Sexualidade e gênero: estudo das relações afetivas de jovens surdas de uma escola municipal de educação especial de São Paulo

This research investigates the practices and experiences of sexuality by young deaf people who use the Brazilian sign language, known as Libras.Includes observation, interviews and group discussions with ten deaf girls 12 to 17 years old, students in special education city school in São Paulo, specialized in serving children, youths and adults who are deaf, blinddeaf and have other related disabilities.Data was analyzed in a qualitative manner, in the light of the sociological approach and the concepts of deafness, youth, sexuality and gender.Six female teachers, three school agents and a students inspector were also interviewed.The study investigated how the sexuality of those students is formed and which is teh role played by the school and the family in this process.A finding was that these deaf females young have misinformation, doubts and myths associated with sex, some are very close to the reality of young people.But they do not have access to detailed information regarding STD/Aids prevention and contraceptive methods, due to the fact that most of the hearing population do not know Libras, the lack of access to books and magazines and to the internet, the absence of Libras interpreters and subtitles in TV programs.Despite the little fluency in Libras, the mothers of the young girls are considered by them as significant persons in the relation to the values and information associated with sexuality.In school, some initiatives emphasize the biological aspects of sexuality and there is not a systematic program on sexual education to include its positive aspects that go beyond prevention.Finally, it must be highlighted that the construction of sexuality for these girls is characterized not only by the control and custody faced by females, as usually happens in our society, but also by the social inequality in the crossroads of gender and disability.The girls perceive the lack of communication around them, both arising from the inability to use Libras and result...