Valentining
with Landa Fox
Behavior Bites Podcast - Ep33Feb 14, 2024Do you get uncomfortable talking about sexual health, especially with caregivers?
Do you wish talking about sex was less taboo?
During today’s meal— I speak with a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and Certified Sexual Health Educator about affirming and rights-based sex education, actions we can take to become more comfortable discussing these topics, as well as my dinner guest’s favorite dessert.
*Content warning, we will be talking about sexual health / sexual behavior during this episode.*
-
Amuse-Bouche
What’s your favorite dessert?
Appetizers
How did you get into Behavior Analysis?
Why did people think you were going to become a sex educator?
What does affirming and rights-based sex education look like?
Palate Cleanser
How did you get your name?
Entrees
What’s something you wish you could have told yourself when getting started?
What can BCBAs do in regard to preventative sex ed to decrease the risk of trauma and increase autonomy?
Dessert
How can people get more comfortable speaking about and working on sexual behaviors to then also support access?
Excerpts from the Episode
(*Paraphrased highlights)-
When I was growing up there was this show called, The Sunday Night Sex Show with Sue Johanson. She was this older woman, and I loved that show.
My parents had open conversations with me about sex and relationships. That was always a topic we could talk about. My mom was a nurse, which I think is a common story for people who get into sex education.
So that was kind of what I always wanted to do— and people would be like, Oh, you're gonna be Sue Johanson!
-
You'll never know everything.
That is something I wish I told myself when I was getting started, and it's something I wish I would listen to myself saying out loud right now.
You’re not going to be good at everything. Pick something to try to be good at, but also recognize that when you get into that thing, there's going to be stuff that you still won’t be good at.
Your answers will not be found in JABA.
-
Things like developing impulse control and self regulation skills that are not masturbation or genital stimulation.
I'm fully supportive of masturbation as a self regulation skill, but if that's your only thing, and you combine that with not having access to privacy— then you're just setting somebody up to masturbate in a public place.
That can signal to people that you don't understand the rules around public and private behaviors, sexual expression, or self touching. If somebody is looking to opportunistically take advantage of somebody, they could see a person doing that and be like, that’s a vulnerable person because they don't understand the rules. That can lead to trauma in terms of assault or molestation.
It could also lead to trauma in terms of that person engages in self stimulation at a pool, and they get banned from accessing community spaces. Now they don't have access to peer groups and all of these other things that they would have had before, and they need to be monitored, and maybe the police are called.
ABOUT Landa
Landa Fox, MA, BCBA, Certified Sexual Health Educator
Landa Fox (she/her) is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and Certified Sexual Health Educator living and working in lək̓ʷəŋən (pronounced: Le-Kwung-gen) Territory (Victoria, British Columbia). She is also currently pursuing a Masters in Counselling Psychology.
She has worked in the field of autism and disability support since 2003. Currently, her work focuses on sexual health, relationship, and safety education for autistic and neurodivergent people. Her work often centers around creating and modifying existing sexual health and relationship education to be meaningful, accessible, and inclusive. She also works to create behaviour support plans to address contextually inappropriate sexual behaviour.
All of her work is grounded in principles of harm reduction. She trains caregivers, teachers, staff, and communities about sexual health development and inclusive sex ed. Her special interests within the area of sexual health education include how to promote a culture of consent and body autonomy for autistic children and youth, developing affirming and rights-based sex education, and advocating for access to sexuality and sexual health for everyone.
When she’s not teaching about sex education, she is probably reading a book about sex, bodies, or relationships, reorganizing and recharging her sex toy collection, getting a tattoo, listening to Reba McEntire, or eating dill pickle chips.
CONNECT with Landa
Instagram@positiveconnections@sexedbookreview
@chickseatingchips
Websitespositiveconnections.calinktr.ee/landafoxCBS Program CEs 
Visit my Podcast page to learn more about Behavior Bites!
