While researching sexuality after cancer and life with a stoma, I came across a term many may not know: Crip Theory. It challenges society’s narrow ideas of what is “normal” when it comes to bodies, identity, and ability.
Many people living with an ostomy may legally qualify as disabled under the ADA, especially with invisible conditions that affect daily life. But identity is personal. Some embrace that label, others do not. I personally don’t define myself by it.
That is what makes this conversation important. Life with a stoma can change body image, confidence, intimacy, and how we move through the world. For those of us in the LGBTQ+ community, those layers can feel even more complex.
Stoma Dad is an inclusive space where honest conversations matter more than labels. That is why I’m launching a new ongoing journal segment exploring the intersection of stoma life, identity, sexuality, and self-worth.
How has surgery changed the way you see yourself? Has intimacy shifted? Do you ever feel judged or unseen?
This is more than a column it is a place to share, learn, and support one another as we figure out how to live fully in the bodies we have now.
Be Kind to Yourself.