My hero for today is the woman with MS who, in pre-pandemic times, fought NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency) in court for her right to have a sex therapist funded. Bloody legend. Disabled people have as much of a right to consensual sexual expression as everyone else, and if sex toys and Tinder are physically out of the question (yes, this was assessed in the case) then hiring a sex therapist who specialises in clients with disabilities seems a logical choice.
Not if you’re Stuart Robert, Minister for NDIS. He appeared on a conservative talk show this week, banging on about the Federal Government will not pay for “prostitutes”. I dunno how many time you can fit the word “prostitutes” in an interview, but Stewie tried for the record until his interviewer was nodding along with him about the need to set “boundaries” on funding.
Mr Robert on Wednesday said the government would introduce legislation to prevent taxpayer money being used to access what he described as “prostitution services”.
He made the point in an interview with 2GB’s Ray Hadley, where he raised his concerns over a Federal Court ruling that found a woman with a disability was legally entitled to receive funding for sex therapy.
Mr Robert told Mr Hadley during the interview: “I never thought you and I would be talking about prostitutes.” Source: SBS News.
Note that the conversation has suddenly changed. Stuart isn’t concerned about this particular case – it was just a convenient excuse to incite moral panic. He wants to change the “reasonable and necessary” rule, the fundamental bedrock underpinning the NDIS and Disabled participants’ basic human rights. If a support is found to be “reasonable and necessary” for a participant’s situation, then it should be funded by NDIS. Not if Stuart gets his way.
Worse still, his agenda is being pushed by Disabled people who are now attacking this woman. To all those hypocritical prudes: I hope you enjoy it very fucking much when your human rights are eroded because you couldn’t stand a fellow Disabled person getting a good root.
Chronically Siobhan 
I liked a comment on The Drum, which asked why it was OK to have Viagra on the PBS, but not sex therapy. How many of those obese old white men in Parliament or running radio shows would a Viagra ban affect?
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I guess because we pride straight white male sexuality above all else?
As foul as those conservative pollies are I don’t think their weight is relevant, many in the plus size community see obese as a slur. Self-centred might be a better word!
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I hadn’t thought of that, possibly because I’m plus-size too; I was alluding to the medical connection between obesity and the need for Viagra.
They are definitely self-centred!
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very very well done for talking /Disability/SEX .. very rare YET SO EFFECTING .i am disabled from England .i have m.e . i was abused as a child have both bladder/bowel problems .not afraid too say not afraid too talk about them .peoples views/judgements very SNOTTY NOSED ,.have migraines most days.ibs .list goes on…i am co-Author of a book about Disability and Sex.PUBLISHED LAST YEAR 020., my blog.http;//mark-kent.webs.com twitter.supersnopper MARK
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Thanks for sharing Mark. Not enough people talk about it, it’s too easy to infantilise Disabled people instead!
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