Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire

Disability-rights activist Wong (Year of the Tiger) celebrates disability intimacy with a dynamic anthology of poems, reflections, essays, and more. Wong explains in her introduction that she is looking to broaden the idea of intimacy beyond the strictly sexual, with a focus on tenderness and connection. The writers represent a range of experiences and abilities, from physical disabilities to mental health conditions. The essays consider the bonds between people with disabilities and their caregivers, between people and their animals, and the love and kinship between disabled people. There are also moving pieces about being a disabled parent. Wong discusses the hardships the pandemic brought to her life; this theme resonates with other writers as well. The tone is generally positive and hopeful, though the authors also express frustration at societal attitudes and ableism. The editor’s physical condition makes it impossible for her to speak, so her essay is read by another person. The other essays and poems are primarily narrated by their authors, and they all read with much expression and enthusiasm.