Amplifying Voices: Disability Justice and the Future of Sexuality Education in Ontario

Authors

  • Adam Davies Assistant Professor College of Arts, University of Guelph
  • Cameron Greensmith Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University
  • Justin Brass Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, Yorkille University, Toronto, ON
  • Katrina Esteireiro Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON
  • Chelsea Jones Department of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON
  • Kathleen Clarke Faculty of Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON
  • Victoria Martins Mendonca Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC
  • Samantha O'Leary Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
  • John Beaton Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
  • Malissa Bryan Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
  • Orion Neustifter Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, Guelph, ON
  • Shoshanah Jacobs Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Keywords:

Disability; Disability Justice; Sexuality Education; Curriculum; Schooling

Abstract

This article engages with disability justice principles (Sins Invalid, 2015, 2016) as a framework for reconceptualizing school-based comprehensive sexuality education. Through the perspectives of disabled childhood studies and disability studies in education, this article advocates for inclusive and affirming practices and tenets that can guide professional pedagogies and curricular development within and beyond Ontario K-12 schools to cultivate school climates that honour and affirm the identities, experiences, and genders and sexualities of disabled learners. This article provides specific practice-based recommendations through the frame of disability justice principles for professionals and educators in schools.

Author Biographies

Adam Davies, Assistant Professor College of Arts, University of Guelph

Assistant Professor, College of Arts, University of Guelph

Cameron Greensmith, Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University

Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University

Justin Brass, Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, Yorkille University, Toronto, ON

Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, Yorkille University, Toronto, ON

Katrina Esteireiro, Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON

Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON

Chelsea Jones, Department of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON

Department of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON

Kathleen Clarke, Faculty of Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON

Faculty of Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON

Victoria Martins Mendonca, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC

Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC

Samantha O'Leary, Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

John Beaton, Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Malissa Bryan, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Orion Neustifter, Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, Guelph, ON

Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, Guelph, ON

Shoshanah Jacobs, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Published

2025-05-05

How to Cite

Davies, A., Greensmith, C., Brass, J., Esteireiro, K., Jones, C., Clarke, K., … Jacobs, S. (2025). Amplifying Voices: Disability Justice and the Future of Sexuality Education in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 14(1), 71–116. Retrieved from https://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/1211

Issue

Section

Articles