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Troubling power dynamics: Youth with disabilities as co-researchers in sexuality research in South Africa

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Childhood: A journal of global child research

Published online on

Abstract

Although a proliferation of participatory studies has explored youth sexuality in the African context, very few studies have included youth with disabilities. This is inevitably a result of the misconceptions surrounding disabled sexualities and youth with disabilities’ competence in undertaking research. This article argues against these misconceptions by outlining a participatory sexuality study that worked with youth with disabilities as co-researchers in South Africa. In discussing the experiences of the young disabled co-researchers, the article troubles the constructs of power and empowerment in youth participatory research.