The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) has just released a new sex-education guide for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Unlike other resources, this one is freely available to individuals to use for self-teaching, although it can also be useful in class and workshop settings. The guide includes a sequence of videos, featuring the voices of peers with IDD, along with a written discussion guide-written in plain language with images to aid understanding. Topics include sex and gender, puberty, masturbation, relationships and consent, birth control, and avoiding sexually transmitted diseases. I found that the videos and discussion guide convey positive, empowering messages about sexuality combined with straightforward information needed to make safe choices. If you have an IDD, work with people with IDD, or have colleagues in the field, please take a look at this resource and consider sharing it.
New Resource! Sex Ed for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
