The Business of Getting it Right
“When we talk about Hollywood’s disability problem, it’s not just about representation…”
How many famous sex scenes have you watched on stage or screen featuring a character with a disability? For the longest time I couldn’t think of any, at least none that were erotic instead of inspirational, or authentically cast with a disabled actor. That is, until Netflix premiered Special, written by and starring Out’s cover star Ryan O’Connell (page 62).
Ryan and I have the same name. We are both brunettes who wear glasses, we are both gay, and we both have cerebral palsy. In, Ryan gives his character a real, honest, truthful, clumsy, steamy sex scene. A gay, disabled Hollywood sex scene. I was in tears watching it because, well, I had never seen that before.
