If your sex education program was abstinence-only and fear-based, focusing only on the dangers of STDs, you’re not alone. Instead of giving students useful tips for experimenting with their sexualities safely, much of our education system is built on cycles of fear and shame. Enter Coach Carr from Mean Girls: “don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die!” Not exactly the comprehensive approach that we’re looking for.
It can be intimidating to think about unlearning sexual myths that we’re taught in school. Expanding our knowledge of sex by ourselves is not easy, especially if you’re starting from the beginning. Podcasts are just one tool that can be used for educating ourselves and giving us the sex education that we never got in school. And let’s be honest, books about sex aren’t exactly inconspicuous — usually, there’s a vagina plastered on the cover. So if you’re hesitant to start your research on sex by reading books in public, podcasts are a great place to start. Whether you’re looking for a strictly scientific breakdown of the biology of sex or a comedic approach to talking about hookups and pleasure, Spotify is full of podcasts that will meet everyone where they are.
- Come As You Are
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Hosted by Dr. Emily Nagoski, author of the bestselling book Come As You Are, has created the perfect podcast for people looking for real information about the body and how to embrace your sexuality despite having had poor sex education in the past. Each week she answers listener-submitted questions so that you can get personal. She discusses actual ways that you can become more empowered and begin to prioritize your own pleasure. The podcast is brand new, having just launched in November of 2022, so you can get caught up quickly!
My favorite episode: “The Anatomy Lesson You Never Got”
- Doing It! with Hannah Witton
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You may know Hannah Witton originally from YouTube, but she’s also the host of this successful sex and relationships podcast. Each week she hosts a new guest on the pod to talk about everything from orgasms and owning your sexuality to embracing your fetishes and kinks. Hannah explores the queer experience and advocates for reproductive justice. The personal stories give listeners a look into the complexities of sexuality and how they can embrace their own.
My favorite episode: “Sexual Desire and the Three Times a Week Myth with Dr Karen Gurney”
- Girls Gotta Eat
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There’s a reason why this podcast is one of the most popular in the sex and relationships genre. Cohosted by Ashley Hesseltine and Rayna Greenberg, it feels like you’re talking to your older sisters. They frequently have experts on the pod to answer everyone’s questions that they’re too afraid to ask, all with a comedic spin. They focus on their personal experiences navigating relationships in a very Gen-Z fashion. Instead of just focusing on the physical, they explore the hard work that goes into being emotionally intimate.
My favorite episode: “The Rules of F*ck Buddies and Sexual Slumps with Shan Boodram”
- We’re Having Gay Sex
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You may know host Ashley Gavin originally from TikTok, but she’s also the host of this chaotic podcast. Ashley brings a comedic touch to the intimidating world of lesbian sex, hosting guests from all over the sexuality and gender spectrum to give us real talk about their sexual experiences. Ashley had always been a relationship person, but decided to start a podcast when she became more sexually active outside of relationships. Drawing on personal experiences, she gives listeners an intimate look into her sex life with other LGBTQ+ guests along for the ride.
My favorite episode: “Casey Tanner & Your Queer Relationship Questions”
- Sex Ed with DB
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Currently on its 7th season, Sex Ed with DB is hosted by feminist Danielle Bezalel. The pod gives listeners all of the tools to help them unlearn the stigmatization and shame that traditional sex education has instilled in us. Each week you get multiple episodes featuring BIPOC and LGBTQ+ experts that provide personal stories to help reshape the way that we think about sex and relationships. Topics range from the importance of reproductive justice, desire and pleasure, healing sexual trauma, and so much more.
My favorite episode: “The Orgasm Gap with Laurie Mintz”
- Sex Ed Shouldn’t Suck
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Cohosts Kaylee Moser and Jen McPhail are the duo we all needed when it comes to talking about sex and relationships. They discuss how awful the current sex education curriculum is and teach listeners about all of the topics that we missed out on. The pod focuses on the importance of pleasure, consent, access to birth control, and breaking cycles of shame created by purity culture. Each week they dive into new topics with special guests and experts in the field to give us useful information to navigate our own sex lives.
My favorite episode: “Extremely Bisexual”
- Sexology
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For all the psych majors out there, Dr. Nazanin Moali’s podcast is the one for you. It explores the psychological basis of intimacy, bringing on professionals who break down the science behind the ways that we engage in sex. Topics include foreplay, sexual dysfunction, consent, the different types of intimacy, religious shame, and navigating problems in a relationship. Dr. Maoli’s pod gives us a more holistic approach to sex, something that we never learned in the classroom. It goes beyond the physical and dives into how our mental and emotional state is influenced by sex.
My favorite episode: “EP252 – Sex Myths You Need to Unlearn with Dr. Lindsay Brooks”
- SensuElle Podcast
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Hosted by Arielle Antwine, the SensuElle Podcast explores how sensuality and sexuality both play a role in our well-being. The pod introduces fun guests across the gender and sexuality spectrum who talk about their own personal experiences with embracing their own sensuality. Sex education in school is largely focused on a strictly reproductive and biological approach. This podcast moves beyond this and focuses on embracing desire and pleasure, all while confronting the sexual shame that makes its way into the classroom.
My favorite episode: “24. Expanding what sex is and Sensual Pleasure with Oli Lipski (The Queer Sensualist)”
- Mindful Sex Ed: Back to Basics
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Hosted by Laura Johnsen along with sexuality educator Lulu Batista, this podcast is perfect for listeners who are looking for an educational breakdown of sex and pleasure. They give useful sexual tips in an entertaining way, bringing on fun guests to dismantle the stigmas attached to sex. They cover a range of topics including hookup stories, fantasies, sex toys, sexual mindfulness, lube, non-monogamy, and so much more.
My favorite episode: “Sex and Dating Green Flags and Red Flags”
- Sensual Self with Ev’Yan Whitney
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Host Ev’Yan Whitney, author of the book Sensual Self, explores all the ways that we can get back in touch with our bodies and be mindful as sensual beings. The podcast focuses on sexual healing, unlearning the shame that we attach to sex. She focuses on an intersectional approach, exploring the ways that your identity is tied to your sexuality and how you express it. Topics include slow pleasure, desire, sexual liberation, and decolonizing the world of sex. Bonus points because she has the most soothing voice ever.
My favorite episode: “72. Refusing Compulsory Sexuality”