You have full access to this open access article. This paper explores attitudes toward dating people with disability amongst young people in Australia and Hong Kong. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while open ended responses were subjected to interpretive content analysis.
When asked about preferred characteristics for potential dates, young people identified factors that were unlikely to be negatively influenced by disability, such as loyalty, honesty, dedication, humour, and kindness.
Yet when asked whether disability would influence their dating choices, most said that it would and expressed an unwillingness to date people with disability. Young adults in Hong Kong expressed less openness to dating people with disability than those in Australia. Physical disability and mental health issues were seen as less of a barrier to dating than intellectual or developmental disability.
Despite recent gains in public attitudes toward people with disability, improvements are needed in terms of young people in the general population viewing people with disability as suitable partners and thus, allowing them to enjoy equal rights to relationships and sexuality.
Culture is an important determinant, indicating a potential for change. Sexual rights are an aspect of human rights that encompass more than just the right to experience pleasurable sexuality [ 1 ]. Romantic relationships, as a core part of sexuality, are a mechanism to: fulfil sexual desires; feel loved; experience companionship, social support and intimacy; and enable individuals to partner and have children [ 2 ]. They are part of a diverse range of sexual and non-sexual relationships.
