GENDER AND SEXUALITY OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDERS IN BRAZIL

Abstract

The goal of this study was to understand the ways of living and thinking about sexuality of people with mental disorders. Open interviews were conducted with men and women in public mental health services in Brazil, and were examined based on the proposal of sexual scripts. Major imbalances coming from the conceptions of masculinity and femininity that exist in society were identified in sexual scripts experienced by men and women. This group has little pleasure in their sexual lives, with recurrent complaints of sexual abuse even by steady partners, prejudice, lack of affection in their relationships. Furthermore, they were found to have few self-care skills concerning sexual health, in a context marked by social exclusion. The results showed the need to promote sexual health as a human right, It is also noteworthy the need to combat gender stereotypes, which cause so much damage to these people’s sexual health.