This is about the vibrant, engaging, powerful new video series that is a guide to practical sex education for people with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities. I have a daughter with Down syndrome.
Having been raised with disabilities myself and been part of the extremely high percentage of deaf children and youth who are sexually abused, my biggest fear in bringing my daughter into the world was that she would be abused.
Nine years into my parenting journey and this remains a fear of mine.
I know I am not alone in this: every parent of an individual that I have met with Down syndrome, indeed, every parent of a person with an intellectual or developmental disability that I have ever met, has voiced this concern.
That is why I was over-the-moon-happy about this new video series that I saw online.
A New Free Video Series on Sex Education for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
This practical sex education program teaches everything related to sex. It goes far and away from “good touch, bad touch” types of series. This free video series is excellent. It’s snappy, on-point.
What the Series Covers
This series, hosted by people with intellectual disabilities, covers the explanation of genitals, our bodies, the difference between sex and gender. It talks about masturbation, healthy relationships, how to leave a relationship, the use of condoms, safer sex and what that means.
Even controlling relationships and the balance of power is covered, which I think is so important.
The hosts are diverse, representing different disabilities as well as races. All videos are beautifully captioned, and produced in short 2-minute max bursts.
The videos felt empowering to me, they felt respectful, kind. They also delivered their truths cleanly and succinctly.
These videos are so well done that I wanted to learn more about how they were produced and created. I interviewed Cara Liebowitz, whose brainchild they were, at the end of this post.
You can read all about how they came to be, and with lots of glorious links to more resources and information.
But first, here is a video:
The video above is the concluding video of the series, and the images below are linked to the discussion guides.
The link to the full series playlist is here.
The sex education program discussion guides for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are available in 3 formats:
- plain English with graphics (like a power point, but in plain English)
- plain text with no graphics
- word doc with no graphics
This series is the brainchild of Cara Liebowitz (whom I featured as an original Cool Cat back in 2013)!
I really like and admire Cara, and I like her sensibilities, her natural barometer for what is solid or not.
Here is an interview in which Cara answers some questions about how the series came to be, and offers us more information about the production and creation of the series.
Whose brainchild was this video series on sex education for people with intellectual disabilities?
What was the impetus behind creating the series?
Who wrote this sex education information series?
Who produced this sex education program for people with intellectual disabilities?
Was this sex education project financed by any particular fund or a source that is worth mentioning?
Who are the stars and the narrators in this practical sex education series?
Where to Find the Videos
The videos are available at https://www.youtube.com/
Discussion Guide for the Video Series
The discussion guide is available at https://www.ncil.org/sex-

Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
Thank you so much for this Meriah. I am a Victim Advocate at a non-profit organization in Florida. I am launching sexual assault support groups for individuals with IDD, and I keep trying to find a basis of the curriculum, or ideas that can help me build it. Your video posts are amazing. It’s definitely something I want to show in some of the classes I do.
That’s so wonderful, such a necessary endeavor, Anjali. I’m glad it’s helpful.