Nasty Little Man

A light in the darkness: Our MR neighbors learn about love

There are many reasons to be concerned, worried, down, etc. about the current state of affairs. Anyone who pays attention knows that there are serious issues out there, from Iraq to Iran to the shredding of the Constitution.

And that's why I found this story from the front page of yesterday's New York Times so touching. Persons with mental retardation and other disabilities in New York are learning about love, affection, and sex, courtesy of the Young Adult Institute.

Here's a great quote from one of the clients of the Institute:

"If she wants to sleep with me when we move to the group home, I'm O.K. with that," Mr. Resnick said. "And if not, I'm O.K. with that, too, because what I feel is happy."

The article focuses a lot on sexuality, but the real issue is companionship.

Indeed, Ms. Fyne and others have learned that social isolation is a more pressing issue than sexuality. At an early class, Ms. Fyne asked students whether it was "O.K. to have one partner in the afternoon and another in the evening?"

The response was a wake-up call. "I don't know how to get a date, Bobra," one student called out. "So the rest of this is just garbage."

Through programs like this, citizens with these disabilities have a chance to have companionship and not lead a lonely life. And that's a great thing.

posted by Kinder Gentler Little Man @ 7:35 AM