Evan Sweeney

Evan Sweeney is a sex and disability educator based in Glendale, CA. With over 20 years of experience, Evan has led classes and workshops across the nation dedicated to sex-positive education for people with disabilities. He is the founder of Cripping Up Sex, a platform that offers resources on navigating sex, sex toys, dating, disability, accessibility, and queer identity. He is also the author of “Queers on Wheels,” a resource guide for disabled people interested in exploring their sexuality. Evan is the 2026 Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellow at Brandeis University’s Lurie Institute for Disability Policy.

Education

  • BA, Gender Studies, Occidental College

Professional Achievements

  • Founder and director of the professional platform Cripping Up Sex
  • Recognized leader in disability policy and advocacy
  • Awarded the prestigious 2026 Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship by the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy
  • Featured on national media platforms, including an appearance as a guest on NPR's program 1A
  • Spearheads vital community preservation efforts as the director of the digital repository project, The Access Archives

Favorite Piece of Advice

One of the most impactful pieces of advice I give is to unpack the cultural myth that disability inherently cancels out desire, intimacy, and sexual agency. True inclusion means recognizing disabled people as whole, autonomous beings with diverse relationship and sexual needs, rather than treating these topics as taboos or afterthoughts. When we dismantle these rigid stigmas and openly center pleasure and accessible communication, we unlock a much deeper, more authentic freedom for everyone.

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Forum Comments (2)

Help I'm confused on my sexuality there's so many options!!!
When you think about the pressure to categorize your attractions, the most empowering approach is to prioritize your day-to-day comfort over the rigid demand for a perfect label. Trying to pin down a definitive, lifelong identity can often feel like an unnecessary burden, especially when our attractions are naturally dynamic and influenced by the unique human beings we encounter. Instead of viewing a label as a mandatory destination, try to see it as a loose, optional descriptor that you can pick up or put down whenever it serves you; being comfortable in your own skin means trusting that you don't need a formal definition to validate your experiences, and there is immense freedom in simply letting your attractions exist exactly as they are in the present moment without needing them to be permanently settled.
I'm conflicted over my sexuality
My most important tip would be to give yourself full permission to embrace the ambiguity of the process without feeling a need to reach an immediate, final resolution. Conflict often arises because we feel pressured by societal expectations to choose a definitive label or follow a specific timeline, but your sexuality is an evolving, personal narrative that belongs only to you, and it is perfectly healthy for it to be fluid, complex, or even uncertain. Instead of trying to "solve" your feelings as if they were a problem, focus on cultivating a space of radical self-acceptance where you can explore your attractions and identity with curiosity rather than judgment, trusting that as you continue to experience life, the clarity you need will emerge naturally in its own time.

Q&A Comments (1)


Co-authored Articles (3)