The Minority of Minorities: Homophobia and Disability in Scientific Literature

This work aims to illustrate an overview of homophobia and disability in scientific literature. All of these studies seem to follow a prevailing theoretical perspective based on the social model of disability, which is often associated with the Queer and Feminist theories. We found that both LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) people and people with disabilities live in a condition based on two socially shared values which are the basis of prejudice, i.e. the compulsory able-bodiedness and the compulsory heterosexuality. If on the one hand the self-affirmation of the LGBTQI community is often grounded on the tyranny of the perfect body (body fascism), on the other hand, the disabled community’s assertion is often supported by the compulsory heterosexuality. The spread of inter-community prejudices ends up thus mutually reinforcing the stereotypes they battle, specifically to the detriment of homosexual people with disabilities living in health-care centres. The experimental studies confirm this phenomenon: despite the existing international intervention policies aimed at supporting the sexual, emotional and relational needs of people with disabilities, health-care operators and communities do not provide proactive support for their LGTBQI clients due to inadequate training programmes and a strengthened attitude of moral condemnation towards homosexuality.