability and LGBTQ+ movements often operate in silos, and how real change comes not through simple inclusion, but through disruption—of space, of language, and of dominant assumptions about desire, normalcy, and human worth. From queer porn with assistive tech to the politics of public ramps and family silence, Dr. Lee shows how storytelling, activism, and research can reshape both policy and culture. This conversation is a vibrant call to center interdependence, pleasure, and dignity—not as afterthoughts, but as foundations for social justice.

Episode 8 - Talking About Sex Shouldn't be a Taboo: Rethinking Sexuality in Disability Services

In this episode of the Disability and Sexuality Lab Podcast, we’re joined by Kristyn White—researcher, advocate, and literacy facilitator at Creative Options Regina. Kristyn candidly shares her personal transformation from someone who once avoided conversations about sexuality to a passionate educator championing the sexual rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We discuss the real-life challenges frontline caregivers face when navigating sexuality in support work, and how Kristyn’s early experiences—like witnessing public masturbation at a community pool without any preparation—shaped her understanding of how under-resourced and untrained many workers are. She reflects on the powerful role organizations can play in either silencing or supporting open conversations about sex and intimacy. From confronting myths that paint disabled people as perpetual children to advocating for pleasure-based sex education, Kristyn emphasizes the importance of small, everyday actions—like language shifts and casual check-ins—that can collectively disrupt ableism in care spaces. Drawing on her frontline work and her graduate research, she highlights why rights-based approaches, sex-positive programming, and proactive conversations matter. Tune in to hear how we can reframe support work, empower caregivers, and make room for disabled people to experience relationships, make mistakes, and pursue pleasure—without fear or judgment.

Episode 7 - Andrew Gurza on Crip Desires and Representation

In this episode of the Disability and Sexuality Lab Podcast, we are thrilled to be joined by Andrew Gurza—disability awareness consultant, host of Disability After Dark, and co-founder of Bump’n, a sex toy company designed by and for disabled people. Andrew shares the personal and political origins of his work: from being told his dreams were just hobbies to boldly creating a new career path centered on sex, disability, and unapologetic visibility. We talk about the double marginalization queer disabled people face in both LGBTQ+ and disability spaces, and why true access isn’t just about ramps—it’s about desire, risk-taking, and messy, real-life sexual experiences. In his signature candid style, Andrew breaks down the ableism that underpins sex education, activism, and queer nightlife. He reflects on media representation, his work consulting for Queer as Folk, and the importance of giving disabled people—not just “pretty” ones—the same chances to get laid, make mistakes, and be seen as desirable. With humor, vulnerability, and a call to confront our discomfort, Andrew reminds us that real change starts with asking: Why does disabled pleasure scare us so much?   Make sure to check out Andrew's podcast: https://www.andrewgurza.com/podcast Also, hurry up and get a copy of Andrew's new book: Notes from a Queer Cripple: How to Cultivate Queer Disabled Joy and Be Hot While Doing It!