Sex Talk for Self-Advocates Webinar #9: Sexual Self-Advocacy
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Webinar
Join the AUCD Sexual Health Special Interest Group for their final Sex Talk for Self-Advocates Webinar #9: Sexual Self-Advocacy on May 26, 2021, from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET. Their expert hosts of sexuality educators and self-advocates have invited a panel to discuss questions and topics related to advocating for ones right to have relationships and sexuality as well as how to advocate for oneself within relationships. This webinar is part of an on-going series that addresses self-advocate questions about relationships and sexuality. This series is a great learning opportunity for self-advocates, professionals, and paraprofessionals working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to understand sexual health needs better.
Expert Hosts:
Max Barrows is Outreach Director for Green Mountain Self-Advocates, a position he has held since 2007. He mentors youth and adults with developmental disabilities to speak up for themselves and become leaders. GMSA is a lead partner of the Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center. Max leads SARTAC’s technical assistance team assisting local and state self-advocacy organizations across the nation. Max connects with people on all levels advocating for true-inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. In his work, he advances the message that when you meet an individual with a disability, presume competence. He received a White House Champions of Change award for this work in 2015. Max is an accomplished self-advocate from Vermont, who served as a board member for Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered from 2008 to 2016.
Erica R. Thomas, MS is the Health Educator for the Developmental Disabilities Administration Health Initiative (DDAHI), housed at the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities in Washington, DC. She serves as a liaison between family members, health care professionals, and community providers that support people with disabilities. Erica develops and implements health care information curriculum and education sessions on a variety of wellness topics (including sexuality!!!) for people with disabilities and their support teams. When she is not advocating for people with disabilities, she enjoys traveling the world and taking long naps.
Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed. is a national expert and trains individuals, staff, and parents on sexuality and developmental disabilities. She teaches sexuality education to people with DD/ID as well as trains them to be peer sexuality educators themselves. Katherine is the author of an agency and school curriculum, Sexuality Education for People with Developmental Disabilities, and has developed two online courses. One course for professionals, Developmental Disability and Sexuality 101, and the second for parents, Talking to Your Kids: Developmental Disabilities and Sexuality.
Find links to recordings of the first 8 webinars on our Self-Advocates Resources page.