Sex Ed As Resistance

Sex Ed Fall 2025 Training Program

Given immense historical resistance to sex education in the world from legislation seeking to limit the availability of sex ed in schools to religious based, political and social restrictions imposed on its instruction, this training program was designed with the knowledge that sexual health and wellness is in fact a powerful tool of resistance; intrinsic to any movement toward social justice. The study of human sexuality has for far too long de-centered the voices of those on the margins who have contributed to the field since its inception.

Founded, led and designed by award winning sexuality educator Ericka Hart, the Sex Ed as Resistance Training Program is one of very few Black queer non-binary tgnc led training programs offering comprehensive, trauma informed, consent and pleasure based sexuality education from an anti racist, queer lens.

This live virtual training provides an interactive, communal learning experience featuring credible, scientifically accurate and well researched information inclusive of all genders and sexualities and offers students the opportunity to learn the critical intersections between sexuality, race, gender, disability, and identity while exploring how our personal and political ideals inform our viewpoints around sexual health/sexuality. Here, a rigorous study and uplifting of a wealth of scholarship on content and themes related to gender, sex and sexuality by the global majority is a defining characteristic, not an afterthought.

The United States currently has no mandated training to become a sex educator and many accredited training and college programs are inaccessible due to cost or location, so this training was created in response to and with hopes to fill a gap. Because the work of sex ed is so vital to so many diverse career paths and is such an integral part of our lives, this program has been specifically designed for a wide range of folks across disciplines from sex educators, social workers and therapists, healthcare providers, legal professionals, birth workers, educators (secondary and collegiate), nonprofit professionals to community and political organizers, artists and anyone that has an interest in expanding their knowledge of sex and sexuality.

This course will cover a vast array of topics under the sex and sexuality sun with a Black liberatory, pro-trans, pro sex work and pro abolitionist politic at the forefront. Whether you seek to work in sexual education, sexual health and wellness, reproductive justice, sex tech or any allied fields, whether or not you seek advanced degrees or certification from a credentialing organization, this program is for you.

Through supportive group discussions, readings and lecture, participants will leave feeling more equipped to dismantle oppressive systems in a co-created space, collaborate with others from all over the world and be a resource to their communities in building toward a world that affirms bodily autonomy and justice for all bodies and all people.

When will this training be held?

We are offering a weeknight (Tuesdays AND Thursdays) and weekend (Saturdays and Sundays) option. Please review the options below and indicate on your application which session works best for your schedule.

Attendance is mandatory so please make sure these dates work for you!

Tuesdays and Thursdays
Time: 7pm- 9:30pm EST/4pm- 6:30 PST

September 9th, 11th, 16th, 18th, 23rd and 25th
October 7th, 9th, 14th, 16th, 21st, 23rd
November 6th and 13th

Tuition: $1500

Non refundable deposit due with application: $400 (this amount will be deducted from your overall tuition payment)

Final payment after deposit: $1100

Sliding scale option: $600-$1500

Please choose an amount that works for you within this price range and indicate on your application how much you will pay total (non refundable deposit included).

Example: If you can pay, $600, after submitting your $400 deposit, you would owe a remainder of $200.

If none of these option work for you, scholarships are available. Please indicate your desire for a scholarship on your application.

Application/Enrollment Deadline: July 11, 2025
Finale Payment Deadline: August 8, 2025

Cancellations made by July 18, 2025 will receive a 100% refund. After this date, no cancellations will be refunded under any circumstances but please feel free to reach out about anything extraneous and we’ll do our best to support. Please carefully consider your ability to participate prior to applying.

Your tuition goes toward administrative costs associated with running the program, cover facilitation, curriculum preparation, guest lecturers, instructors, etc. and payments above the minimum sliding scale allow us to offer scholarships to anyone who needs it.

Saturdays and Sundays
Time: 11am – 5pm EST/8am -2pm PST

September 13th and 14th
September 20th and 21st
October 4th and 5th
October 11th and 12th
October 25th and 26th

We will take ample breaks throughout the weekend.

Tuition: $2100

Non refundable deposit due with application: $400 (this amount will be deducted from your overall tuition payment)

Final payment after deposit: $1700

Sliding scale pricing options below:

Option 1: $1800 – Once you have paid your $400 deposit, your total balance will be $1400.
Option 2: $1400 – Once you have paid your $400 deposit, your total balance will be $1000.
Option 3: $1000 – Once you have paid your $400 deposit, your total balance will be $600.

Please indicate what amount will work for you on your application after paying the non refundable $400 deposit.

If none of these option work for you, scholarships are available. Please indicate your desire for a scholarship on your application.

Application/Enrollment Deadline: July 11, 2025
Finale Payment Deadline: August 8, 2025

Who is this for:

Social workers
Sex educators and therapists (and those who are looking to become sex educators and therapists)
Healthcare providers
Counselors
Birthworkers
Community/political organizers
Educators (elementary, secondary and collegiate)
Legal professionals
Media professionals
Artists
Non-profit professionals
Sex workers
Sex toy shop staff and owners and other sex tech professionals
Anyone that has an interest in expanding their knowledge of sex and sexuality

If I am not in the US, can I join?:

Absolutely, welcome- this is a global program. Most of the instruction will have a United States lens and will be in English, but all frameworks can be applied globally.

Topics that will be covered:

Anatomy
Sex ed for all ages
Sex and disability
Compulsory sexuality and heterosexuality
LGBTQIA+ competency
Desire
Relationships- friendships, romance (monogamy and non-monogamy) and family
Gender
Pregnancy and Abortion
Reproductive Justice
STIs/STDs
Fat liberation and body image
Sex toys
Kink/BDSM
Consent, harm reduction and risk awareness
Sexual violence
Sex ed careers
Prison abolition

Through supportive group discussions, readings and lecture, participants will leave feeling more equipped to dismantle oppressive systems in a co-created space, collaborate with others from all over the world and be a resource to their communities in building toward a world that affirms bodily autonomy and justice for all bodies and all people.

Application Form

FAQs

We are a small team fielding a high volume of inquiries, so I highly recommend reading the FAQ below to get some answers to common questions we anticipate and reach out to [email protected] for any other queries you may have. Due to the volume of emails we receive, expect a response within 72 hours or less.

Do I need prior knowledge to attend?

No, this training program has no specific content or educational requirements/prerequisites for participation as it is designed to be accessible to a wide range of folks at varying levels of exposure to these themes—from veteran sexuality educators working in academia to folks simply interested in exploring comprehensive, evidence based, scientifically sound, anti-racist, gender inclusive, queered sex and sexuality education as a resource for their own personal and professional journey.

Do I get a certificate after completing the training?

Yes, you will receive a certificate from us at the completion of the training that commemorates our time together. Lots of sexuality education training programs make use of credentialing from various licensing/certifying bodies and some of them do not. This program can support an array of personal and professional paths, from current or former undergrad or graduate school students, folks with or without HS diplomas and GEDs all the way to those who believe certification and continuing education credits are an important or necessary part to their particular field of interest. We can provide vetted resources to those who wish to undergo the process of certification (which can oftentimes be cumbersome) to help them do so with guidance and ease.

Will I get one-on-one time with the instructor?

Yes, there will be one-on-one time for questions or assistance with the coursework, questions on personal life challenges as it relates to sex and sexuality, as well as career/professional development/consultation opportunities. More info included at the start of classes.

Is this program accessible/what are the accessibility measures?

Yes! It is virtual, every session will have closed captioning, a live chat feature, transcripts available and for any other accessibility needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Do I need to have my camera and microphone on?

No, you do not need to have your camera and microphone on; however please carefully note that this program is designed to be an interactive and participatory learning space so participation is required. It just does not have to look one way.

Who is this for?

Social workers, sex educators and therapists (and those who are looking to become sex educators and therapists), healthcare providers, counselors, birthworkers, community/political organizers, educators (elementary, secondary and collegiate), legal professionals, media professionals, artists, non-profit professionals, sex workers, sex toy shop staff and owners and other sex tech professionals, and anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of human sexuality from a queer, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, trauma informed and pleasure based lens and who want to be a sound, credible resource in this area for their communities.

Format for the training?

Zoom speaker view/meeting, NOT webinar

Are there quizzes and exams?

Yes, there will be assessments but it’s just used as a way for you and I to gauge whether or not the course facilitation and materials are beneficial to multiple styles of learning as well as to see where there are gaps you and I can fill collectively. But, this is the least important aspect of the course, you will not be graded.

If I am not able to join this session, will there be others in the future?

Yes, sign up for the newsletter at www.ihartericka.com or follow me on Instagram @ihartericka to stay updated on future training sessions.

Can I have my staff participate in this training?

Non profits, orgs and businesses who wish to have staff attend this training and/or are financing this training on behalf of their staff, please email [email protected] for more details.

What resources will I have access to during and following the training?

Course materials
Additional recommended reading list and materials
Network of fellow participants, peers and colleagues
Follow up consultation with Ericka for personalized guidance
Feedback, skill sharing, mentorship, advice, guidance in a supportive group environment
Synchronous learning modules

What is the cancellation/refund policy?

Testimonials

See what people are saying about Sex Ed As Resistance and the work of Ericka Hart. Want to go deeper? Visit our Testimonials page for more praise.

“Ericka’s work is deeply, heartbreakingly personal, while being grounded in an ethics of service to her community. She can woo an audience of skeptical 5th graders, but behind her addictively and disarmingly engaging style is a rigorous academic mind. She is a joyful survivor and a uncompromisingly fierce dancer. She is a soft and unstoppable force of nature. If any of that seems like a contradiction, then you haven’t met Ericka. A mistake you should remedy as soon as you possibly can.”

Harmony Leanna Eichsteadt

“I was more than delighted when Ericka agreed to present in my course: Sexuality Across Communities of Color. She left a lasting experience for my students who shared that she opened their minds to thinking about sexuality, media messages and medical care. She is a professional and dynamic presenter who makes knowledge accessible, applicable, and available for learners. “

Dr. Lexx, LMFT, CSE, President of AASECT

“Germantown Friends School (GFS), an independent Quaker school in Philadelphia, invited Ericka as a speaker for their yearly SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) assembly. Ericka spoke to 350+ students and faculty about her life and its many intersections that shape the activist and educator she is today. Her speech titled “Where are all the Black people?” ended with a powerful message about inclusion and lifting up marginalized voices, something that GFS students and faculty strongly connected with, especially as the school’s transgender and gender nonconforming student policies and gender neutral bathrooms were being instated in the same month. After the 30-minute speech, Ericka received a well-deserved standing ovation from the entire auditorium. She changed more than a few lives that day and we anticipate bringing her back again.”

Jenna Emerson, M.Ed, Health Educator at Germantown Friends School

“Ericka is a dynamic, relatable and engaging speaker. She was the guest speaker at our very first Breast Cancer fundraising gala and we were honored that she was a part of such a moment. The freedom with which she shared her story allowed our breast cancer survivors to find solace, support and a real advocate. On and off the stage Ericka was able to engage with the audience and continued to be a powerful influence. Her voice is one that we don’t always have an opportunity to hear on a large platform and our audience and partners welcomed her authentic energy. Her voice broke the silence, empowered the masses and challenged the status quo. Ericka Hart’s ability to bring people together while simultaneously breaking down barriers is the best way to define her presence at our Pink Gala.”

Project Pink, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

“I just finished your Gender 101 course, and wanted to thank you for giving me the courage to finally “come out’ (I don’t really like that term, but sort of at a loss/ can’t find another phrase that fits) and affirm my pronouns as she/they. I finally edited my Insta bio probably ten seconds after your class (baby steps hah).

Can’t wait to take another course in the near future.”

Maddy M.

“Thank you so deeply for the Racial and Social Justice 101 webinar. I keep thinking back on it in the weeks that have passed since. You’ve expanded my existing knowledge, have challenged me to re-think some aspects, and have presented a complex intersectional analysis in an inclusive and accessible way.

Thank you for the healing work that you do.”

Renee Ra

“Ericka Hart’s Sex Ed as Resistance course not only covers current sexuality, gender, and health topics, but more importantly tackles these topics through the lens of the history of imperialistic, American and capitalistic systems. This course should be mandatory for anyone doing work within or adjacent to sex education!”

Erin Tillman