Sexual Rights

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Sexual Rights: Pleasure for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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 Sexual Rights: Privacy for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Autonomy means self-governing — being in charge of your own life, body, mind, and relationships, and making informed decisions free of pressure. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), that right is often overlooked. This article explains what autonomy is and shares three activities to help self-advocates recognize and claim it, plus a bonus reflection for the professionals who support them. Read More Sexual Rights: Autonomy for People With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities