Spring semester is starting to get a little busy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make time for some Netflix. With countless shows and movies at our fingertips, it can be overwhelming to decide what to binge-watch instead of reading the next chapter in your textbook. Luckily, I have watched a lot of shows and am willing to share my wisdom. Out of everything on the streaming platform, the best thing to watch right now is “Sex Education.” Its second season came out a couple of weeks ago with updates on the characters we love and new ones to root for as they figure out how relationships and sex works.
It’s surprisingly realistic
When I first put on “Sex Education,” I was expecting oversexualized scenes and bad sex advice. What you will get instead are scenes that accurately show the blunders and confusion that comes with exploring sex and the complexity that comes with new and old relationships. The second season continues the theme of being real and honest as they explore stories about discovering your sexuality, the fear of being like your parents, dirty talk and friendship. The characters are complex and different from one another in sexuality, ethnicity, gender, ability and class but have the struggle of learning sex and relationships connecting them. The show stays real in keeping the stories light while maintaining painful vulnerability that makes us care about all these characters.
The sex advice is better than what we receive in school
By talking to your friends about their sex education you may discover that you both were taught about abstinence and sexually transmitted diseases. From there, you may learn that your sex education differs greatly. That difference is because sex education is determined by each individual state, and there are no federal mandates that require sex curriculum. Here are some highlights about the United States sex education:
- Only two states mandate sex education.
- Seventeen states require the program to be medically accurate.
- Nine states require the curriculum to provide instruction that is appropriate for a student’s cultural background and that is not biased against any race, sex or ethnicity.
- Three states prohibit promoting religion.
- Washington, D.C. and ten states require inclusive content with regard to sexual orientation.
Thankfully, “Sex Education” picks up the slack with information from Otis and his mother, a sex and relationship therapist, to the confused and lost horny teenagers of Otis’ school. In the newest season, we learn about anal sex, different sexualities, kinks and when relationships are over. These lessons do come with a side of embarrassment from the characters, but the relief they feel when assured that their questions are valid is how we should feel when we leave sex ed in high school.
The ladies are amazing
There are so many characters in this show that it’s hard to choose who you love the most, but there is no argument that all the ladies hold their own. The point is made clearer when later in the season the girls are made to come up with what binds them as women. They go through countless things that they like or dislike and none of them can all agree. It’s the conclusion that they’ve all experienced sexual assault that unites them in anger and sadness but, more importantly, support for one another. The girls have their own individual stories outside of that realization where they learn how to cope with bad mothers, talk to boys, be themselves and overcome their fears. Not only do we see important stories from the teen girls, but also with Jean, Otis’ mother, and Mrs. Groff, Adam’s mother. Usually, mothers in coming of age show hold little importance, but in “Sex Education” we see how sex and relationships change as we age.
“Sex Education” brings laughs to awkward conversations and tears to touching moments. While there are many stories interwoven with the potential to get overshadowed by one, the director does a great job of providing time for all. It shows that all relationships and sexual experiences have importance. Talking about sex in a positive way that provides accurate information can be difficult, but this show gives some insight in destigmatizing a normal activity. “Sex Education” is definitely worth putting aside time to watch this semester.