Let's talk about sex education

Adrian_Scope

As part of Sexual Health Awareness Week, Annabel Sowemimo talks about how important it is to talk about intimacy and disability.

Despite one in five people in the UK identifying as disabled (having a longstanding illness, disability or impairment that causes significant challenges to activities of daily life) – it is virtually impossible to access information on how to navigate disability, sex and relationships. Inspired by Brook’s theme for sexual health awareness week – sex and disability – I decided to chat to others living with scoliosis (a curvature of the spine).

What was your experience of sex education? Did it prepare you for intimacy while living with a disability?

April2018mom

How do you teach this to 2 small children? I cannot find any resources that are aimed at small children under 5 years old even though I have looked online. 

Ami2301

Sex education did not prepare me at all for being intimate as a disabled person. There are so many things that need to be made more aware of. For instance, feelings, I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions when I became disabled and I refused to be intimate with my husband. I really think there needs to be more diversity when teaching sex education.

Chloe_Scope

Thank you for sharing this @Ami2301!

Adrian_Scope

I think you might struggle to find anything for under-5s @April2018mom. But there are some resources for SRE (Sex and Relationships Education) for Key Stage 1 and 2 here - https://www.theschoolrun.com/primary-school-sex-education.

Geoark

Hi @April2018mom, sex education at such an early age can be difficult and it may be better to concentrate on health and relationships.  I remember buying  my daughter a series called 'how the body works' using cartoons. While I did wonder how much my daughter got from it she did love the series and did take in a lot over time. For example by the time she started school she knew how a baby was made, but not how the sperm got from the man to the woman, and unusual for her never actually asked.

There is a very similar cartoon called Once Upon A Time on you Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMC8kxL4ZFg&list=PL_2PFMsdz59I6QYN-N6YW2RbTKxhN8rzO