This paper aims to analyze the process of empowerment and the exercise of self advocacy in the lives of people with disabilities as conditions that influence the recognition of gender identity and sexuality issues. The central argument defends that the common view of people with disabilities is generally related to a debilitating label of disability, resulting in invisibility of sexuality and the non-recognition of being a man / woman with disabilities. This research report adopts the methodology of oral history and contributes to the field of research on disability, gender and sexuality from the visibility of the life history of a woman with disabilities. This text analyzes the history of a young woman with intellectual disabilities, showing the process of overcoming crippling labels as a key to enabling recognition of herself as a sexual being, capability of making decisions and living her own desires. The young woman showed evidence of empowerment in four main dimensions: family, education, work and social life, revealing that disability does not preclude going out, dating, having friends, having a paid job, and being an empowered woman.
Special Education; Gender; Sexuality; Disability; Empowerment