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PRIVACY ALERT

We are now going to talk about some things that are private.

Private means that you stop to think about when it is safe to talk about it.

And think about who you can talk to about it.

Private talk is the kind of thing that you say to a trusted person or a doctor or a nurse. You do not talk about it to just anyone at school or work.

You try to talk quietly about it in a private place and not loudly in a public place.

national coalition for sexual health definition of sexual health: "Being sexually healthy means being able to enjoy a healthier body, a satisfying sexual life, positive relationships, and peace of mind."

What is sexual health?

It is taking charge of the health of the male or female parts of your body and how you use them.

  • Taking charge means you make safe and healthy choices about how you express your sexual feelings.
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  • Taking charge means that you work with your doctors and healthcare team to keep your male or female body parts as healthy as possible.

Rights in Sexuality

The ARC and the American Association on IDD have written about sexuality in persons with IDD. 

  • All have rights to friendships.
  • All have rights to love and be loved.
  • All have rights to privacy, dignity and respect.
  • All have rights to learn, as each is able, about their bodies, how sex works, and about values and duty to partners.
  • All have rights to start and end relationships as they choose.
  • All have rights to be protected from others who trick, force or hurt them.
  • All have rights to info, as each is able, about pregnancy and birth. Plus info on choices to avoid or get pregnant based on personal values.
  • All have rights to be protected from sterilization based on disability.

https://www.aaidd.org/news-policy/policy/position-statements/sexuality

Sexual health has a lot of parts. It can feel hard to learn.

This picture from YAI's "Seeing beyond disabilities" in New York helps us think about the parts of sexuality.

sexuality is... anatomy, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, relationships, body image, pleasure, sexual behavior and activity, sexual and reproductive health

 

Here is more YAI sexuality and IDD info

https://www.yai.org/knowledge/sexuality-rights-expression-and-advocacy-people-idd

Let's talk about these as the P's of sexual health. Check out each page.

Tap to flip the cards.

cartoon image of boy and girl going through puberty

Puberty

is the name for the changes in the body of girls and boys as they grow up.

Puberty Click here to move to a new page.
cartoon man standing behind a fence in front of his house with the word Privacy

Privacy

respects personal business that you don't want to share with others.

Privacy Click here to move to a new page.
cartoon images of different partners

Partners

are two people involved with each other.

Partners Click here to move to a new page.
cartoon image of female patient seeing a female doctor

Practices

are actions you take with your body and with your health.

Practices Click here to move to a new page.
cartoon image of a woman thinking about different sexual protection options

Protection

blocks risks of harm from sexual actions.

Protection Click here to move to a new page.
cartoon image of a pregnant African American woman with the word pregnancy

Pregnancy

planning decides if or when you may want a baby.

Pregnancy Click here to move to a new page

There are many others doing great work in sexuality for persons with IDD. Other websites for more info: