Sadly, the sex education we are offered during high school is often sorely lacking, and often colleges do little to fill this gap. Growing up in the UK, my memory of Sex-Ed included the District Nurse excusing the boys from the classroom while she showed the girls tampons and pictures of armpit hair. (Erm) Oh, and being told it’s possible to contract chlamydia in your eyes (which is true!). Not exactly comprehensive.
Even worse, some schools still only take a very narrow approach that approaches heterosexual and penetrative sex, leaving anyone not cis-gender and straight left out of the conversation. The truth is proper sexual and reproductive health education creates a safer, respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships for everyone and can make for more enjoyable experiences*. So, if the schools won’t do it, it’s time to sex-ucate ourselves.
These five Youtube channels are some of my go-to’s for informative and entertaining videos on all things sexuality, sex-positivity and reproductive health:
Hannah Witton
Hannah’s channel is a real gem. She covers everything you have ever wanted to know (and things you never knew you did) about sex, sexuality and fertility. Her recent book “The Hormone Diaries” also documents her journey with menstruation and PCOS, a must-read for anyone curious about periods or female reproduction. Her candid and down-to-earth videos tackle contraception, sex toys in a fun and positive way. No room for taboos here! Since having life-saving colon surgery, her channel also promotes discussions around able-bodiedness and sex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeSqedI9Ds
Melanie Murphy
Irish YouTuber Melanie Murphy (and her half-sister Jessie B) has a ton of content to explore. From full-length videos covering the benefits of feminine orgasm to tips on masturbation, losing your desire or body positivity. Melanie’s channel features so much content that breaks down stigmas around sexuality. She identifies as bisexual and has featured other ‘tubers such as Calum McSwiggan in discussions around LGBTQIA+ sex. For more bedtime (pun intended!) reading material, check out her first book, Fully functioning human (almost). This memoir takes a deeper look at her journey, coming to terms with her bisexuality and other topics, including acne, depression and eating disorders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSc6hfeOMw0
Sexplanations
For over seven years, sexologist Dr. Lindsey Doe has promoted shame-free and comprehensive efforts to educate her viewers about sex. Her channel Sexplanations is a must for sexual self-education. Her hundreds of videos include topics such as vaginismus, doggie style, contraception and masturbation. Many of them are only 5-10 minutes long, so provide an excellent overview of any topic you’ve ever been curious about. Dr. Doe also produces a podcast, where she chats with special guests about everything from sex museums to g-spots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgb1wdHqsvk
Jubilee
Jubilee is primarily a lifestyle channel, but they have a playlist entitled ‘Sex-Ed’, which is worth mentioning. It features numerous real life couples and individuals tackling questions regarding sex and sexual pleasure. Their approach shows the range of experiences and promotes a spectrum of opinions on sexuality. Their channel shows just how unique we all are when it comes to our bodies and preferences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAMQfXMkoKw&list=PLBVNJo7nhINSCIjuAh2iyqaJBtDQVZkmr&index=5
Jammidodger
Jamie and his fiancée Shaaba, are a fantastic pair who tackle a vast array of topics affecting transgender individuals and their partners. Documenting his transition and surgical experiences, Jamie shares his stories and advice with an entertaining but informative approach. He and Shaaba have numerous sit-down videos, tackling all of the frequently (and not so frequently-asked questions) they have been confronted with. His content reallys help address common misconceptions around gender identity and answers a lot of questions that both cis and trans people might be too afraid to ask!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwx6lZ42FX8
Being positive and open, these youtubers are fighting to end shame and stigma around sexual and reproductive health topics. Opening up these conversations can make for a more pleasurable experience, boost your confidence in expressing your values and preferences and has also been shown to reduce sexualised violence. Sex-Ed literally saves lives, so I hope you check out these channels or leave another rec on our socials!
*http://sieccan.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/guidelines-eng.pdf