How To Use This Toolkit
For Teens or Young Adults
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Welcome!
Congratulations on starting this very important journey of self-discovery. This toolkit was created to help you learn about sexuality. There are a lot of ways you can learn about sexuality in this toolkit. This site includes:
- sexual health words and definitions
- sexuality related images
- stories from people with disabilities who have experienced sexuality
- situations
- questions to think about
- resources for more learning
There is a lot of information in this toolkit. Take your time to explore the different sections.
We suggest coming back to it again and again. You can look at it on your own, with a friend, or an adult you trust. It might be helpful to talk about some of the information with your parent or guardian or a support person.
This toolkit was created for young people ages 16-24 with disabilities, but we think many people will find it useful. It was created with input from people with disabilities, parents and caregivers, and professionals working in sexual health and disability.
Why use this toolkit?
Sexuality and sexual health is a part of growth and development. You deserve to have the information you want about sexuality and sexual health. You may already know a lot about sexuality. Or you may not know much at all. That’s all okay!
This toolkit does not give all the answers about sexual health, but it is an excellent start. This toolkit will help you to learn about your body and/or bodies in general. It may answer questions that you have. It can give you information about how to make informed decisions around your sexual health, your sexuality and safer sexual practices.
Your community of support
A community of support is a group of people that you trust that can help you if and when you need it. It is important to build a community of support, since we all need help sometimes. Your support can include a parent, doctor, therapist, support staff, teacher, or trusted friend.
Someone who you talk to about sexuality should:
- Help you get accurate information
- Best honest when they don’t know something
- Make you feel good for asking questions when you have them
- Support you as you learn
- Connect you to other resources like healthcare when you need them
How to use this toolkit:
See the video here on tips on how to use this page. You can also read the tips below:
You can search for words by clicking on one of the parts of the “Sexuality” image on the homepage. You can also search by using the alphabetical search function here. Or you can type a word into the search bars at the top and bottom of the pages.
Each word has a page with a lot of information. You can read as much or as little information as you need and want.
The purple boxes at the bottom of each word page are things you can think about. You can also use the questions there to start a conversation with someone you trust about that topic.
You can read or listen to stories from people with disabilities who experienced sexuality related situations by going here.
You can find more information or places to go for health care in the “resources” section here.
Tips for using this toolkit:
- Search, learn and have fun. Look around the toolkit and try to have fun learning new things.
- You can explore this website by yourself or with a friend, parent, therapist, doctor, teacher, or support staff.
- If you are using this website with a parent or support staff and need to take a break, please speak up and let them know. It’s ok.
Keep an open mind. Some of this information might be new and it can make you feel interested, excited, anxious, surprised, or something else!
- If you are using this website with a parent or support staff and need to take a break, please speak up and let them know. It’s ok.
- Move at your own pace. There is a LOT of information in this toolkit. Go through it slowly. You can take a break and come back to learn more at another time.
- Ask questions. Use your community of support or the resource section to get more information for your questions.
- It is okay to feel a little uncomfortable. If this information makes you feel uncomfortable that’s okay. In our communities, we don’t talk about sexuality often so it can sometimes feel awkward. If learning this information makes you feel very uncomfortable talk to someone you trust about why.
- Ask for help. If any of the topics make you remember an unpleasant memory, please contact your therapist, parent, doctor or trusted friend to talk about your feelings. This is very important.