Félix López Sánchez

SEXUALITY AND DISABILITY

ABSTRACT

All people have the same emotional needs (attachment, friendship, care and generosity) and similar sexual needs (desire, attraction and crush). Humans can build our sexual and love biography, making decisions about our sex and love life. Sexuality is in the Kingdom of Freedom.

People with limitations in emotional and social intelligence have the same sexual and loving rights, but may have difficulty making a good use of their freedom. We have to help them to build their own sexual and love life, as they decide by themselves, as much as possible.

The aim of this workshop will be constructing good family and professional practices, in order to offer these helps without denying their rights and without supplanting them.

BIOGRAPHY

He is Full-Professor of Sexuality Psychology at the University of Salamanca, with more than 30 years of research experience, recognized by the National Evaluation Agency. He has published several papers and books related to human sexuality, such as “Educación sexual” (2005), “Educación sexual de los hijos” (2006), “Homosexualidad y familia” (2007), “Guía sexual para las personas con discapacidad intelectual” (2012), “Abusos sexuales y otras formas de maltrato sexual” (2014), “Ética de las relaciones sexuales y amorosas” (2015), “Educación sexual y ética: unidades didácticas” (2017) y “La sexualidad después de los 50 y más. Con conocimientos y humor” (2018).

He has made different international stays, such as the one carried out at the Department of Sexology in Montreal (Canada) and at the Family Violence Institute at the University of Durham (EE.UU). Among other awards, he has been named Honoris Causa Doctor by the University of San Marcos (Peru), the oldest one in America. He has also received the Professional Childhood Award from Castilla y León; the Professional Career Award for the Spanish Academy of Medicine and Sexology; and he is an Honorary Member of the Spanish Society of Adolescent Pediatrics.