Sex Ed Additional Resources

Sexual Health-Related

American Pregnancy Helpline: 866-942-6466; A helpline providing confidential support and information concerning teenage and young adult pregnancy.

Center for Disease Control: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636); Counselors available to answer questions about personal health issues, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), offered in English and Spanish.

State AIDS Hotlines: numbers vary by state; Hotlines that confidentially provide support, resources, and medical information about HIV and AIDS.

Planned Parenthood National Hotline: 1-800-230-PLAN (7426); National hotline that offers assistance in finding local resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault

National Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474; Peer advocates available 24/7/365 to offer education, support, and advocacy to teens and young adults who have questions or concerns about their dating relationships. They also offer an online chat option.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233); National line that talks confidentially to anyone who is experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationships. They also offer an online chat option

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673); National line that connects you to a support organization near your current location for confidential support, health facilities, and long-term care referrals. They also offer an online chat option.

LGBTQ Related

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564; National hotline that confidentially provides support, information, and local resources for LGBTQ people. They also provide a youth talkline and peer chat option.

Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860; A peer support hotline run by and for trans people.

The Trevor Project Suicide Lifeline: 1-800-488-7386; National LGBTQ crisis intervention and suicide prevention service, connecting you with confidential support from trained counselors. They also offer an online chat option.

Puberty And Sexual Health Related

I Wanna Know: Information on sexual health for teens and young adults.

Kids Health: Information about puberty and health written at a comprehension level accessible to preteens.

Planned Parenthood: Information about puberty, sex, sexual health, sexual orientation, and more.

Scarleteen: Inclusive, comprehensive, supportive sexuality and relationships information for teens and emerging adults.

Teen Health Source: Web-based resource with information regarding puberty, sexual health, and more.

Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault

Break the Cycle: Inspiring and Supporting Young People 12-24 to build healthy relationships and create a culture without abuse.

Know Your IX: Survivor- and youth-led project of Advocates for Youth that strives to inform about and end sexual and dating violence in schools.

LGBTQ Related

Campus Pride: By students, for students volunteer-led organization to represent and empower the LGBTQ community on college campuses.

Coming Out As You: A Trevor Project resource to help you explore your identity and decide how and what to share with others.

Creating LGBTQIA+ Friendly Schools and Campus Communities: An article containing tips, recommendations, and additional resources for promoting inclusivity on college campuses.

Gay Straight Alliance Network: Empowers and trains queer, trans, and allied youth leaders to advocate, organize, and mobilize an intersectional movement for safer schools and healthier communities.

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network): Works to improve conditions in the educational system and prevent bullying and discrimination of LGBTQ students.

Matthew’s Place: Outlet for young LGBTQ people that contains interview of queer people and their allies and information about shelters, outreach centers, and empowerment programs.

Resource Guide to Coming Out: Human Rights Campaign’s resource for sharing your LGBTQ identity with others.

Trevor Space: A social networking site for LGBTQ people ages 13-24.

Twainbow: Resource for LGBTQ autistic people.

The Autism Spectrum Guide to Sexuality and Relationships

Young Adults

Guide to sexuality, relationships, and gender identity. Helps decide which type of relationship is right for the reader.

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Life on the Autism Spectrum – A guide for Girls and Women

Young Adults

Follows Alison, a girl with Asperger Syndrome, through childhood and adulthood.

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Sex and the Single Aspie

Young Adults

Explains topics such as one-night stands, safe sex, the double standard, and self-respect in relationships.

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The Growing Up Book for Boys: What Boys on the Autism Spectrum Need to Know!

Ages 9-14

Explains the facts behind growth spurts and body and emotional changes experienced by pre-teen boys on the spectrum.

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The Growing Up Guide for Girls: What Girls on the Autism Spectrum Need to Know!

Ages 9-14

Explains the facts behind body changes, mood swings, and other developments experienced by pre-teen girls on the spectrum.

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Things Tom Likes

Ages 9-16

A book about sexuality and masturbation for boys and young men with autism and related conditions.

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Things Ellie Likes

Ages 9-16

This accessible and positive resource helps parents and carers teach girls and young women with autism or related conditions about masturbation.

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Ellie Needs to Go

Ages 9-16

This visual resource helps parents and carers teach girls and young women with autism and related conditions about how to use public toilets safely.

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Tom Needs to Go

Ages 9-16

This visual resource helps parents and carers teach boys and young men with autism or other special needs about how to use public toilets safely.

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What’s Happening to Ellie?

Ages 9-16

Following Ellie as she begins to notice changes to her body, this simple resource helps parents and carers teach girls with autism and related conditions about puberty. It covers all the changes that they will experience, both emotional such as new feelings and physical such as periods.

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What’s Happening to Tom?

Ages 9-16

Follows Tom as he notices the mental and physical changes happening as he goes through puberty.

Sexual Health Related

Safer Dating for Youth on the Autism Spectrum: A curriculum for educating youth about how to build and maintain healthy relationships. Find the graphic novel, Neela and Chris: Broken Love, used in this curriculum here.

The Guidelines: Guidelines for comprehensive sexuality education, developed by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), a national task force of experts in the fields of adolescent development, health care, and education. Provides a framework of the key concept topics and messages that all sexuality education programs would ideally include.

Sexuality and Disability: Collection of peer-reviewed articles that relate to psychological and medical aspects of sexuality in relation to rehabilitation.

Sexuality and Sexuality Instruction with Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disabilities: PowerPoint discussing sexuality, self-protection, and guidelines for teaching this topic to autistic young adults.

 

LGBTQ Related

Advocates for Youth: Resource for learning how to respect, listen to, and support LGBTQ children.

American Psychological Association: Understanding sexual orientation.

Creating LGBTQIA+ Friendly Schools and Campus Communities: An article containing tips, recommendations, and additional resources for promoting inclusivity on college campuses.

Clinician’s Guide to Sexuality and Autism: The first book to provide clinicians with a comprehensive curriculum of sexuality education skills for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Equipping Clinicians to Address Sexual Health with Autistic Patients: The consequences of not addressing this topic threaten autistic people’s health and safety. The authors of this OARacle Newsletter article outline strategies for breaking down barriers to sex education.