ABOUT ME

Most of my work over the years has been in support of folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Through this work I came to realize that many people with disabilities (PWD) are experiencing destructive life events directly caused by nonexistent or inadequate sexuality education. Often people with IDD are excluded from comprehensive sex ed, either because of institutional bias or a lack of educator training. Once it became clear that this was a need, I started working with parents and youth to provide them resources and information about addressing sexuality in their own families. My goal is to supply accessible, accurate information to self-advocates, so they can explore their own sexuality. Because I will not always have the capacity to teach classes directly to PWD, I focus on educating caregivers. I teach caregivers to support sexual self-determination and assist their loved ones in managing their whole health.

Eventually I began educating provider agencies and other professionals on understanding the importance of this topic. Many PWD live independently, in group homes, or in residential facilities and rely on paid staff for their support. This means that if the direct care providers are not trained to address sexuality, these people have no opportunity to have their questions answered by a trustworthy source. As we know, PWD are vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation, and if the professionals they work with are not aware of these topics, they will be even more at risk. This is why my focus is on caregivers and service providers, as they are in the best position to have an ongoing positive impact on the sexual health of PWD.