Addressing Inclusive Sex Education at Home: Supporting Parents and LGBTQ+ Youth
Dalmacio Dennis Flores, PhD, ACRN, FAAN
The rights of sexual and gender-diverse youth (i.e., LGBTQ+) to access inclusive and affirming education and care are being challenged in the U.S. Likewise, parents and families with LGBTQ+ adolescents encounter numerous policy and health-related obstacles. This keynote will review the science of family-based sexual health education for LGBTQ+ youth and detail emergent sex education work that centers parents in the inclusive sexual socialization of this youth group. Lessons from Parents ASSIST (Advancing Supportive and Sexuality Inclusive Sex Talks), a video intervention project co-developed with community members, will be shared.
Back to Foundations: Securing the Base for the Future
Dr. Lexx Brown-James
Dr. Lexx presents her keynote presentation to discuss the foundations of the field of human sexuality education, noting our historical missteps and briefly conveying our current socio-educational climate. Most importantly, this talk will address how we can collaboratively build a brighter and more prosperous future by continuing to deliver the necessary sexuality education.
Rethinking Accessible Sex Education: Addressing Language Barriers
Bee Gehman, MEd, CSE, CDI
How accessible could our sexual health lessons become if we eliminated the English language barrier for populations reliant on visual aids for communication? Bee Gehman, a Deaf AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, will delve into the importance of ensuring the accessibility and inclusiveness of your sexuality education, going beyond the simplicity of providing accommodations. Many students may be missing crucial information in sexual health classes due to language barriers. The realm of sexual health education is often limited to individuals with access to resources, means, language, and abilities. Join Bee in exploring creative strategies and approaches that cater to all students, regardless of language proficiency and learning styles.
Sustaining Courage for Action: Building Socially Just Sexuality Education Programs in Political Times
Stephanie Cordo, EdD
Ensuring students receive affirming, anti-racist, inclusive, and sex-positive programming is more important than ever before and, perhaps, requires more courage as students’ identities continue to be politicized. How do we ensure students receive socially just sexuality education when they are immersed in a reality with diminished access to reproductive care, a polarized media landscape, and anti-trans laws on the rise? How do we inspire empowering action when educators face personal and professional risks? Join this presentation to explore what this action might look like and how to sustain the courage necessary to ensure students receive the sexuality education they deserve.