Toronto Is Hosting Its First Sex Party For People With Disabilities

"This is definitely is not an orgy."

In August, Toronto will host its first ever sex party accessible to people with disabilities.

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But despite headlines declaring otherwise...

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"This is definitely is not an orgy" said organizer Stella Palikarova.

Courtesy of Stella Palikarova

"I could understand why people want to sensationalize an event like this because it is geared toward making sex and sexuality accessible for people with disabilities," Palikarova told BuzzFeed Canada.

A Masters student, Palikarova researches how disability and sexuality intersect. The 35-year-old uses a wheelchair due to spinal muscular atrophy.

"There is a misconception a lot of the time that people with disabilities are asexual or are unable to enjoy sex," said Palikarova. "What we’re really trying to say for is that people with disabilities have the same needs and desires as everyone else," she said.

Throwing an accessible sex party is not without its challenge. Here's how to get it done.

Courtesy of Stella Palikarova

1. Find an accessible, sex-positive venue.

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"A lot of public venues that we approached, hotels are so on, are not comfortable hosting this type of event," said Palikarova.

She met with Oasis Aqualounge, a sex club in Toronto, who were game to sponsor the event. They agreed that Buddies, a barrier-free space equipped with things like ramps and accessible washroom, would be the best choice. It's also not prudish about people getting it on in the space.

Nudity and sex will be both welcome and allowed, but mostly it's a sex-positive space for people who may otherwise have difficulty accessing other adult parties. There will also be burlesque performances, a flirtation workshop and a masquerade theme.

2. Wrangle up some sex-positive volunteers.

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Organizers are still recruiting personal support workers and ASL interpreters to make sure every participant gets the full experience. But the catch is, these volunteers have to be comfortable in an environment that welcomes sex and nudity.

"As you can imagine this would be a bit of a challenge," said Palikarova.

3. Get equipment like a Hoyer Lift.

Hoyer / Via sunrisemedical.ca

These devices assist those who use wheelchairs to get up and move to different surfaces.

And that's it! "Most people either already have what they need with them, as long as the space is wheelchair accessible," said Palikarova.

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"More than anything we just want to be able to say that this type of party is opening up a conversation about sexuality for people with disabilities."