When Sex Education first arrived on Netflix, it was a horny breath of fresh air. While most shows focus more on the romance side of things, this comedy-drama focuses on the embarrassing hook-ups, awkward first dates, and all of the questions we had as teens that never got answered. Seeing sex portrayed in this way is fresh and exciting, and season one reassured most of us that we are “normal” after all.
Season two, however, takes things up a notch. Rather than focusing primarily on cisgender and straight relationships, the show shines a lot on queerness, bisexuality, and pansexuality. It explores new characters with new desires and reminds us that sexuality is not a one-size-fits-all. LGBTQ+ romances are all too often portrayed in a narrow way, and Sex Education reminds us of the growing spectrum of queerness.
Arguably the most powerful storyline of all is Florence and her struggle with asexuality. All too often, LGBTQ+ storylines are visited in terms of sexual chemistry, only many people that identify as LGBTQ+ are not interested in the sexual side of romantic relations at all. In a powerful scene, Florence confesses to Jean that she has no sexual attraction to any of her classmates. She fears she might be broken and Jean brilliantly replies: “Sex doesn’t make us whole, so how could you possibly be broken?”
Florence’s storyline explores the different possibilities available for those who are interested in romantic relations but are not interested in sex. Most importantly though, it acknowledges that asexuality is valid. This is something that has all too often be overlooked by writers.
Overall, season two of Sex Education is just as witty and just as gripping as season one. The characters get themselves into some brilliantly funny situations, only the sensitivity when it comes to dealing with these situations has been turned up a notch. The show sets itself in a league of its own as being one of the only shows to properly portray asexuality and the scope of queerness. And for that reason alone, it may well be one of the most important shows available for streaming right now.
5/5
