People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can be LGBTQ+ and we should be able to express our genders and sexualities. We are just like everyone else and we deserve support to be ourselves!

This guidebook is about understanding the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We wrote this guidebook for supporters, such as family members and service providers, so that they can learn how we want to be treated and supported.

We believe that LGBTQ+ self-advocates are experts on their own lives. This guidebook was written by Pauline, Nora, and Oscar from the Rainbow Support Groups. The information is based on our personal and professional experiences, and interviews with 23 LGBTQ+ adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

You can read this guidebook now by clicking through the arrows and sections on the website. We believe this guidebook could change your life. Thank you for reading!

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[–] irotsoma@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

One reason I will never get an official Autism diagnosis as a trans/non-binary pansexual, relationship anarchist. It becomes a way for people and governments to legally take away your rights including who I can have a relationship with (platonic, romantic, sexual, etc.), what medications I can take, how I can modify my body (medically, tattoos, piercings, etc.), what I can wear, what mental healthcare providers I can see, and so much more. And with no treatments to go with the diagnosis, there's no advantage to having it anyway.