Reclaiming the word ‘cripple’ as a gay man with a disability

A new video featured on Huffington Post explores body issues for gay men with disabilities.

Provocatively titled Getting naked with a cripple, the video features host Davey Wavey undressing with disability consultant Andrew Gurza.

“Cripple for me is an important word,” says Gurza in the video.

“It’s something that I have reclaimed. It’s kind of a shield of armour for me to deal with all the ableism I confront on a daily basis.

“I’m glad it’s making you uncomfortable because it means we can talk about it.”

“Let’s make things even more uncomfortable by getting naked while we do it,” adds Wavey.

In the intimate video, Wavey assists Gurza to remove his clothes while they discuss the relationship of sex, body, autonomy and disability.

“So why do you think people are so uncomfortable talking about sex and disability?” Wavey asks.

“The disabled body is not something that’s ever represented, especially as a queer man with disabilities, I never see myself represented,” replies Gurza.

Gurza describes some of the things he’s sick of hearing from other gay men.

“Does your dick work,” he recites. “Can you get an erection.

“It would have worked if you didn’t say that,” he jokes.

Wavey and Gurza go on to discuss ableism and how to have conversations with people who have disabilities.

“We need to stop subtly body-shaming people for having different bodies, especially as queer men,” says Gurza.

“My body allows for things to be different—just as fun and just as sexy, but in a different way.”