Care and support for visually impaired learners negotiating diverse gender and sexuality identities

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ABSTRACT Given that children with disabilities, such as learners with visual impairment (LVI), are often thought of as genderless and sexless, they are often ‘stripped off’ any gender and sexuality identities. As such, this makes the subject of diverse gender and sexuality identities an irrelevant topic of discussion. The aim of this study was to find out how teachers and hostel caretakers within five South African schools for the blind engaged with LVI navigating diverse gender and sexuality identities. Thirty teachers and 36 hostel caretakers were conveniently sampled and participated in 8 focus group discussions. Intersectionality theory underpinned this study, while data was analysed thematically. While some teachers were reluctant to discuss diverse gender and sexuality identities in its entirely, some indicated that some LVI do engage in same-sex activities and gender non-conforming behaviours. However, some dismissed these behaviours as experimentation, and in some cases due to sexual abuse, to be outgrown in adulthood. As such, this study maintains that compulsory abled-bodiedness (i.e. the over-representation of able-bodiedness) and sport are systems which perpetuate the invisibility of LVI who identify with diverse gender and sexuality identities. Recommendations for care and support are provided.