My favourite ‘Sex Education’ scene

Sex Education is a highly popular Netflix Original series, based on the difficulties and sheer awkwardness of growing up as a teenager. Not only does the series showcase a huge range of problems and circumstances that pretty much all young people can relate to, but also tackles many important and hard-hitting messages.

The fact that the writer’s haven’t shied away from any certain topics certain topics throughout, have created scenes which have really hit the nail on the head on the harsh realities many teens have to face during their adolescence. 

There are so many great and powerful scenes throughout Sex Education, but if I had to pick one which I felt hit me the hardest (probably because it’s something I and most women can relate to) it would be a moment in season 2 episode 7. A group of the female characters in the show have to spend a detention together and they’re tasked with finding something they all have in common. This proved difficult as most of the girls don’t really get on, until Aimee admits she’s struggling to get on the bus after she was assaulted on there, and the group all end up sharing their similar experiences to show their support. 

Their stories ranged from being followed home after work, to being groped, to being catcalled; but they all had the common theme of the girls being sexualised without their consent. The show displays a wide range of scenarios which sadly many women will be able to relate to. In fact, it turned out this was probably the only thing the group had in common, but by opening up to each other, they seemed to form a bond and new sense of respect for one another. 

I love this scene because the fact the girls were able to come together and find strength from what happened, being the total opposite of how they would have initially felt, feels so powerful. The fact that by sharing these experiences, to make another girl feel less alone and scared feels like a massive F You to the men that did those things to them, almost like they’re reclaiming their sexualities which were taken from them.

It also encourages women to talk about these experiences without shame which is so important. As one of the characters Viv says in this scene, “statistically two thirds of girls experience unwanted sexual attention or contact in public spaced by the time they’re 21” highlighting how common of a problem is and how we should never be ashamed by them.

With recent research into women’s safety by UN Women UK, finding that 97% of women in the UK have been sexually harassed, it’s about time to normalise speaking up about this subject. 

The episode ends with the girls all meeting Aimee at the bus stop and taking the bus to school together unlike usual. The end shot of them all sitting together at the back of the bus is one of my favourites from the whole series and is such a brilliant representation of girls supporting girls, which I wish was something more commonly shown in TV. 

I think the fact that Sex Education has been written in such a way it completely changes the narrative on issues like these. It portrays women who’ve experienced assault as strong instead of weak, which makes such a refreshing change. I can’t wait to see more.