Articles of Interest
Resources for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Advocates for Youth
This advocacy organization provides information and resources for parents, educators,
and advocates for encouraging and advancing youth sexual health. The Parents’ Sex
Ed Center provides parents with tools to foster communication about issues of sexual
health and responsibility with their child. The website has information targeted at
individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and information on how
to tailor family planning services for adolescents. The Sex Education Resource Center
has resources for teachers and sexual health policy advocates.
Answer sex ed, honestly
This organization provides education and resources primarily for health care professionals
and educators, but also provides links to resources for parents and teens.
Autism in Love
Autism in Love is a film that captures the challenges individuals with autism face
when searching for love, companionship, and happiness.
Consumer Affairs
Interested in online dating websites and apps but do not know where to start? Visit
ConsumerAffairs Top 10 of the Best Rated Online Dating Websites & Services to learn
about different websites and apps dedicated to dating. Learn about each website or
app features, the different types of dating apps and sites, and read expert reviews.
Impact
This publication was created by the Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD) & Research
and Training Center on Community Living. This issue of Impact highlights sexuality
and people with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities.
National Disability Rights Network
The National Disability Rights Network publication Devaluing People with Disabilities:
Medical Procedures that Violate Civil Rights provides a discussion on the importance
of individual rights in regards to medical treatment, including reproductive and sexual
health, and addresses civil rights related issues surrounding the “Ashley Treatment”.
Scarleteen: Sex ed for the real world
An independent education and support website, providing sexuality, health, and relationship
articles, guides, factsheets, external resource lists, and frequent blog posts. The
site also hosts a message board for teens and young adults to ask questions of staff
and volunteer contributors. Topics include gender, sexual identity, relationships,
sex & sexuality, sexual health, pregnancy & parenting, and abuse & assault.
Access Living
The Empowered Fe Fes are an advocacy and peer support group at Access Living in Chicago.
The Empowered Fe Fes have created a reproductive health guide for women with disabilities.
The guide is targeted towards women with disabilities, health care providers, parents,
and community organizations.
Bedsider
A place where you can learn about all forms of birth control. The website covers every
form of birth control available and describes the cost, how to use the form of birth
control, side effects, and problems associated with each method.
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic provides information on the basics of birth control and different
forms of birth control to match the birth control needs of individuals.
Office on Women’s Health
The Office on Women’s Health is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. The Office on Women’s Health provides answers to common questions on birth
control and information on different types of birth control.
Planned Parenthood
Different forms of birth control are provided including information on each forms
effectiveness to prevent pregnancy, how the form of birth control works, the benefits
and disadvantages, and how to use the form of birth control.
Safer Sex Menu
This menu provides information to individuals on choices of sexual activity and the
level of risk associated with each activity. This menu provides information on the
level of risk associated with each sexual activity and whether it is no risk, no real
risk, low risk, and high risk of the transmission of HIV.
Break the Cycle
This website provides information on teen dating violence and includes information
on the warning signs of dating violence, legal protections, dating violence research,
and the Teen Power & Control Wheel.
Safe Place
Safe Place is an organization based in Austin, Texas that serves survivors of child
abuse and neglect, sexual assault, exploitation, and domestic violence. Safe Place
offers disability specific fact sheets and has adapted a power and control wheel for
people with disabilities in partner relationships and a respect wheel.
Genderbread
The Genderbread Person provides a visual to help explain the differences between gender
identity, gender expression, biological sex, and sexual and romantic attractions.
Sexual Orientation and Gender
This resource provides definitions on biological sex, gender, gender identity, and
sexual orientation.
The Asexual Visibility and Education Network
Information, resources, and online community for individuals who do not experience
sexual attraction. Fact sheets are available for family and friends.
Queerability
Queerability is an LGBTQ and disability rights organization that provides information
on LGBTQ and disability issues.
Family Resources
Advocates for Youth
This advocacy organization provides information and resources for parents, educators,
and advocates for encouraging and advancing youth sexual health. The Parents’ Sex
Ed Center provides parents with tools to foster communication about issues of sexual
health and responsibility with their child. The website has information targeted at
individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and information on how
to tailor family planning services for adolescents. The Sex Education Resource Center
has resources for teachers and sexual health policy advocates.
Amaze
The Puberty and Autism Spectrum Disorders Information Sheet provides advice targeted
towards parents who have children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Information is
provided to parents on when to begin preparing to discuss puberty with their son or
daughter, using social stories to describe changes their son or daughter will experience
during puberty, and suggested topics for social stories.
Answer sex ed, honestly
This organization provides education and resources primarily for health care professionals
and educators, but also provides links to resources for parents and teens.
Autism in Love
Autism in Love is a film that captures the challenges individuals with Autism face
when searching for love, companionship, and happiness.
Center for Parent Information and Resources
This website provides information on sexuality education for students with disabilities.
The website provides resources on sexuality, how disability may affect sexuality,
resources for parents on talking with their child about sexuality, and resource for
specific disabilities.
Friendships & Dating
Specifically designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,
this program educates older teens and adults about how to create and maintain healthy
friendships and romantic relationships.
Future of Sex Education
For administrators, advocates, and interested parents, this website provides the National
Sexuality Education Standards (NSES), which is used by some states and school districts
to provide age-appropriate sexuality education. The curriculum covers seven content
and skill development areas including anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent
development, identity, pregnancy and reproduction, sexually transmitted diseases and
HIV, healthy relationships, and personal safety.
GULP! Talking with your kids about sexuality
GULP is a newsletter created by Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. This edition
discusses sexuality and developmental disability and encourages parents to discuss
sexuality with their children because all people are sexual beings regardless of disability.
GULP addresses common myths surrounding disability and sexuality and provides tips
to parents to help guide conversations around sexuality.
Healthy Relationships, Sexuality and Disability: Resource Guide
This resource guide was created by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and
the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. Adolescents with disabilities
and their families and providers helped to create this guide. Topics included in the
guide are: puberty and human development, puberty and human development and Autism
Spectrum Disorder, social skills and relationship development, sexual orientation
and identity, and sexual health and human rights.
Parent Action for Healthy Kids
Parent Action for Healthy Kids helps to connect parents, communities, and schools
to improve the health and well-being of children and youth. Parent Action for Healthy
Kids focuses on: Emerging Children’s Health issues, sex education, mental health,
school wellness programs, and physical activity and nutrition.
Puberty and Adolescence Resource: A Guide for Parents of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum
Disorder
This tool kit was created by Autism Speaks to help link parents to resources related
to autism and puberty. The tool kit was created in collaboration with parents who
have children with autism and the parents provide advice based on their personal experiences.
Topics include: body changes, self-care and hygiene, menstruation, public vs. private,
staying safe, and internet safety.
Raising Children
This website provides information to families who have children with Autism. This
resource provides families with information on how to talk to their daughters about
menstruation and provides strategies on how to discuss this milestone. This website
also addresses sexuality and relationships for teenagers with autism spectrum disorder.
RealTalk: Improving Quality of Sexual Healthcare for Patients with Disabilities
The Autism Self Advocacy Network has created a RealTalk Provider Toolkit. This toolkit
has information on how providers can be more supportive of the sexuality of individuals
with disabilities. RealTalk provides a space for young people with disabilities to
discuss sexuality and relationships. RealTalk has also hosted a webinar and slides
to this webinar can be found on their website.
Stages Learning Materials
The article Talking about Puberty with Children with Autism encourages parents to
be proactive in talking about puberty with their child with Autism. The article provides
tips on how to discuss puberty including using language that is simple and direct,
being available to talk about their child’s questions, helping to label body parts
appropriately, and using visual supports to guide parent child discussion.
Taking care of myself: A hygiene, puberty and personal curriculum for young people
with Autism
This book, by Mary Wrobel, provides parents and other support persons strategies on
how to create stories to discuss hygiene, body growth and development, menstruation,
personal safety, and self-care skills.
Access Living
The Empowered Fe Fes are an advocacy and peer support group at Access Living in Chicago.
The Empowered Fe Fes have created a reproductive health guide for women with disabilities.
The guide is targeted towards women with disabilities, health care providers, parents,
and community organizations.
Bedsider
A place where you can learn about all forms of birth control. The website covers every
form of birth control available and describes the cost, how to use the form of birth
control, side effects, and problems associated with each method.
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic provides information on the basics of birth control and different
forms of birth control to match the birth control needs of individuals.
Office on Women’s Health
The Office on Women’s Health is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. The Office on Women’s Health provides answers to common questions on birth
control and information on different types of birth control.
Planned Parenthood
Different forms of birth control are provided including information on each forms
effectiveness to prevent pregnancy, how the form of birth control works, the benefits
and disadvantages, and how to use the form of birth control.
Safer Sex Menu
This menu provides information to individuals on choices of sexual activity and the
level of risk associated with each activity. This menu provides information on the
level of risk associated with each sexual activity and whether it is no risk, no real
risk, low risk, and high risk of the transmission of HIV.
The Facts of Life…and More
The Facts of Life… and More is a publication by Leslie Walker-Hirsch. This book helps
guide professionals on how to educate individuals with intellectual disabilities about
sexuality in a culturally competent and individualized manner. The Facts of Life…And
More also provides insight to the reader on parents’ perspectives on sexuality and
information on how professionals can help guide parents on how to discuss sexuality
with their child.
Break the Cycle
This website provides information on teen dating violence and includes information
on the warning signs of dating violence, legal protections, dating violence research,
and the Teen Power & Control Wheel.
Safe Place
Safe Place is an organization based in Austin, Texas that serves survivors of child
abuse and neglect, sexual assault, exploitation, and domestic violence. Safe Place
offers disability specific fact sheets and has adapted a power and control wheel for
people with disabilities in partner relationships and a respect wheel.
Genderbread
The Genderbread Person provides a visual to help explain the differences between gender
identity, gender expression, biological sex, and sexual and romantic attractions.
Sexual Orientation and Gender
This resource provides definitions on biological sex, gender, gender identity, and
sexual orientation.
The Asexual Visibility and Education Network
Information, resources, and online community for individuals who do not experience
sexual attraction. Fact sheets are available for family and friends.
Queerability
Queerability is an LGBTQ and disability rights organization that provides information
on LGBTQ and disability issues.
Professional Resources
Atkinson, J., & Ward, K. (2012). The development of an assessment of interpersonal violence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 30, 301-309.
Ward, K., Atkinson, J., Smith, C., & Windsor, R. (2013). A Friendships and Dating
Program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A formative evaluation.
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51(1), 22-32.
Ward, K., Windsor, R., & Atkinson, J. P. (2012). A process evaluation of the Friendships
and Dating Program for adults with developmental disabilities: Measuring the fidelity
of program delivery. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33, 69-75.
Ward, K. M., Bosek, R. L., & Trimble, E. L. (2010). Romantic relationships and interpersonal
violence among adults with developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities, 48(2), 89-98.
