Disabled Activist Ariela Goichman Garber Shares How Corsets Helped Her Embrace Her Body and Sexuality
Ariela Goichman Garber, a fashion historian, lecturer, and disability visibility activist, spoke on the "Sex Appeal" podcast about her experience living with spina bifida and how wearing corsets helped her connect with her body. Born with this congenital spinal defect, Ariela has lived with lower body paralysis, uses crutches, and has no sensation in her feet. She described the body as often a source of pain and discomfort over which she has little control, but corsets and lingerie gave her a way to shape and reclaim her body, providing both physical support and psychological grounding.
Growing up in the 1990s in Israel, Ariela faced social challenges and a lack of representation for disabled people, especially in media where disabled characters were often portrayed as tragic or exceptional cases. She recalled how children at school reacted to her leg braces with curiosity and sarcasm, and how boys struggled to approach her romantically due to discomfort and misconceptions about disability and sexuality.
Her journey toward self-love began in adolescence when she discovered historical and cultural meanings of corsets, which Hollywood had long depicted as symbols of female oppression, but which she found to be empowering tools for body shaping and self-expression. She also cited photographer Helmut Newton’s work featuring a model with disabilities as a turning point in seeing disability as compatible with sensuality.
Ariela emphasized the importance of adaptive lingerie that is both functional and beautiful, which helped her feel more like herself and more comfortable in intimate situations. She challenged stereotypes that disabled people’s sexuality is inherently "kinky" or abnormal, calling for more open and inclusive conversations about sexuality and disability in conservative societies like Israel.
Today, Ariela is married and a mother, continuing to advocate for visibility and representation of disabled people in fashion and society. She highlighted a rehabilitation hospital event where dressing disabled children like their peers helped shift perceptions from "disabled child" to "child with a disability," fostering independence and social inclusion. Ariela will participate in a live podcast event on August 14 to support LGBTQ+ youth in distress.
Summary: Ariela Goichman Garber, living with spina bifida and using crutches, shared how corsets and adaptive lingerie empowered her to embrace her body and sexuality despite societal stigma and physical challenges in Israel.
Points: ["Ariela Goichman Garber lives with spina bifida and uses crutches due to paralysis.", "She found corsets gave her physical support and helped her reconnect with her body.", "Growing up, she faced social exclusion and lack of disabled representation in media.", "She challenges stereotypes about disabled sexuality and advocates for inclusive dialogue.", "Adaptive lingerie helped her feel confident and comfortable in intimate relationships.", "She promotes visibility and inclusion of disabled people in fashion and society."]
