Reasons Why Sex Education is The Netflix Series We Needed
Last week Sex Education was released and hit all our Netflix screens. The British series follows two best friends, Otis and Eric and a bunch of horny teenagers who are all on a sexual journey. They’re finding themselves, doing themselves, oh and of course.. other people.
Otis’ sex therapist mum, played by Gillian Anderson, is the inspiration behind Otis and Maeve’s extracurricular “sex clinic”.
I really enjoyed the show, so it only made sense for me to sing it’s praises by sharing what made it groundbreaking for me.
Now this should go without saying, but for those who don’t know this will include many spoilers. So hurry up, watch it and then return!
So exactly why was Sex Education the teen series we needed?
Well, because they normalised and highlighted situations we don’t often see in reality and on TV.
- The bromance relationship between Otis and Eric.
This is something which isn’t commonly seen on TV, so it was refreshing.
–
2. Women standing up for other women.
Come on now, say it with me “No, it’s my Vagina”.
A very powerful scene shared by the girls of Mooredale, where they all stood up during an assembly to stand by Ruby, after a photo of her vagina was leaked.
Once again ..it’s my vagina.
3. Highlighting that men should care about what a woman wants in the bedroom.
We love Steve, because Steve isn’t into the sexual theatrics that have been ingrained into women due to the popularity of pornography. We saw this when he asked his new girlfriend Aimee what she really liked during sex.
4. It normalises masturbating and the importance of it, especially for women.
Believe it or not but many women still find the thought of masturbating “dirty” and unnecessary, especially if they’re already sleeping with someone regularly.
We saw Aimee finally take time to understand her body and what brings her pleasure after a bit of help from Steve and a talk from Otis.
5. Tackling body image and how some of us feel when getting naked with our partners during sex.
Otis’ clinic wasn’t too shabby. He did succeed in helping some of his classmates with their bedroom issues. One of his better couples sessions being when he sat a hetero couple back to back in a bathtub at a house party, and made them share exactly what they liked about each other and themselves.
Typically, what we usually see in the movies are two sexually confident people who are about to have sex with the lights on and although that narrative exists it’s not always the case. However, in Sex Education we see a real teen girl, with real teen worries when having sex.
6. Conversation around vaginismus.
I’m sure we were all rooting for Lily to lose her virginity. I know I certainly was. In the last episode of Sex Education she realises that her body isn’t responding sexually the way she’d hoped, causing issues for penetrative intimacy otherwise knows as vaginismus.
Vagismus is described as an “ involuntary contraction of muscles around the opening of the vagina in women with no abnormalities in the genital organs. The tight muscle contraction makes sexual intercourse or any sexual activity that involves penetration painful or impossible.”
Vaginismus isn’t often spoken about on mainstream TV. In fact, I’m positive this is the first time I’ve ever heard it mentioned, so kudos!
7. Men talking about consent.
“No, means no” Otis uses his clinic to help teach one of his male patients that when a woman makes it clear she’s not interested, it’s best to believe her.
Consent is a topic which needs to be thrown into storylines more to help educate both men and women, especially since sadly still so many people in reality are still getting it wrong.
8. Condoms.
Seeing how well prepared Lily was, when she wanted to have sex with Otis was amazing, even during the first scene when Aimee took off Adam’s condom to discover he didn’t quite finish.
It’s vital that the same media which glamourises sex, also glamourises the importance of contraception.
What’s more sex positive than safe sex? Nothing!
9. Women are okay with having casual sex.
When Maeve told Jackson she was fine with just enjoying a sexual relationship, he found himself in for shock, causing him to go over and beyond to make her his.
This shows women being okay with casual sex and not dying for anything more, it’s refreshing compared to all of the storylines written in Hollywood, where women can’t have sex without desperately wanting to title the nature of the relationship.
Bloody oxcytocins.
10. How slutshaming can affect women.
Although society is becoming more progressive, it still doesn’t change the fact that we have a long way to go, especially when it comes to the sexuality and reputation of a young girl.
Maeve explains why other students call her “cock biter”, after a guy lied about receiving a blowjob from her when she was 14 years old.
Slutshaming is not cool.
Overall the series was brilliantly made and I personally can’t was to see what season 2 will bring.
What did you enjoy most from Sex Education?
