Teacher Byrd

Teacher Byrd from Sex Ed with Byrd is the only sexuality and relationship professional who is an expert in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) and Long COVID. 
 

My journey as a sexuality professional specializing in these conditions began with a deeply personal and frustrating experience—one that mirrors the challenges faced by countless others living with chronic illness. I started feeling symptoms long before I had a name for what was happening to my body. Fatigue, pain, brain fog, and a host of other inexplicable symptoms became a part of my everyday life, but despite visiting multiple doctors, I couldn’t find anyone who could explain what I was experiencing. Worse, many of them didn’t believe me at all, suggesting it was "just stress" or something psychological. This dismissal is a reality that far too many people with chronic conditions face: not only do their symptoms go untreated, but their experiences are invalidated, leaving them feeling isolated and unheard.

For a long time, I felt trapped in this cycle of searching for answers while being told that nothing was wrong. It wasn't until much later that I discovered my condition had a name—Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)—a debilitating illness that is still widely misunderstood in medical communities. This experience of not being believed or properly diagnosed deeply influences the way I approach my work now. I know how difficult it can be to advocate for yourself when your body doesn’t fit into clear-cut medical definitions, and this is something I bring into my practice.

Having lived through this experience, I’ve become not just a sexuality professional, but an advocate for those whose realities aren’t always acknowledged by the medical world. My approach is to create a space where clients feel validated, heard, and supported in their experiences—whether it’s their sexual health or their overall wellbeing. This personal understanding shapes my commitment to helping others navigate sexuality in the context of chronic illness, while also empowering them to reclaim pleasure, intimacy, and connection on their own terms, despite the challenges they face.
Lived experience expertise is something vastly important in today's society. So while I am not a doctor nor a researcher specializing in ME/CFS nor Long COVID, I feel as though lived experience and independent research are as, if not more, important in the sexuality education context.