Sex and Our Imperfect Bodies-Dr. Linda Mona We've all got one....Sex with our imperfect bodies and their disabilities.

Dr.Linda Mona is a cherished colleague in our mutual field of sexual health. Truly she is my go-to person about sexuality and disability. From panels and hands on breakout sessions for severly injured OEF and OIF soldiers to Disability Conferences to "LInda what's new ?' Linda is my go-to girl. So let's jump into what is the definition of a disability: can be a range of things from someone with a bad hip, to chronic arthritis issues, sight impairments, respiratory issues, mobility issues they are all a part of reduced physical function HOWEVER that in no way means that one need to have reduced sexual function. Advocating for the sexual rights and expression of people with disabilities has been the primary focus of Dr. Linda R. Mona’s career. She has worked in a variety of professional settings addressing the need for a deeper understanding of the sexual lives of people with disabilities. Specifically, she has assisted with increasing appropriate educational and clinical services available to people with disabilities seeking knowledge about ways of enhancing their sexual satisfaction. Infusing notions about disability into diversity education and training has also been one of Dr. Mona's career passions. She has worked on challenging traditional medical notions of disability and reframing this life experience from a multicultural lens to further understand the unique experience people with disabilities bring to any work and social context. Much of Dr. Mona’s work has been fueled by her own personal experience living with a disability and her understanding of the positive effects and the societal obstacles faced living with this diverse life experience. In fact, Dr. Mona was selected as one of the 2009 Working Mother's of the Year by Working Mother Magazine---an award not typically granted to a working mother with a disability. She attributes this accomplishment much to the changing views of disability as a rich diverse life experience. Linda R. Mona Ph.D. is a state of California Licensed Clinical Psychologist. (310) 714-6221 [email protected]