‘We like the quality of life we give each other. Robert says he likes my sense of fun, my sense of commitment to social justice issues, my ability to push back boundaries. He likes the fact that he is able to help me have a life full of varied experiences. I like Robert’s honesty, his ability to be his own person, his dependability. I cherish that I have been able to help him ‘come out of his shell’, become confident enough to become a massage therapist despite being dyslexic, become more socially gregarious. I very much appreciate that Robert, who is less outgoing than me, is willing to be the ‘wind beneath my wings’.
For some time now, our sex life has been more tactile than anything else. We have accomplished an intimacy, a comfortableness which is unsurpassed. We can look at each other ‘across a crowded room’ and know what the other is thinking. We have money worries and I often feel alienated from the community (straight streets containing square houses without ramps is not an ideal way to live). However, we realise we are luckier than many people. We do Transcendental Meditation together. Our work entails helping others. We have a varied lifestyle not dissimilar to Tom and Barbara on the TV show ‘The Good Life’. But above all, each of us is thankful that we are living with our best friend.’
INGRID and ROBERT HINDELL, Geelong VIC Australia, 2000
Ingrid has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences. She was the Co-facilitator of the ‘Sexuality, Disability and the Philosophy of Choice’ project, the precursor to AccSex, a worldwide email group activating for accessible sex. She is a Community Development Student and Worker. Ingrid has Cerebral Palsy.
Robert is a Massage Therapist and Ingrid’s primary carer.