10 Times Sex Education Tackled Deep Issues

Netflix’s Sex Education sensitively explores many teen issues with a unique blend of empathy and humor that makes fans feel seen.

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Content Warning: The following article contains discussions of abortion and sexual assault.

Sex Education is a bonafide hit for Netflix. The show premiered its highly successful season 3 last September and received a season 4 renewal a couple of weeks later. Fans can’t get enough of the students of Moordale High and their romantic dilemmas.

While the show includes several raunchy scenes, it has an emotional core that makes it so popular. In fact, Sex Education often tackles timely and delicate themes with a unique mix of empathy and humor. From sexual issues to teenagers’ everyday struggles, the show has never shied away from asking relevant and critical questions.

10 LGBTQ+ Relationships

Season 3 introduced Cal, a non-binary student who develops a strong bond with Jackson. Through Cal, the show explores some of the everyday issues that non-binary teenagers experience, including the rejection they suffer from others, including their teachers.

Jackson and Cal develop a mutual attraction throughout the season, and though Jackson wants to date them, he struggles with the idea of being in an LGBTQ+ relationship. Exploring sexuality comes with many fears and emotions, so Jackson’s inner conflict is understandable. Cal’s storyline deserved more screentime, including their relationship with Jackson. Perhaps season 4 will shine a spotlight on these two characters.

9 Slut-Shaming

It’s not surprising that a show called Sex Education addresses the pervasive issue of slut-shaming. Many characters suffer accusations from their peers, who look down on them for their sexual practices. The Untouchables call Maeve all sorts of names in season 1, many of which relate to her “reputation.”

However, the show also finds plenty of ways to subvert audiences’ expectations. Season 1’s now-iconic “It’s my vagina” scene was a compelling and effective way of fighting against sexist perceptions of female sexuality. The clinic and Jean’s sessions are further examples of how the show keeps dispelling outdated notions with regard to slut-shaming.

8 Safe Sex Practices

Sex Education devotes considerable time to addressing sexual health. Season 1 had an amusing sequence about putting on a condom, while season 3 had the sexual health clinic scene.

Most refreshingly, season 2 had an extended sequence in which Rahim, one of Sex Education’s most intelligent characters, explains the process of douching. Teenage shows, or any show for that matter, seldomly talk about gay sexuality, so having an openly gay character address it was a bold step in the right direction for representation.

7 Teenage Pressures

A constant theme in Sex Education is whether the characters are ready to have sex or not. In the show’s first episode, Adam talks about his doubts while having sex with Aimee. In season 3, Olivia talks about the pressure she feels to have sex without a condom and how she’s always so afraid of getting pregnant she can’t even focus on enjoying the actual act.

The show’s willingness to address sensitive issues about teenagers’ pressures regarding sexuality makes it unique in current television. The show also provides a space to ask these questions with a mix of humor and honesty.

6 Teenage Pregnancy

One of season 1’s most memorable storylines was Maeve’s discovery that she was pregnant. Poised with a life-altering choice, she does what she believes is best for her and goes to an abortion clinic. The episode is earnest but raw, showing the realities of abortion with delicacy and plenty of empathy.

Teenage pregnancy is a theme that plenty of teenage shows use as a plot device, from Glee to The Secret Life of the American Teenager. However, few shows treat it as honestly as Sex Education. It’s a crucial and powerful episode.

5 Asexuality

Jean is one of Sex Education’s best parental figures, even if her overtly honest approach to life often conflicts with Otis’s shy personality. During season 2, she acts as a sex counselor in Moordale High, providing direct and accurate answers to the students’ questions. One of the most emotional and crucial scenes is when a student comes to her and says she doesn’t want to have sex, ever. Jean takes the time to understand the girls’ feelings before explaining the concept of asexuality.

Jean also dispels a common myth surrounding asexuality by stating that some asexual people still want to form emotional connections and fall in love. She ends her speech by saying that “Sex doesn’t make us whole, so how could you ever be broken?” The scene is short, but it’s one of the few instances when a show discusses asexuality in such an earnest way.

4 Pansexuality

Ola was never a fan-favorite character. Her presence in season 1 and 2 made her seem like an unnecessary obstacle in Otis and Maeve’s love story. However, her relationship with Lily gave fans one of Sex Education’s best couples and provided one of the best portrayals of pansexuality in modern television.

After realizing that she might like Lily, Ola takes the time to understand her feelings before acting on them. She investigates and discovers she’s pansexual, taking the news with relief and happiness. Ola’s journey isn’t as long or intricate as other characters, but it’s still an important one. Not every character needs a big coming-out scene, after all.

3 Self-Discovery

Eric goes through a wild journey in season 1. He starts the show as a confident young man who seems sure of what he likes before suffering a crisis of faith midway through the season. He changes his clothing and behavior, becoming more aggressive and distant, before realizing there’s nothing wrong with how he thinks, acts, or loves.

Like Eric, many teenagers struggle with knowing themselves. Some shy away from their interests out of fear of being ostracized. Others act a certain way to try and fit in with the others. Sex Education shows that in the end, everyone needs to be true to themselves because that’s the only way they will ever be at peace. Eric’s journey is a relatable and emotional exploration of the teenage psyche and one of the show’s most unforgettable storylines.

2 Sexual Experimentation

Lily is one of Sex Education’s best supporting characters. She’s unique in every way, a girl who lives in a world of aliens and sexual escapades. The show never treats her as a joke, though. On the contrary, she’s one of the most colorful and daring characters.

Thanks to her artistry, Lily experiments with her sexuality. The show proves that a teenager can find all kinds of outlets for their sexual ideas and desires. For so long, shows and movies treated penetration as the ultimate way of sexual satisfaction, but Sex Education is changing that outdated notion. Lily is a creator, first and foremost, and the fact that she can combine her sexual interests with her artistry makes her a role model for teenagers.

1 Sexual Assault

Season 2 approached the issue of sexual assault with great care and empathy. Aimee is one of Sex Education’s best characters and seeing her go through such an ordeal was upsetting. The show used its large female ensemble to provide more depth to the storyline.

Season 3 continues Aimee’s path by exploring her resulting PTSD from the ordeal. Many shows fail to accurately represent assault by ignoring its aftermath. However, Sex Education takes the time to explore Aimee’s trauma and provide thoughtful insights into teenagers’ emotions.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/sex-education-serious-subject-matter/