I recommend this book to anyone engaged in working collaboratively with people with the label ‘learning difficulty’, particularly in women’s; groups, self advocacy or rights bases/citizenship concerns. The plain English accounts are accessible, but I also found the main bulk of the text easily translatable and used it extensively in my recent research. For the women involved in this project it provided a framework of reference in which they recognized similar life events and experiences.
Not only does this book fill this gap by providing a frame in which women can examine this exclusion, it also questions the marginalized position of women classified as having ‘learning difficulties’ in feminist and disability literature.’
– Disability and Society
‘This is such a good read that it is difficult to be objective about the content, criticism was suspended! It is divided into parts and each part is helpfully introduced by the editors. There is also a short straightforward description of the content at the beginning of each chapter so that women with intellectual disabilities can be included in the readership.This book gives us a valuable insight into the lives of women with learning disabilities. It changes an often discriminated group into individuals of considerable interest and value. It is to be recommended to everyone who feels that difference is important in our community.’
– Ann Craft Trust Bulletin
This book provides the first comprehensive exploration of the issues affecting the lives of women with intellectual disabilities. Women from all over the world, with and without intellectual disabilities, have collaborated to write about their lives, their experiences and their hopes for the future. Different aspects of life – work, family, relationships and community involvement – are discussed. Some of the women have found, or are finding, fulfilling, happy, creative lifestyles. One message which emerging from many of their stories is that their intellectual disability is less of a problem than the social and economic discrimination these women experience. This book thus raises important questions about society’s attitudes to women with intellectual disabilities. It is also a place where these women’s stories – from the sad or disturbing to the happy, moving or inspirational – can be heard. The book’s unique plain English versions of chapters will ensure that it is accessible to other women with intellectual disabilities. It is an important, interesting and readable addition to literature about intellectual disabilities and about women’s lives across the world.

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