We all want our children to have full lives. One important component of a full life is having a healthy, romantic/sexual relationship with a partner. If you are a parent, this can be a scary thought because they worry about how their kids will navigate these relationships and if they will be safe from harm or cause harm to others. Continue Reading 3 Steps to Support Children with I/DD to Have Healthy Relationships
3 Steps to Support Children with I/DD to Have Healthy Relationships Continue Reading →
Download this free document. Continue Reading 3 Tips for Hygiene and Health
3 Tips for Hygiene and Health Continue Reading →
As a sexuality educator, I teach people how to say no, but it is also my job to teach people how to say yes. To be able to say yes to what they want and no to what they do not.
Focusing on teaching people to say no almost implies that saying no is more important than saying yes. I want to be sure everyone knows what they want to say yes to and no to and have the skills to carry out their decisions. Continue Reading A Prelude to Consent
A Prelude to Consent Continue Reading →
Download this free document. Continue Reading Autism and Gender Identity
Autism and Gender Identity Continue Reading →
We all have values and attitudes regarding sexuality. We have thoughts and beliefs about sexual decisions, such as when to be sexual and with whom. There is nothing wrong with having values, and, as a parent of someone with a developmental disability, it is important to share your values with your children. That is a parent’s job, but what about when you are in a professional role? How do you manage your values and attitudes and support those you work with? Continue Reading Can You Be a Vegetarian and Work at McDonald’s? Managing Values and Attitudes as Professionals
One way to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) lead sexually healthy lives is to provide sexuality education classes. Here at Elevatus, we believe the most effective way of doing this is by including self-advocates in the teaching team. Continue Reading Consider This: Self Advocates as Sexuality Educators?
Consider This: Self Advocates as Sexuality Educators? Continue Reading →
Katherine McLaughlin here … I spent many years as a non-disabled person, and people interacted with me as such. They saw me as an independent, regular person and interacted with me as a peer, with respect, and as a very capable person.
Then, at age 26, I acquired a disability, and everything changed. I was the exact same person, but all of a sudden, my interactions with others were different; people had new beliefs about me based only on the disability they saw. These beliefs came from stereotypes we have about people with disabilities. Now, people run to help me and tell me I am so inspiring, which is kind and positive, but there’s also an often-realized, not-so-positive impact of this. Continue Reading Disability Awareness
Disability Awareness Continue Reading →
Many Autistic people want to find a sexual/romantic partner, just like many neurotypicals. Our needs are the same as everyone else’s, including the need for love and belonging. People who are in loving, committed relationships tend to live happier and longer lives, on average, and everyone deserves a chance for this kind of happiness. For autistic people, this can come with some challenges. Continue Reading Do Autistic People Speak a Different Language?
Do Autistic People Speak a Different Language? Continue Reading →
In January 2020, an open letter with signatures from 72 actors and directors was released discussing the importance of representation of disabilities in TV and film that features actors with disabilities in those roles. Statistics show that 95% of television shows that feature a person with a disability are played by actors who do not have any type of disability. Of the 61 Oscar nominations and 27 Oscar wins for roles that showcase characters with disabilities, only two of those roles were played by actors with disabilities themselves. Continue Reading Finally, Disability Representation in Television and Film
Finally, Disability Representation in Television and Film Continue Reading →
Download this free handout. Continue Reading Friend to Sweetheart
Friend to Sweetheart Continue Reading →
Like it or not, agree with its availability or not, pornography has become the “go to” place for sexuality education and is here to stay.
This generation is known for using the internet to learn about a topic, particularly “how to” YouTube clips such as, how do I change my password on my phone? And how do I back up my data? For questions about sex, many are turning to internet pornography for answers as well. Continue Reading Has Pornography Become the “Go To” Sexuality Educator for Our Youth? Part 1
Has Pornography Become the “Go To” Sexuality Educator for Our Youth? Part 1 Continue Reading →
Respond, don’t react is a great strategy for dealing with anything unexpected …even pornography.
I remember having a conversation with my son about pornography when he was 17 years old. I was on our family computer and found porn. Upon seeing those images, all I could think was, does he think all partners want this? After gathering myself to have a conversation with him, I wanted to convey that many partners don’t want what you saw and to ask before doing anything with a partner. Continue Reading Has Pornography Become the “Go To” Sexuality Educator for Our Youth? Part 2
Has Pornography Become the “Go To” Sexuality Educator for Our Youth? Part 2 Continue Reading →
Your body is your own, and you get to decide what is okay and what is not okay. These personal rules are called personal boundaries. Each person has different personal boundaries. For example, some people don’t like to hug, and others want to hug everyone. Neither way is wrong; these boundaries are just different. Since people have different boundaries, it is important for you to know what yours are to tell others if they have crossed them. Continue Reading Healthy Boundaries Lesson
Healthy Boundaries Lesson Continue Reading →
While presenting sexuality education training, these questions often surface when discussing sexual orientation. Many ask, “Is asexuality really a thing?” “Isn’t it more a symptom of a larger problem?” Continue Reading Is Asexuality Really a Thing? Isn’t it Actually a Disorder?
Is Asexuality Really a Thing? Isn’t it Actually a Disorder? Continue Reading →
“I was in the mainstream health class in high school, learning about health with students without disabilities. When the sexuality unit started, they removed me from class.” – Anonymous Self-Advocate –
I remember the shock I felt when a self-advocate told me this story. What a strong message to send to someone with a disability. My first thought was: it is okay to learn about physical activity and nutrition, but as soon as the sexuality unit starts, we take you out of class and indirectly tell you that you don’t need that kind of information. My second thought was, had I been transported back in a time machine, and it was actually the 1940s? Continue Reading Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is Power Continue Reading →
