A Call for Inclusion: Improving Sex Ed for Individuals with Disabilities
Authors Note:
Welcome to the second edition of Blog Blast! This month, I had the chance to interview my friend, Amber Wallingford (pictured right), who works at Disability Rights Iowa. Amber shared her experiences and insights on making sexual health education more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities. Their perspective offers valuable takeaways for all of us working towards a more equitable approach to education. Grab your favorite fall beverage, sit back, and enjoy reading!
-Val Cumming, Training Coordinator, EyesOpenIowa
At EyesOpenIowa, we believe that sexual health education should be accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. To learn more about how we can continue to improve the way we serve individuals with disabilities, we spoke with Amber Wallingford (she/they), Lead Intake and Information Specialist at Disability Rights Iowa (DRI) in Des Moines, IA. Amber identifies as a person with a disability. Amber has a physical disability and neurodivergence (which refers to cognitive differences like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia). Amber shared her personal experiences and some of her wealth of knowledge on how to make sex education more inclusive and accessible.
As the lead intake and information specialist at Disability Rights Iowa, Amber’s role is to support people with disabilities and make sure their rights are protected. DRI is Iowa’s Protection and Advocacy Center, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal help and advocates for people with disabilities in areas like civil rights and community inclusion. Amber explained, “I handle about 90% of the calls from people who need our services. I gather information for our legal team and raise awareness about the work we do by attending resource fairs and conferences. Our goal is to empower individuals with disabilities and make sure their rights are respected.” She emphasized that people with disabilities exist in every community—whether it’s Black, Latinx, or LGBTQ+—but they are often the last group to receive help. “Even if we can’t provide immediate resources, I make sure their concerns are heard and validated,” Amber said. “We’re often the only ones providing support to them during a crisis.”
Amber also shared her own experience with navigating health information as a person with a disability. “Often, the burden falls on the person with the disability to find the information they need,” she said. “I’ve been lucky to have health insurance and to be believed when I speak, but many people don’t have that.” She pointed out that students with disabilities, especially those in special education programs, may not even be given access to sexual health education. “When I was in high school, I wondered if students in special education even received sex ed, or if the subject seemed ‘too adult’ for them. Were they even given the chance to learn about it?” Amber asked.
One of the biggest misconceptions Amber has noticed is that people with disabilities are often viewed as asexual or incapable of having relationships. “Sex is part of the human experience,” they said. “But society often sees people with disabilities as incomplete or not capable of being in relationships.” Amber explained that this stigma makes it hard for people to talk about sex and relationships when it comes to individuals with disabilities. “We need to break down these barriers and recognize people with disabilities as full, complete humans. It’s uncomfortable for some to acknowledge that, but these are basic parts of life. No one wants to be someone’s ‘inspiration porn,’ where their struggles are romanticized. It’s about understanding that people with disabilities deserve respect and agency, just like anyone else.”
In her work at DRI, Amber has seen how a lack of awareness about disability rights can impact someone’s access to sexual health information. She shared the story of a young woman with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) living in a facility. “She was engaging in consensual sexual activity with other residents, but the staff treated her like she couldn’t give consent,” Amber explained. “This happens a lot—people assume individuals with disabilities can’t make decisions about their own bodies.” Amber also pointed out that people with disabilities might not even realize that things like parenthood are options for them, because healthcare providers often don’t have the right information or resources to help. “There’s a lot of discomfort and stigma around the idea of people with disabilities being sexual beings, which often leads to people with disabilities being denied the information and opportunities they need to make informed decisions,” they said. “That limits their opportunities and their rights.”
Amber stressed that accommodations should be built into all programs, including sex education. “Accessibility isn’t just about making things easier for people with disabilities—it can benefit everyone,” she said. “For example, making sure texts are readable for screen readers or ensuring spaces are physically accessible helps more than just those with disabilities—it improves access for everyone, such as parents with strollers or people with temporary injuries.” She encouraged educators to think about how people move through spaces and access materials. “It can create difficulties for people with disabilities to always have to ask for accommodations,” she said. “Even things like curb cuts, make it accessible for wheelchairs to go over the curb, but think about how much easier it is for everyone, including those walking or using strollers, to use the curb cut instead of stepping off a high curb. If we design spaces and programs to be accessible from the start, we make it accessible and useable for everyone.”
Amber advised sex educators to be proactive in making their curriculum and teaching space accessible without requiring participants to ask for accommodations. “Make sure your materials are easy to understand. It’s not about using fancy language to try to look smarter or more educated—it’s about making sure the information is clear and useful.” She emphasized that understanding the needs of people with disabilities is key. “There’s nothing worse than an accommodation that actually makes things harder,” she said. “If someone needs accommodations, make sure they feel included as part of the group, not isolated.”
At the core of Amber’s work is the belief that people with disabilities should be treated with dignity and respect. “Everyone deserves the right to make decisions about their own health and relationships,” she said. “Disability exists in every community, and people with disabilities deserve access to safe, comprehensive sexual health education, just like anyone else.”
Amber’s insights remind us at EyesOpenIowa that true inclusion means creating spaces where everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully participate. By proactively making trainings and programs accessible, by making the accommodation process user friendly, and by understanding the needs of people living with disabilities, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone. At EyesOpenIowa, we are committed to ensuring that all individuals have access to the sexual health education they deserve.
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