Meet Claire
Why I teach Sex Ed
I teach sex education because kids deserve support as they learn how to relate to themselves, others, the internet, and Earth.
In 2011, a friend invited me to join a training for her job at a teen clinic. During that training, I felt an immense sense of relief being able to openly discuss sexual health topics with others.
I began working for that clinic and then joined a Planned Parenthood teen theater troupe. After our performances in schools, students shared they felt validated in their experiences growing up, including concerns about puberty, body size, and sexual orientation. For many kids, our performance was their only source of sex ed. I often thought: “why can’t adults get their act together and provide comprehensive sex ed programs in every grade at every school?”
A 2013 article where I was interviewed about a local teen pregnancy prevention program.
My Sex Ed Journey
Years later I completed my undergraduate degree at Oberlin College and spent the next five years teaching a diverse range of subjects to immigrant, refugee, disabled, and neurodiverse students only to return to sexuality education in 2021. I completed my certificate in Sexuality Education at the Antioch University of Seattle and the Our Whole Lives elementary training in 2022. In the spring of 2023 I started Living Earth Sex Ed. In 2025 I became a certified sex educator through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT.) I maintain an active membership in AASECT, Incest Aware, and the National Coalition for Sexual Health. You can learn more about my professional memberships and work experience here.
Me teaching 4-5th graders about reproductive anatomy in 2024.
Why I include the Earth in Sex Ed
I believe keeping youth unaware of their bodies and telling them that their bodies are separate from the land is a core principle of cultures who neglect and exploit the living earth. I named my business “Living Earth Sex Ed” to highlight how the relational skills we learn in sex education extend beyond our relationships with ourselves and others to include our interdependence with the land. Indigenous writers, artists, the Native Youth Sexual Health Network and others enrich my understanding of how sexuality, bodies, and the land are deeply interconnected.
You can learn more about my core values here.
My Ancestral and Family Story
My family and ancestors are from Belgium, Italy, Scotland, and England. Outside of sexuality education spaces, I find joy and meaning in building spiritual practices, reading, and making friends.
Living Earth Sex Ed is brought to life with the help of many entities. You can find a long and loving list of their names here.
Me visiting təqʷuʔmaʔ, Mount Rainier in 2023.