Norliana Mohamed Ajam, a 40-year-old exhibition guide in Singapore, shares her experience
Finding love is a universal quest, but for people with disabilities, the journey is often fraught with additional obstacles, the Straits Times reported.
Ms Norliana Mohamed Ajam, a 40-year-old exhibition guide in Singapore, shares her experience of seeking companionship despite being born with a rare eye disease, uveitis, which left her blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other.
Social perception of disabled people's relationships remains a challenge, as Ms. Liana reveals: “People have said to me, 'You're blind. Why should you be in a relationship?'”
Despite the efforts of organizations like SG Enable to integrate people with disabilities into society, challenges persist. Psychologist Ooi Sze Jin recognizes that while society is becoming more inclusive, people with disabilities may struggle to have their identities accepted. Some men with disabilities express concern about societal expectations about the “masculine” role and their ability to care for their partners.
Complexities extend to the realm of love and intimacy, and people with disabilities often face difficulty discerning genuine love from opportunistic advances. Ooi observes cases of sexual abuse and emotional harm among her clients. Additionally, family members may disapprove of relationships involving people with disabilities, imposing their concerns on their loved ones.
Charities such as SPD and initiatives such as DisOrdinary Love and Love Enabled aim to address these challenges. A Kind Place, in addition to offering mental health services, provides training in social communication skills and educates people with disabilities about various relationship dynamics.
The Disabled People's Association's Messy Love program focused on sex education and relationships through workshops, while Love Enabled, a documentary series, showed people with disabilities navigating the dating scene in Singapore.
Despite these challenges, success stories emerge. People like Bjorn Ng, an autistic student, found love at Nanyang Technological University, while Shalom Lim, who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, cultivated a meaningful relationship through shared interests.
The message is clear: love is possible for people with disabilities and they deserve the opportunity to choose their partners based on mutual connection and understanding.
