The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive
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Autism Society records most keynote and concurrent sessions at their annual conferences. You can see and hear those recordings by purchasing full online access, or individual recordings.
8377 SEXUALITY AND THE SPECTRUM: LESSONS ON SEX, DATING AND LOVE AUTISM STYLE
Thursday, July 9, 2015: 2:45 PM-4:00 PM
Room Number: 110 (Colorado Convention Center)
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Individuals on the autism spectrum are sexual beings, yet we are not taught the necessary skills to be successful in sexual relationships. This workshop uses a firsthand perspective to highlight the need for education in this area, and provides strategies for parents and professionals to properly and effectively address these issues.
Individuals on the autism spectrum are sexual beings, yet we are not taught the necessary skills to be successful in interpersonal romantic relationships. It is a challenging subject for parents and professionals to address, but it is vitally important that it be talked about. Like neurotypicals, people on the spectrum have a sense of sexual identity, even if it cannot be fully articulated. A firsthand personal narrative from a woman on the autism spectrum gives an inside perspective and a voice to this identity, and offers lessons on both the triumphs and heartbreaks of young adulthood. The idea of individuals on the spectrum as sexual often conjures an image of victimhood, but one of the goals of this workshop is to teach participants not just how to prevent persons on the spectrum from being victimized, but how to empower us as sexual beings. This workshop interweaves a personal story with strategies and starting points for dialogue with individuals on the spectrum and their loved ones, and emphasizes the need to recognize people on the spectrum as fully realized human beings who are capable of engaging in and enjoying romantic relationships.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss ways to understand the biological and mental sexual development of individuals on the autism spectrum, and how it may differ from that same development in neurotypical individuals
- Relate ways to understand the differences between girls and boys on the autism spectrum and the challenges faced as individuals on the spectrum encounter adolescence, puberty and young adulthood
- Discover ways to provide strategies for parents and professionals to best address issues of sexuality with their children and students
Content Area: Personal Perspectives
Presenters:
Amy Gravino, M.A., CAS
Autism Consultant and College Coach
A.S.C.O.T. Coaching, LLC
Amy Gravino is a Certified Autism Specialist and president of A.S.C.O.T. Coaching. Ms. Gravino is an autism consultant, college coach, speaker, and author. She has her Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Caldwell University and has served on the boards of Autism Speaks and the Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation.
Lorin Neikirk
Self-Advocate
Lorin Neikirk is a self-advocate with Asperger's. Known for her AspieFriendly educational books and programs, public speaking and advocacy, she sheds light on improving the quality of life for individuals on the spectrum, as well as neurological processes she calls Autistic Logic™.
