Warnings: Mild spoilers on Sex Education, mention of sexual assault
Haven’t watched the 4th season of Netflix’s Sex Education, but visited USC’s Sexploration Tent at McCarthy Quad this Wednesday? Then you’ve seen an excellent trailer.
British teenager Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) knows nothing in practice, but everything in theory about sexual health and relationships – courtesy of his mother, sex therapist Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson). After passing the parental teachings onto his classmates at Moordale Secondary High School for three seasons, Otis’ last deep-dive into sex and identity takes place at a new venue: Cavendish College.
The ambience permeating the ultra-progressive school that Otis attends in the shows’ final season, describes the atmosphere found at USC’s Sexploration Tent in all the right ways.
The Sexploration Tent is one among several initiatives that took place in celebration of USC’s Sex Week, which began on October 14 and runs through the 21st. The atmosphere inside the tent promoted sex with a healthy dose of respect, humor, empathy and facts — demonstrating that Sex Education’s approach to personal and sexual development can exist offscreen, too.
Hosted by the USC Student Health, Undergraduate Student Government (USG), Graduate Student Government (GSG), Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment (SAGE) and Women and Youth Supporting Each Other (WYSE), the initiative Sex Week at USC is in its second consecutive year and provides USC students with a series of spaces and events to explore sexual health and empowerment. Judging by the constant crowds hanging around the Sexploration Tent and the international success of Netflix’s Sex Education, young people seem to long for safe spaces where they are encouraged to understand and celebrate all facets of sexuality.
Offering USC students informal access to resources about dating, sex and disability, dealing with STDs, sex and religion, trans and asexuality, and consent shows them the importance of sexual identity, education, and health as cornerstones of socio-emotional health.
Hearing sexpert Erin Tillman and violence prevention specialist Derek Wu discuss “how to tell someone that you don’t like how they grab that butt” while on a stroll through stalls with free lube and condoms normalizes conversations around sexual preferences, safety and performance. As an international grad student I was encouraged to see male engagement with and respect for female topics at a young age gives hope for the future, even when statistics on gender-based violence unfortunately suggest otherwise. And someone might give self-gratification another go if they see girls high-fiving each other after winning a satisfyer vibrator in a raffle.
Cultural phenomena like USC Sex Week are important. There’s no way to know who needed to see the “ALL ARE WELCOME” sign towering the panelists at the Sexploration Tent. In a few weeks, someone might decide to reach out after finding the contact card reading “You Have An Advocate” in their pocket.
The same reasoning applies to Sex Education: seeing Aimee Gibbs (Aimee Lou Wood) finally dating people who respect her begs viewers to think about boundaries. Witnessing the emotional rollercoaster caused by her sexual assault experience, and the reactions of her friends, paves the way for those who want to show up for their friends in situations without a playbook.
This is what the series and the USC initiative have in common – they bring crucial conversations about sexuality and identity to the real world. From where I was standing, the response was beautiful to watch.