Sexual Health Awareness Month 2025

September is Sexual Health Awareness Month, a time to spotlight the importance of open, honest conversations about sex, relationships, consent, and safety. But one group is regularly left out of the conversation: adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

This silence isn’t accidental, and it isn’t harmless.

There’s a widespread and damaging belief that adults with I/DD aren’t sexual, or that they shouldn’t be. Some people treat them as if they’re perpetual children. Others worry that talking about sex will put them at risk. In reality, it’s the lack of education that does the most harm.

Adults with I/DD have the same rights as anyone else to understand their bodies, form relationships, and express themselves. They are sexual beings with desires, needs, boundaries, and identities. Denying them sex education not only disrespects their autonomy, it puts them at risk.

When adults with I/DD don’t receive clear, comprehensive sex education, they’re more vulnerable to abuse. They may not have the language to describe what happened, or even recognize that something was wrong. Without a foundation of knowledge, it’s harder for them to advocate for themselves or navigate dating and relationships safely.

Sex education helps people understand consent, communication, pleasure, and personal rights. It builds confidence. It teaches how to set boundaries and respect others’. It helps people recognize healthy relationships and how to walk away from unhealthy ones. That’s true for everyone, including people with disabilities.

What does good sex education look like for adults with I/DD? It’s consistent and accessible. It uses plain language and visual supports. It includes topics like consent, body safety, identity, dating, decision-making, and yes, pleasure. It’s inclusive, affirming, and rooted in the belief that people with I/DD deserve full, safe, and empowered lives.

During Sexual Health Awareness Month, we’re reminded that sexual health is about more than just preventing harm. It’s about honoring the whole person and their choices, their relationships, and their right to lead a self-directed life.

Sex education isn’t a luxury. It's a right. For everyone.