Intervention Strategies in ASD: Skills needed to be addressed in preventing school failure and absenteeism - Module 3

4. INFORMAL AND FORMAL SEXUAL EDUCATION

4.1. SEXUAL EDUCATION TOPICS IN AUTISM

Sexuality is something fundamental that allows us to be, to recognize ourselves from the other, with the other. We are sexed beings from the moment of birth.

Today, the habit of silencing and treating sexuality as a taboo subject in people with functional diversity has been left behind.

It is important to make visible the desires, the fantasies since sexuality is present in everyone.

People's sexuality has intimacy as a value and it is important that each person write their own "sexual biography" with their interests, needs, desires, fantasies ... choosing how to express that sexuality.

Sexual language: slang and terms

It is very important to explicitly explain the vocabulary used when referring to different sexual content. Being able to naturally introduce sexuality as a part of life will make them not see it as a taboo subject. Thus, it would be important to make graphic material with them where vocabulary, terms, slang are explained and they can answer questions and doubts.

Sexual diversity:

General Terms: ally, intersexual, LGBTQUIA, SOCIE
Sexuality: sexuality, sexual orientation, asexual, bisexual, lesbian, gay, homosexual, pansexual, queer, straight/heterosexual
Gender: gender, gender identity, gender presentation/expression, gender binary, afab an amab, agender, androgyne, gender blender, bigender, cisgender, cross-dresser, drag kings/queens, enby, gender dysphoria, genderfluid, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, gender variant, non-binary, transsexual/transgender, transition

Sexual biological development: is typically treated as a form of individual development, but sexuality and sexual behaviour have strong links to interpersonal experiences.
Puberty: moment of life when a boy or a girl becomes sexually mature. It is a process that usually occurs between the age of 10 and 14 for girls, and between 12 and 16 for boys. It causes physical changes and affects in different way for boys and girls.
Self erotism/unspoken rules: as we have seen in other modules, people with ASD find it difficult to ask for help and sometimes ask about the anxiety that having to interact socially can generate, for this reason it is necessary to explain their own sexuality issues, such as masturbation and the "rules unwritten "about self-stimulation
Pregnancy/Childbearing: pregnancy, also known as gestation, is the time during which one or more offspring develops inside a woman. Childbirth, also known as labour or delivery, is the ending of pregnancy where one or more babies leaves the uterus by passing through the vagina or by Caesarean section.
On many occasions it is necessary to break the myths that the media, series or movies transmit to the society, since they acquire wrong models, being able to normalize and internalize behaviours
Relationships: explain the free choice of having a partner or not and the social conditioning that this has. In addition, indicate the different types of partners that may be. All this could be supported by possible questions that may arise or hypothetic situations and think how they would act and anticipate it.
Public/Private behaviour- sexual abuse prevention: give clear guidelines to identify situations of abuse and differentiate privacy from private. Talk about consent and how to ask reference people when there are doubts. Explain clearly which phrases would be used in situations of abuse or blackmail.
Pornography: legal aspects, use and difference from reality, not being a model or an example to follow.
Birth control/condom use and sexually transmitted infections (STIs): explain in a practical way or accompanied with material, visually presenting the pros and cons of each contraceptive method, the purpose, uses and generating questions
Prostitution: Practice of having sex with other people in exchange for money or other financial benefits. Explain the possible causes of prostitution and the legal aspects that this entails.
Abortion: Natural or voluntary interruption and premature termination of pregnancy, made before the fetus can survive outside the uterus. Explain causes and consequences, reasons why there are both voluntary and involuntary interruptions of pregnancy. Methods of termination of pregnancy. Legal aspects for a voluntary interruption of pregnancy.

It is important to be able to teach examples and role models in series or movies, as well as youtubers that are of interest to the student with autism, or to people they know, as this will make them pay more attention and have more motivation to learn and learn about their sexuality and that of other people.