Down Syndrome and Sexual Affectivity

Sexual affectivity in people with Down syndrome continues to be socially marginalized, perpetuating stereotypes. This research, with a qualitative approach and interpretative paradigm, explores how these people construct meanings about their sexuality. A hermeneutic-phenomenological method and ethnographic design were used. The participants were three musicians with Down syndrome from ALASID and a music teacher. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation, data were collected and analyzed with the Glater model. The findings, organized in dialectic tensions such as Overprotection vs. Protection, Dependence vs. Autonomy, Sexual Education and Disability vs. Disability, reflect the complexity of the topic. The research concludes that people with Down syndrome access knowledge about their sexual affectivity mainly through the media.