Overview

What if we reimagined ageing, illness and disability not as barriers to sexuality-but as starting points for new forms of desire, intimacy and pleasure? This groundbreaking book challenges the silence and stigma surrounding the sexuality of older, ill and disabled people. Drawing from sociology, health studies, cultural theory and lived experience, the authors explore diverse expressions of sexuality that defy long-established views. From queer ageing to sex work and legal rights, this collection offers bold, inclusive perspectives and policy ideas that centre pleasure, agency and dignity. A vital resource for academics, practitioners and anyone invested in social inclusion and justice.

Full Product Details

Author:   Brian de Vries (San Francisco State University) ,  Paul Reynolds (International Network for Sexual Ethics and Politics and The Open University) ,  Giulia Nazzaro (Ghent University) ,  Nika Looman (Ghent University)
Publisher:   Bristol University Press
Imprint:   Policy Press
ISBN:  

9781447375975

ISBN 10:   1447375971
Pages:   304
Publication Date:   31 March 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  General/trade ,  Professional & Vocational ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  

Table of Contents

Foreword: Prof Brian de Vries Introduction: New Sexual Aesthetics and Older Disabled People - Ricardo Iacub, Trish Hafford-Letchfield and Paul Simpson Part 1: Identities 1. Fucking Possibilities?!: Ageing Lesbian Experiences of Disability and (Non)Sex. (Working Title) - Giulia Nazarro 2. Older Trans Survival: Body Practices, Eroticism and Disability (Working Title) - Cuauhtémoc Sanchez-Vega 3. “Vivas”: A Look at Female Old Age from the Perspective of ‘Artivism’ [Art And/as Activism] - Rosa Cattana Part 2: Spaces, Cultures, Representations 4. The Aesthetics of Love and Eroticism as Represented in Independent Films Concerning Dementia - Ricardo Iacub 5. Cripping Sex and Pleasure: Memoirs of Aging, Disability, and Sex (Working Title) - Elizabeth Kleinfeld 6. Sexy Daddies and Femme Daddies and Sexual Granddaddies: Oh My: The Sexual Aesthetics of Representations of Older Gay Men Aging With/into Disabilities - Jami McFarland 7. Age, Disability, Illness and Sex: Disparate and Complementary Discourses or Capitalist Intersections? - Paul Reynolds Part 3: Policies and Practices 8. The Legal Sexual Rights of Older People in Argentina - Maria Isolina Dabove 9. Sexuality and Dementia: Navigating a ‘Grey Area’ - Feliciano Villar and Josep Faba 10. Ageing, Disability, and Sex Work: Enhancing Quality of Life (Working Title) - Mark Henrickson and Patricia Morgan 11. Ageism, Gender Difference and Older Physical and Learning Disabled People as Sexual Beings/Citizens - Mervyn Eastman 12. Challenging Shame, Secrecy & Stigma: Older People, Incontinence and Sexuality - Trish Hafford-Letchfield Conclusions - Ricardo Iacub, Trish Hafford-Letchfield and Paul Simpson

Reviews

‘This edited volume provides valuable insights for anyone seeking to improve their understanding and knowledge of sexuality, disability and inclusivity in later life. The authors weave together scholarship from various disciplines to provide a fresh way of looking at older age and sexual citizenship. Students in the social sciences in particular will benefit from the insights offered in this collection.’ Sharon Hinchliff, University of Sheffield 'Breaking the limits imposed on who can desire and be desired, this book radically expands the boundaries of sexuality in later life. The concept of an ""aesthetic of sexuality"" in older people with illnesses or disabilities shifts the conversation from mere tolerance of difference to an acknowledgment—and even expectation—of attractiveness. Bringing together perspectives from diverse countries and disciplines, this work makes a vital contribution to gerontology, sexology, and disability studies.' Alex Kalache, physician and gerontologist, and former director of Department of Ageing and Health at OMS and at ILC Brazil

Author Information

Ricardo Iacub is Professor of Psychology of Ageing at the University of Buenos Aires. Paul Simpson is an Honorary Research Fellow, Sociology, at the University of Manchester. Trish Hafford-Letchfield is Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Strathclyde.

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