Sex Ed. For Self-Advocates Podcast

Welcome to the Sex Ed. For Self-Advocates Podcast!

This podcast is a sexuality and sex education resource written specifically for autistic people age 15 and up. It is based on OAR’s original Sex Ed. for Self-Advocates guide. Autistic people sometimes don’t have the chance to learn about sexuality and sex in ways that work for them, so OAR created this guide as a starting point to change that.

There’s a lot to learn about these topics – more than we could fit in just this guide. You can use this information as a starting point for learning more about relationships and sexuality, keeping in mind that learning about sexuality and relationships is a lifelong process!

To view the charts, links, and other resources referenced in this podcast, visit our Resources Page or view the webpage version of Sex Ed. for Self-Advocates. This podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and Blubrry!

Episode 1: Public vs. Private

This episode discusses why understanding the difference between public and private is important; what public, semi-public, semi-private, and private places are; and what behaviors, conversations, and personal information are okay in each type of place.

Episode 2: Puberty (Non-Binary)

This episode covers the causes and characteristics of puberty; descriptions of body parts that play a role in puberty; how bodies, brains, and emotions change during puberty; how reproductive systems work; and how hygiene routines may need to change during puberty. In this episode, we use language that talks about a person’s anatomy (body parts), instead of using the terms “male” and “female.”

Episode 2.5: Puberty (Gendered)

This episode covers the causes and characteristics of puberty; descriptions of body parts that play a role in puberty; how bodies, brains, and emotions change during puberty; how reproductive systems work; and how hygiene routines may need to change during puberty. In this episode, we use the more common gendered language, such as “male” and “female.”

Episode 3: Healthy Relationships

This episode discusses the basics of the different types of relationships; how relationships can change or stay the same over time; the differences between appropriate or inappropriate relationships; how to recognize healthy, unhealthy, and abusive relationships; and harassment, assault, and abuse and what to do if you experience them.

Episode 4: Consent

This episode covers what consent is and what consent is not, different types of boundaries, how to know if someone is able to give consent, when and how to ask for consent, how to say “no” when asked for consent, and how to respond when someone says “no” to you.

Episode 5: Dating 101

This episode discusses crushes, flirting, asking people on dates, going on a first date, second dates, being in a relationship, and ending a relationship.

Episode 6: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

This episode covers terms used to explain sexual orientation and gender identity; gender identity; gender expression; sexual orientation; LGBTQ community resources; what “coming out” is and how to navigate coming out; and social acceptance, homophobia, and transphobia.

Episode 7: Am I Ready?

This episode discusses the factors to consider when asking yourself, “Am I ready to have sex?” It will cover personal values about sex and how they are shaped, how to decide whether you are ready to have sex for the first time, how to determine whether you are ready to have sex in a given moment, possible reasons you might decide to have sex or not to have sex, and important health considerations to help you stay well informed and safe during sex.

Episode 8: Sexual Activity

This episode discusses the basics of what sex is, why people have sex, when people have sex, how people talk about sex, what people do when they have sex, and how to communicate sexual and autism-specific needs with partners.

Episode 9: Online Relationships and Safety

This episode covers what information is safe to share online and how to manage it, how to develop trust with people you meet online, how to find and maintain online friendships, online dating, how to deal with rejection and other negative interactions, and the criminal/legal issues and misleading aspects of pornography.