I just want to say, that Sex Education is blatantly queer.

The show is genuinely made for sex education. But it’s not just about sex. It is also about what people identify with and are identified by. Before I watched season 1, I was not even aware of many of the terms used in the LGBTQ community. But the show teaches the meaning of those as well as the struggles which come with being a part of a community generally hated by straight people. Adolescence is a difficult period of life. One moment you’re a child, and nobody expects you to make any decisions. Then, reality comes crashing down. What you thought was true starts changing. Your body starts changing, and your surroundings start changing. Suddenly, everybody expects you to make your own decisions which your entire life depends on, and you’re not allowed to feel lost. If you’re lost, all the adults start coming after you. Adolescence is also the time when you start to discover your body and sexuality. But generally, you don’t get to have a conversation with an experienced person about all your doubts and issues. Of course, times are changing at a fast pace, but professional help is still for the privileged. The teenagers in the show, however, are living in a community which is open to conversations about sex and sexuality. In the process, they are also educating the masses about it. And there’s much to learn from every character in the show.

Let me talk about the characters who particularly stuck with me.

Cal

Cal was a character who taught me that you do not have to change who you are because of others, no matter how important that person may be to you. Cal is a non-binary student who forms a bond with another student, Jackson. They began to slowly develop romantic feelings for each other, but Cal realises that Jackson sees them as a woman and is interested in them because of that. Cal informs Jackson that they do not identify as a woman, and they think it is best if he changes the way he is programmed to view a person just through their gender.

It is stated in feminist theory that gender is a societal construct and even though the phrase is thrown around in the world today, it is true. As Simone de Beauvoir once said, ‘one is not born a woman but becomes one.’. It shows that people are bound to see you in a way which is socially acceptable everywhere. You will be defined as either a man or a woman, and not your sex but your gender identity will decide your role in society. I might have digressed here from the topic, but Cal not identifying as a woman bothers a lot of people, particularly the principal of their school who constantly asks them to wear their clothes a certain way, as a lady.

Florence

Asexuality is probably the least-represented sexual orientation in the mainstream media Through Florence the show tries to bring it into the mainstream. To be honest, before watching the show I was not much aware of asexuality. Through the show, I learned more about it. The scene where Florence explains her struggle and her desire to not indulge in sexual relations is one of the most delicate scenes in my eyes. In the scene where Florence explains that she still wants to find love and Jean explains that the belief that asexual people do not wish to form emotional bonds is wrong. The scene was small and I wish her character could have gotten more scenes or a better storyline, but it is a short and powerful scene and it stuck with me.

Adam

For me, Adam’s journey has been the most interesting. From being the most hated out of all the characters and then becoming one of my favourites, Adam has had a comprehensive development. He starts as the typical bad boy who loves to bully people. But he is a man who is plagued with insecurities and self-loathing, and he does not even realise what he is doing is wrong. He has no self actualisation. He just takes what is thrown at him with no expression on his face. But the show was very careful to nurture his growth, transforming him over time into a young man who is just beginning to understand who he is. The overarching themes of suffering and uncertainty are what make Adam’s story so captivating. The programme didn’t hesitate to call Adam out for his prior transgressions while also giving him time to reflect, accept, and ultimately make amends.

Sex Education’s environment itself conjures up some form of queerness. These characters live in a murky environment that is difficult to define. The humour and attitude toward sex on the show are unmistakably products of British humour. The queerness is craftily woven into the scenes and the type of comedy used in the series. For example, in the second season, there is an episode solely dedicated to anal douching. As I mentioned before, the show is out to educate the masses. Of course, I do not believe that the scene is just targeted at gay men, but also for all who would want to try anal or are already into it and need a little knowledge on the subject.

I would like to leave you all with some food for thought, though. Even though the show is unabashedly queer, why is a straight white man the main character?

Edited by- Gingerjiejie