Autism and Sexual Health
Sex education has long been hot-button issues in the U.S., and people with disabilities face particular challenges in the area of sexual health and education. Many people without disabilities see disabled people, particularly those with mental or developmental disabilities, as “childlike” or innocent, and believe there is no need to provide sex education for them. This attitude places people with autism at a distinct disadvantage. Despite popular perceptions that people with autism unilaterally function at the level of children, functioning varies widely from person to person, and most are curious about interpersonal relationships and how to navigate romances, whether or not they are personally pursuing those relationships. Additionally, many people who are diagnosed as autistic when they are teens or adults have already embarked on romantic relationships, and may already be partnered or married when they receive a diagnosis. However, the ability to “mask” or pass as neurotypical...