Work

Becoming mothers: reproductive experiences and agency of women with physical disabilities

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This qualitative study draws on in-depth interviews with six women with physical disabilities in Taiwan who gave birth within the past decade. Despite societal misconceptions and traditional gender expectations that often discourage their reproductive choices, these women, usually portrayed as ‘misfits’, negotiated institutional barriers and opportunities and built support networks tailored to their needs. Their narratives reveal mixed emotions around pregnancy, including concerns about genetic risk and difficulties accessing inclusive healthcare. Although Taiwan has incorporated international disability rights norms into domestic law, significant gaps remain in ensuring reproductive justice for women with disabilities. Informed by feminist disability theory’s critique of the ‘normate’, this study highlights how women with disabilities navigate, reclaim, and practise motherhood as a site of empowerment, shaping a transformative politics attentive to the intersecting oppressions of sexism and ableism.

Source: Disability & Society

DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2026.2687579

Authors: Chong-Min Su, Po-Han Lee

Institutions: Stockholm University, National Taiwan University

Language: English

Topic: Disability Rights and Representation

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Gender equality, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Science and Technology Council, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research