This article is part of Elevatus Training’s Sexual Rights series. Download the full Sexual Rights Toolkit to explore all 10 rights with activities for self-advocates and supporters. Read more about: Sexual Rights for People With I/DD: Are They Honored or Taken Away?
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have the right to speak up when they are hurt, abused, or their rights are violated. In this article, you will learn what the sexual right to speak up and out means, as wel as three ways you can support self-advocates in speaking up and reporting. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Speak Up and Out – For People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
Believing in someone’s right to choose is only half of it; respecting the actual choices they make is what completes it. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), that respect is too often withheld. In this article, you will learn what the sexual right to respect means and where these rights come from. We also discuss three ways you can show real respect for the choices self-advocates make. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Respect for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
The ability to make your own choices is the cornerstone of an empowered life. That holds true for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), in general and in their sexuality. In this article, you will learn what the sexual right to choice means, where these rights come from, and why self-advocates have the right to make their own choice around important life decisions. We also discuss three ways you can support this right. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Choice for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have the right to sexual health education. We know that knowledge is power and ignorance is NOT bliss — yet people with I/DD are often given the message that this information is not for them. We all have the right to learn and become informed, and when we are not, we may suffer. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Knowledge — Empower Self-Advocates to Make Healthy Choices
By the end of this article, you will understand the difference between equity and equality and why an equity approach is essential for effective sexuality/healthy relationships education for people with I/DD. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Equity Versus Equality: There is a Big Difference
Everyone deserves to feel accepted for who they are. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are also LGBTQ+, acceptance can be harder to come by. This article explains the sexual right of acceptance, along with three practical ways to build understanding — plus free handouts and a Rainbow Support Group resource. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Acceptance for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
Pleasure — including sexual pleasure — is a normal, healthy part of life that everyone can enjoy, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). This article reframes pleasure as something to embrace rather than feel guilty about, sets a learning objective for self-advocates and the people who support them, and offers three ways to explore general pleasure, sexual pleasure, and sexual feelings. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Pleasure for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) deserve the knowledge and skills to help keep themselves safe. Learning about consent, boundaries, healthy relationships, and personal safety can help people recognize risks, communicate their needs, make informed choices, and advocate for themselves. This article explores why sexual safety education matters and shares practical ways to support self-advocacy, confidence, and safe relationships. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Safety, Empowering Self-Advocates to Keep Themselves Safe
Privacy is a basic human right, but people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are often denied it — especially around sexuality and relationships. This article explains how privacy gets taken away, sets a learning objective for self-advocates and professionals, and offers three ways to respect and protect privacy. Read more about: Sexual Rights: Privacy for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
