People with disabilities have the right to healthy, positive, and loving intimate relationships – and to the information and education necessary to stay safe and healthy. However, that doesn’t mean that they have the same access to sex education that their peers without disabilities have.
Nearly 10 percent of people under age 15 have a disability. So why is access to sex education so difficult? To start, ableism, stereotypes, and lack of accommodation and representation create barriers to access. To break through these barriers, Planned Parenthood is offering teachers a two-part series to help make sex education more accessible and inclusive for students with disabilities. Please note that you have to go through a brief sign-in process to access these courses. To learn more about Sex Ed To-Go visit our site.
The first course, Increasing Accessibility, covers:
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Basic background on disabilities and ableism
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Tips for making sex education more accessible to all students
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Guidance for supporting students, families, and caregivers
The second course, Disability-Inclusive Content, covers:
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Tips for making traditional sex ed topics more relevant for people with disabilities
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Topic-specific considerations (like condom use, birth control, and anatomy) and specific tips for working with people with physical disabilities or people with intellectual disabilities
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Curriculum resources
These courses are primarily designed for educators in mainstream classrooms with limited prior knowledge about disabilities. The second course on modifying curricula may also be useful for special education educators or those with deeper knowledge of disabilities – both physical, intellectual, or developmental -- but limited knowledge about sex education. Information about inclusivity, representation, and person boundaries are incorporated into the content along with general sex ed information on birth control, consent, and health care access.
“These courses are comprehensive, and incorporate a range of assets, including worksheets, videos and references,” said Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest Senior Director of Education, Chrissy Cmorik. “What is unique about these courses is that it not only positions the program for the educator but also provides tips for presenting the material in the most effective way to the young person as well as parents and caregivers. And the reflections incorporated in the lesson plans encourage changes to the current curriculum to increase accessibility.”
In addressing any concerns from family members, the program stresses key points:
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Students with disabilities are sexual human beings.
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Learning about sexuality and health is a necessity for all students.
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Students with disabilities should have the human right to bodily autonomy and choice in relationships.
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Students with disabilities should have the human right to reproductive health care and support regarding the choice of whether or not to have children.
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Gaps in sexual health knowledge can put people with disabilities at an increased risk for infection, violence, or pregnancy.
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Reproductive health care may not always be linked to sexual activity or relationships.
These courses were created by: Ashira Greenberg, MPH, CHES; Advocates for Youth; Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region; and Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. For more information, visit our Sex Ed To-Go courses focused on this topic.
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