If you’ve been on social media or talking about your latest favorites with friends recently, you’ve most likely heard the hype surrounding Netflix’s “Sex Education.” With season two released on Netflix in January, the conversation surrounding the show has resurfaced— and for good reason.
The show follows Otis, a teenager whose mother is a sex and relationship therapist, and his experiences in adolescence. He joins forces with his friends Maeve and Eric to form a secret business in which he offers sex advice to his peers. As the title suggests, the show focuses on sex and what the school systems lack to teach in their sexual education programs, but the other elements of the story are what make it so compelling. The way in which sex, sexuality, and a multitude of other issues featured throughout the show are framed and written is incredibly eloquent yet nonchalant, making the show very educational while still being a hilarious, heartwrenching, genuine coming-of-age TV show.
The level of LGBTQ+ representation in “Sex Education” is revolutionary. Characters from a multitude of sexual orientations are represented while still possessing complex character traits and free-standing narratives unrelated to sexuality. From pansexual, asexual, bisexual, gay and more, the writers on “Sex Education” are changing the narrative of the classic token “gay” character, and directing the focus to representation of the LGBTQ+ community within complex, well-developed characters.
In the new season, a multitude of issues unrelated to sex is included, broadening the scope of issues the show tackles. A new character with a wheelchair discusses the lack of accessibility in public spaces for those with disabilities. Characters struggle with drug and alcohol abuse and mental health struggles, including self-harm. Others experience sexual assault, and the show normalizes the recovery process.
Family dynamics are explored through various lenses including single-mother households, single father households and two mother households. Health issues like vaginismus and various STDs are destigmatized. Both romantic and platonic relationships are explored and represented in a healthy, realistic manner. This multitude of issues are extremely relatable for viewers, yet are rarely represented or spoken about in a positive, informative light. The writers of “Sex Education” are transforming the way in which television shows present such issues to the viewer and include them in storylines.
If you’re looking for a show that has an incredible soundtrack, beautiful cinematography and aesthetics, and is altogether emotionally compelling, informative, entertaining, funny, uplifting and progressive, you don’t want to miss out on “Sex Education.”