I spent my summer [slowly] binging all three available seasons of Sex Education on Netflix.
If you don’t know what Sex Education is, here is the Netflix summary: “Insecure Otis (played by Asa Butterfield) has all the answers when it comes to sex advice, thanks to his therapist mom. So rebel Maeve (played by Emma Mackey) proposes a school sex-therapy clinic.”
It is a show that makes talking about sex way less taboo, among many other things.
I learned a lot, heard a lot of memorable quotes, and watched more relatable content than I expected. These are all the spastic notes I took while watching the show, things I want to remember/reasons why it gets all the hype.
Sex Education
~ A common theme among the couples Otis helps is the lack of communication. If the couples communicated, the problems wouldn’t need to be brought to a high school sex therapist.
~ They bring up the conversation of most women not being able to orgasm from penetration alone, which I was incredibly happy to see/hear. Sex is a taboo topic, and this aspect of it is an even more taboo subject.
The Actual Show, Sex Education
~ Random, but Asa Butterfield literally doesn’t age; I am forever and always obsessed with his eyes.
~ Jakob (played by Mikael Persbrandt) is such a beautiful, pure man. If I had to pick what my life partner looks like if I get married forty years from now, it would be him. Fresh tattoos and all.
I’m not ashamed.
~ From Jakob and Jean’s (played by Gillian Anderson) relationship, I learned that you can have a connection with someone and have absolutely nothing in common with them. Connection and communication are more important.
~ If I had to pick one thing I didn’t like about the show, besides the annoying antagonist Hope (played by Jemima Kirke), it’s Otis’ creepy pedo mustache from season three.
~ The regression of Moordale Secondary in season three is a resemblance of the current regression of America, which I found scarily funny. It’s also ironic since the show takes place in the UK, but the UK seems to be more progressive than America, especially when it comes to human rights and reproductive rights.
~ Maeve and Otis are the perfect example of right person, bad timing. I smell their happy ending; hopefully my nose is correct.
Oof, Relatable
~ Otis: “Why don’t you want a boyfriend?”
Maeve: “It’s just someone else to let you down.”
~ There was an episode early on in season one with an interracial couple where the girl liked to keep the lights off because she felt incredibly insecure about her body and didn’t want to be taunted, I guess, by her boyfriend. Being a virgin, I envision my first time being similar; whenever I think about my first time having penetrative sex, every scenario includes me being so incredibly insecure and unsure about my partner’s genuine desire to want my body/like my body.
Of course, with the characters in the show, the boy thought the girl was the most gorgeous thing in the world, going beyond her looks.
Memorable Quotes
~ “’You can’t choose who you’re attracted to. You can’t engineer a relationship.’” (literally don’t remember who said this, woops)
~ “’People deserve your whole heart, Otis. If you can’t give them that, it’s better they know. It’s the kind thing to do.’” -Jakob
~ “’Orgasm is not the main goal of sex. You can have fun and be creative.’” -Maeve
~ “‘How do I not become an asshole?’” -Otis asking how not to become like his dad.
~ “’What do you do that makes you feel joy?’” -Jean
~ “’Well, sweetheart, I don’t know if any of us know much about love. We just know we feel it when we feel it.’” -Jean
Like I said, spastic notes.
Being sexually inexperienced, I found it a little difficult to watch Sex Education when I started my binge. However, I watched The Principles of Pleasure, which provided confidence and reassurance about my own sexuality and lack of sexual experience, and overall, made watching Sex Education easier.
This is such a necessary, sex positive show, and I cannot recommend enough that you watch it if you haven’t already.
