Summer sex-ed: Reads, shows & podcasts to devour
School might be out, but sex-ed doesn’t take a summer break. As the pace slows down, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite recommendations from the past year - books, films, articles and podcasts that got us thinking, laughing, and learning.
Every week in our newsletter, we spotlight culture and art that tackle sex education in fresh and inspiring ways. It’s our way of celebrating the stories that help spark better conversations about sexuality, relationships, and everything in between.
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In the meantime, scroll down for our summer picks - and let us know what you’re diving into!
📖 Read
Intimacy Coordinator Ita O’Brien (Normal People, Sex Education) reveals how on-screen sex shapes real-life connection — and how we can rebuild intimacy with care, consent and authenticity. A behind-the-scenes look at changing pop culture and changing how we relate to each other.
Roses for Hedone: On Queer Hedonism + World-Making Through Pleasure, Prishita Maheshwari-Aplin
By SB friend + advisor! Roses for Hedone explores queer hedonism as a transformative force - rooted in joy, resistance, + connection- that reclaims humanity + imagines a more just, hopeful future.
Mask Off: Masculinity Redefined, JJ Bola
A go to for the SB team. Using examples of non-Western cultural traditions, music + sport, JJ Bola shines light on historical narratives around manhood, debunking popular myths along the way.
Shon Faye's Love in Exile is a memoir that intertwines her personal experiences with a critical examination of how society views love.
Jessica DeFino’s regular beauty column in the Guardian, ‘Ask Ugly’
Jessica also offers a refreshing critique of the industry in her Substack ‘The Review of Beauty’.
A Parent’s Guide To Asexuality
We get a lot of questions about asexuality, especially from parents! This handy guide is a great place to start for understanding what asexuality is + common misconceptions around it.
Ruby Rare's 'A Sex-Ed Guide for Adults'
This is our all time favourite sex-ed book from the wonderful Ruby Rare. For all of us who never had good sex-ed or just want a friendly guide to sex. It's a classic!
Disobedient Bodies by Emma Dabiri
An incredible look at how capitalist and colonial systems shape and police our ideas of beauty and bodies. Use it to explore capitalist beauty ideals, body politics and power, and redefining beauty beyond appearance.
📺 Watch
How Sexual Violence Is Normalised, Teach Us Consent
Anthony Stefanos, Angie Wan, Gina Martin, and Emerson Brophy unpack how r*pe culture is built - and what we can do to dismantle it. Honest, practical, and myth-busting.
Another shout out for this mini series from Brook. We love resources which capture the nuance of sexual experiences.
An original + emotional low-budget British musical film by Janis Pugh set in industrial North Wales about many forms of love + care between women. TW: Rated 15, strong language and mentions of abuse. Rentable on BFI + included in Now subscription.
'When Sex Goes Wrong' YouTube series
Brook has made an excellent series of animations about stories about sexual experiences that don’t go to plan. It is really important to help understand the difference between non-consensual sex vs. mediocre or messy experiences which will always happen, even with the best RSHE in the world!
🎧 Listen
On Trial for Having an Abortion
Nicola Packer, with Guardian north of England correspondent Hannah Al-Othman, describes her four-and-a-half-year ordeal after being prosecuted for having an abortion in the UK.
How to speak to men who have an unhelpful view of Masculinity, The Blindboy Podcast
The Blindboy Podcast is an unusual mix of surreal storytelling, social commentary, + psychology, delivered in a soothing, rambling monologue - for those who want to try something a bit different!
Another ep of our favourite podcast! This one is an excellent explainer of Ozempic + some of the challenges it poses to society.
Hosted by Ciaran Thapar, author, youth worker + Director of Public Affairs + Communications at YEF – Safe is a conversation about violence affecting children and young people with those working to stop it.
Missing Pieces: The Lesbian Mothers Scandal
A sad + important part of British history rarely spoken about or acknowledged - this radio programme investigates the impact of homophobic unfair rulings in 70s-90s directed to lesbian mothers, who had their children removed from their care.
The show where you get the queer + trans history that's not taught in school. From the cross-dressing history of pirates, to exploring roots of the language used today: there's something for everyone in here.
Resources
Looking for more sex-ed resources?
Check out our website for practical tools, fresh approaches, narratives, safeguarding guidance, subject-specific content and more.
We’ve curated resources for both educators and young people - designed to spark conversation, build confidence and support meaningful learning.
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