title: 'Them Two Things are What Collide Together': Understanding the Sexual Identity Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans People Labelled with Intellectual Disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous research aiming to understand the lives of lesbian, gay bisexual and trans (LGBT) people labelled with intellectual disabilities is limited. There are few recent studies and available findings are often contradictory and inconsistent.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study aimed to explore how LGBT people labelled with intellectual disabilities experienced their sexual identities. Five LGBT people labelled with intellectual disabilities were interviewed, and data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four superordinate themes represented the following: common experiences of bullying/abuse, understanding sexualities, other's responses to intellectual disabilities and sexualities, and navigating acceptance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies for coping with abuse maintained participant's engagement in local communities. Sexuality was often problematized by others despite being generally accepted by participants. Coming out was a continual process of decision-making to facilitate safety and acceptance. To feel fully supported, participants desired holistic service provision sensitive to their sexuality and intellectual disability needs. Clinical and research implications are suggested.
authors.affiliation: University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dinwoodie
authors.affiliation: University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.|Mersey Care NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Greenhill
authors.affiliation: Mersey Care NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cookson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: coming out; identity; intellectual disability; interpretative phenomenological analysis; non-heterosexual sexuality