Ablism is a breed of discrimination that's pervasive and subtle. It's tough to admit, but those of us who don't live with a disability, be it mental or physical, will have a very hard time understanding how much of an unfair advantage we have over those who do. That's not to say that disabled people are always incapable of matching or outperforming others, but that it's usually much harder to achieve success; particularly when the person in question is paralysed. When someone is paraplegic or quadriplegic, their mobility is almost completely compromised, and as a result, they struggle to perform tasks that would be second nature to people who are not disabled.
Many disabled people require full-time or part-time care from a nurse or a support worker in order to cope with the stress of day-to-day living. In the United Kingdom alone, a total of 6.5 million people are carers for someone elderly or disabled, according to figures from DLF. These people provide a range of services. But in Taiwan, one group of volunteers is providing a special, controversial service to disabled people. These good Samaritans have taken it upon themselves to relive the sexual frustration of the disabled. They call themselves "Hand Angels" and they've made it their mission to masturbate disabled people with their consent.
It sounds too unreasonable to be true, or like a front for some kind of prostitution ring. But the motives of the Hand Angels are apparently entirely benevolent. They don't seek any recompensation for performing their "special service" and anyone can join them. They don't see it as being perverted or unusual. In their minds, they are performing an important task, and are relieving pressure for those who lack the dexterity to pleasure themselves. However, that's not to say that the tiny organisation doesn't have at least a modicum of self-awareness about the bizarre nature of its objective. If you want proof, then take a gander at the registered domain name of their websitehandjobstw.org Yeah, they sure do have a sense of humour.
The organisation was founded by a paraplegic man by the name of Vincent. Vincent lost the use of his legs as a child thanks to polio. But rather than wallow in self-pity, it only sharpened his sympathy for those people who were even more severely disabled than he was. Vincent started to wonder about those people who were unable to masturbate, or were still virgins as a result of their disability, and made the decision to found his "humane society" to tackle the issue hands-on ... pun unintended. "Whenever I see disabled people like me, I feel for them. I see myself in them," Vincent stated in a recent interview with the BBC. "It’s a complete process – from touching the person to helping them reach orgasm."
Commenting on his unusual role, a volunteer named Daan claimed that he treated the 90-minute sessions the same way he would a casual hook-up using a dating app. Many of the people who apply for a Hand Angel are so severely disabled that any sexual encounter is a complete novelty for them, and some consider the act a rite of passage. Daan stated that one of his clients, a woman by the name of Mei Nu, had never been naked in front of anyone apart from her nurses. "I took it as if I was going for a one night stand with a girl online," he elaborated. "So I just opened the door, got in the room, showered, took off my clothes, went to bed and spoke with her ... just like in a normal sex life."
Andy, a man who lives with muscular dystrophy, has commended the service and claims that his 90-minute session changed his life. "I can’t tell my parents that I also have sexual desires," he stated. "My family’s care puts pressure on me, and sabotages me from normal romantic relationships ... I didn’t feel I was the target of pity. The whole process was full of respect and equality. ‘This might be deemed as controversial by society, but as long as you’re willing to look into it, what we desire is no different from others. Just ask yourself: do you need to consult your parents before having sex?"
Credit: Getty
Despite the limited number of members, it's clear that the Hand Angels have been a success, and are particularly sought after by men. Indeed, male applicants who have requested a session with a female Hand Angel are required have to wait for at least two years before they can be served due to the massive volume of requests, according to information posted on the Hand Angels website.
Critics have accused the Hand Angels movement of being sex work, despite the fact that workers do not profit financially from the initiative. Others have chosen to mock the volunteers by calling them perverts. But as strange as it may seem, the Hand Angels appear to practice some of the safest, most responsible sex in the country. Everything is carefully mediated, and can be intimate if necessary, or simply detached. It's easy to judge or be squeamish about it all, but hearing the testimonies of those who have felt the benefit of a session, it's hard to condemn them. No cash has been exchanged; so as long as nobody's got hurt, it can't be a problem. I guess it proves the old adage to be true: it doesn't matter how difficult a job is, there's always someone out there prepared to get their hands dirty.
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