“Sex Education” Season Two Is A Champion of Inclusivity

Patricia Allison and Tanya Reynolds in "Sex Education"

Season two of Netflix’s Sex Education is charmingly awkward, brilliantly funny, and completely and utterly binge-worthy. It’s also one of the most inclusive shows available for streaming.

The concept of Sex Education is simple. Sex is everywhere. Everybody thinks about it, everybody is curious about it, and when you’re a teenager entering the big wide world of sex for the first time, sex can be bloody terrifying. The show deals with all of these things alongside the awkward way dating and sex are navigated. It’s a show not just about what are bodies do and how we can use them, but how to respect our bodies and other people’s. If your sex education at school consisted of seeing a diagram of the female and male anatomy, you could probably do with brushing up your sex knowledge through this quirky, ruthless show.

What really stands out about season two, however, is its approach to inclusivity. The show addresses more underrepresented sexual orientation like bisexuality and pansexuality. It also sensitively delves into the concept of asexulaity. When Jean Milburn is made the official sex therapist at Moordale, he is approached by students who are worried that they are not attracted to anyone. “I think I might be broken,” Florence confesses. In an age where everything seems to be about sex, it is refreshing to see sexuality approached from a new angle, dismantling preconceptions.

What’s more, the show addresses issues that most of us have not even thought about before. Season two explores what it can be like dating as a disabled person and it does not shy away from the issues of consent. In one powerful scene, Aimee encounters a man on the bus who sexually harrasses her. She laughs it off but in the end but in the end, she is left traumatized by the encounter. Scenes like this are a reminder of the complexity of the #metoo movement. It’s a testament to the writers’ fresh and sensitive take on modern issues that all of us are affected by.

Overall, season two of Sex Education is not just brilliant, it’s deeply important. It accurately portrays the complexities of queerness and sexuality in a way that helps the audience look at the issues in new ways. It’s funny, charming, and we recommend it to anyone who ever felt let down by their sex education in school.

5/5