The Lack of Education About Sexually Transmitted Infections

The first episode of Sex Education season two opens in absolute chaos, with a mass outbreak of chlamydia [4] at the high school. Or, so we think. Students and teachers alike hysterically make their way around the corridors, wearing face masks to protect themselves from the sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Of course — as the students learn in the episode — you can't catch chlamydia through the air or via casual contact like hugging and kissing. According to the NHS [5], the STI can be spread through sex or contact with infected genital fluids. For example, through unprotected vaginal or anal sex, genital contact, sharing sex toys, and getting semen or vaginal fluid in your eye. While the show presents it in a comic way, the idea that adults and teens alike lack basic education about STIs isn't actually so far-fetched.

"It is amazing that there is still such a lack of understanding of STIs, the way that they are spread, treatments that are available, and safer sex practices," Dr. Christopher Jones, clinical psychologist, sex therapist [6], and creator of the Confessions of a Sex Therapist podcast [7] tells POPSUGAR. "This is partly why there is an increase in chlamydia and gonorrhoea in many places . . . and it is not [only] teenagers who are uneducated on these topics, which is why there is an increase in STIs in nursing home and elderly care facilities."

Florence Discovering Her Asexuality

Sex Education never holds back when tackling topics surrounding sexuality [8]. In the fourth episode of season two, we meet Florence (Mirren Mack); a drama student who has no desire to have sex, ever. After she receives increasing pressure from her friendship group to get busy, she approaches Otis with her so-called problem. Of course, Otis is completely unfamiliar with the notion of asexuality (because he's, you know, not a qualified sex therapist) and offers Florence weak advice including the cliched notion that she just isn't ready. "Try not to think about what other people are doing," Otis says. "Run your own race, and when you meet the right person, I'm sure you'll be ready."

Not only is Otis's advice unhelpful, but it also invalidates Florence's experience by framing her sexuality as merely a phase. Dissatisfied with his advice, she later speaks to Otis's mum Jean (Gillian Anderson), who is a sex therapist, and expresses her concerns, explaining that she feels nothing when she thinks about sex and has no connection to it. "No. I don't want to have sex at all, ever. With anyone." Florence tells Jean. "I think I might be broken." Jean enlightens her on the concept of asexuality — something Florence previously knew nothing about — and explains that "sex just doesn't do it for some people". She finishes with the life-affirming message that "sex doesn't make us whole. And so, how could you ever be broken?"

It's a beautiful and important moment in the show. Put simply, the more we hear about topics like asexuality, the more likely we are to open up a healthy dialogue surrounding them. However, there may be a reason that this is often ignored in the media. "When it comes to asexuality, much more research needs to be conducted in order to understand it more clearly. One of the reasons why the topic is not discussed often is because of the ambiguity surrounding it," says Dr. Jones.

"As it is mentioned in the show, sexuality is fluid – at least this is our current understanding of sexuality," Jones continues. "When it comes to asexuality, a person may go through periods where they are not interested in sexual activity. Later this could change. In this way, I think that asexuality is semi-common, since a lot of factors impact and influence our libido."

Ola's Blossoming Pansexuality

Okay, I'm just going to say it: Ola (Patricia Allison) is hands-down my favourite character in Sex Education. She's funny, self-possessed, and always speaks her mind. Ola fan club, party of one, right here! That's perhaps why it was so hard to watch her and Otis' absolute car-crash of a relationship throughout season two. It's painful. Thankfully, the storyline born out of their eventual breakup is a wonderful revelation for both the show's audience and the character: Ola and Lily's (Tanya Reynolds) interest in one another.

This storyline takes the classic trope of a character realising their best friend is actually "The One" and turns it on its head. In episode four, Ola takes an online quiz and candidly tells Adam (Connor Swindells), "I'm a pansexual, apparently". Recent government research [9] suggests that pansexuality accounts for just 4% of the British LGBT community, so the fact Sex Education chose to include the topic as a storyline with one of the show's main character is a real step forward in terms of representation.

"Pansexuality is a more developed concept of sexuality," says Dr. Jones. "Most people know the terms heterosexual (meaning that the person is attracted to people of the opposite sex), homosexual (meaning that the person is attracted to people of the same sex), and bisexual (meaning they are attracted to people of either sex). "Many people may confuse bisexuality with pansexuality but they are actually very different. The difference comes from understanding the difference between sex and gender. While a bisexual individual may be interested in a person of either sex, a pansexual person is interested in a person regardless of gender."

Addressing the Stigma Surrounding Anal Sex

In episode six, Anwar (Chaneil Kular) — who is an openly-gay member of the school's cool group — subverts our expectations in a scene with his boyfriend, Nick (Tom Atkinson). The two are about to have anal sex for the first time together, but Anwar bolts under the guise of a friendship emergency when Nick questions whether he's already douched. We later learn that Anwar has never had anal sex before, and is embarrassed to admit he doesn't know how to douche.

The storyline is later resolved at a party when the two have a heart-to-heart and Nick reveals that he didn't know how to do "any of that stuff" before either, and offers to show Anwar how it's done. While the teen characters manage to navigate this subject alone, the plot highlights a crucial point about anal sex and a need for better education.

"There is such a lack of education around anal sex," says Dr. Jones. "It is extremely important that increased awareness of safe anal practices becomes readily available. Teaching on this subject really needs to be expanded upon and more sources need to be produced. I believe that understanding how to properly have anal sex in a healthy way will decrease the associated stigma and ease many people's anxiety revolving around it."

Last year, new regulations for teaching Relationships Education and Relationships and Sex Education in England's primary and secondary schools [10] passed through the House of Lords. The legislation comes into effect in September 2020 and means secondary schools have to teach pupils about sexual orientation and gender identity. Additionally, relationship education will be mandatory in all primary schools. Whether this will extend to provide education about safe anal sex — and it absolutely should — remains to be seen.