To Rich Morelli: Thank you for expressing your concerns. First, let me
reassure you and everyone that my raising this subject in the manner I did was
"genuine and above-board". I am "for real", afflicted with Parkinsonian's
disease and not happy about it, sometimes outright depressed about it, trying
to cope with a variety of PD symptoms and live my life as normally as
possible. I am a member of this exchange. Sexuality is an important part of
life and is affected in a number of ways by PD. It has basically not been
discussed in this forum until now. Second, I respectfully suggest that the
possibility of blackmail or coercive sales tactics based on confidential,
personal or anonymous postings concerning sexuality seems to be so remote as
to be non-existent. But your anxiety illustrates how reluctant people can be
to have their personal sexual problems discussed (or disclosed) to the whole
world, and thus, I think, there needs to be at least the option of making
anonymous postings.
To Barbara Yacos: Thanks for your sensible postings. Of course you are right
and we should all be open and frank and unembarrassed about talking and writin
g about our sexuality and how it's affected by PD, but the reality is that
many are reluctant or unable to do so, if identified. I believe they would
feel much more free if their name is not attached. Witness the fact that
this exchange has been around a year and a half or two and these are the
first tentative postings on the subject. So, while I wholeheartedly agree
with you in principle, count me among those who feel infinitely more comforta
ble discussing my sexualilty "in front of the whole world" anonymously. And
in the extraordinarily unlikely event that someone were to try to blackmail
me by threatening to disclose sexual details and dysfunctions that I had
discussed here, I'll look 'em straight in the eyes and say "Go ahead.
Disclose. While I don't relish the thought of being "outed", the disclosures
are onlly the truth about my body resulting from this neuro-degenerative
disorder that I have, and the truth can't hurt me."
Thank you, also, for the recommended reading. Similarly, I would
commend Chapter 10 (entitled "Sexuality and Gender Issues in PD") in the new
Young Parkinson's Handbook, available through the APDA, to all who may be
interested in this subject. It's an excellent, short treatment of the
subject.
More later, Summerwind
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