What Exactly Is Sex Ed (Sex Education)?
Sex education—sometimes called sex ed—is a vital part of every young person’s learning journey. At its core, sex education equips children and young people with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to make informed decisions about their sexual health and relationships. A well-designed education program ensures that learners understand human sexuality, consent, boundaries, and safe sex practices, while also helping to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
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Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) goes beyond the basics. This approach to sexual education is not limited to anatomy or disease prevention—it addresses aspects of sexuality such as emotional connection, communication skills, and respect for diversity. It promotes gender equality, challenges myths, and builds a culture of empathy and responsibility. In fact, many sex education programs that follow international technical guidance on sexuality also include modules on LGBT sex education and lgbtq+-inclusive sex education, ensuring that every learner feels represented.
When we talk about comprehensive sex education, we refer to school curricula and education programmes that integrate both sexuality and sexual health topics. These may be part of school-based sexuality education or school-based sex education, but today, learning also extends beyond the classroom. Films, series, documentaries, and online content on streaming platforms can enrich sexual health education by showing realistic portrayals of sex and relationships. From fictional narratives about first sex and relationship education to factual documentaries on sexual and reproductive health, these resources can help children and adolescents better understand the complexities of human sexuality.
Why Is Sex Education So Important in Today’s Society?
Sex education is more than a subject—it is a cornerstone of health education and the right to education. When students in the Netherlands, the United States, or elsewhere receive comprehensive sex education, research shows lower rates of unintended pregnancies and reduced cases of unintended pregnancies and STIs. Evidence from three decades of research confirms that education is more effective when it is inclusive, accurate, and engaging.
- A high-quality education programme helps young people:
- Understand and protect their sexual and reproductive health.
- Learn how to prevent unprotected sex and the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
- Recognize and respond to child sex abuse and other unsafe situations.
- Make informed decisions about their sexuality and the frequency of sex.
- Respect diversity and promote gender equality in their communities.
Abstinence-only sex education or abstinence-only sex education programs often fail to provide the tools learners need. In contrast, comprehensive sexual education offers accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive information that supports both individual well-being and public health. It also incorporates prevention education, peer education, and sexuality education curricula that reflect the realities of modern life.
By combining formal sex education curricula with engaging media—such as streaming series and online videos—educators can create comprehensive programs that prepare children and young people for adulthood. These sexuality education programmes not only improve sexual health but also encourage open dialogue, critical thinking, and lifelong respect in sex and relationships.
Sex Education: Learning Beyond the Classroom
In recent years, sex education has expanded far beyond traditional classrooms. While schools remain central in delivering comprehensive sexuality education, young audiences are increasingly engaging with sexual health topics through audiovisual and textual materials—such as films, documentaries, and series available on streaming platforms or social media. These cultural products can spark important conversations among children and young people, provide relatable narratives about human sexuality, and complement formal sex education programs.
We have prepared a comprehensive ranking of the best sex education resources. This list includes top movies, Netflix series, cartoons, and books—both for adults and children—in multiple languages. Whether you’re looking for engaging audiovisual content or well-researched reading materials, this selection is designed to help promote sexual health, understanding, and informed decision-making for audiences around the world.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education in the Digital Age
Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is designed to equip learners with knowledge about sexual and reproductive health, safe sex practices, gender equality, and respectful relationships. Traditionally, this has been achieved through school curricula and structured education programmes. However, streaming content such as educational documentaries, scripted series like Sex Education (which itself popularized the term sex ed globally), and short-form online videos can provide visual, relatable examples of sexual education topics, from preventing sexually transmitted infections to understanding aspects of sexuality in different cultural contexts.
In fact, sexuality education programs that integrate audiovisual resources often increase engagement. When children and adolescents see fictional or real-life characters facing issues like unintended pregnancies, unprotected sex, or first sex, they can process complex concepts in a way that purely textual lessons sometimes fail to achieve.
Sexual Health Through Popular Media
Streaming platforms are not official replacements for school-based sexuality education, but they can support sexual health education by presenting scenarios that resonate with viewers’ lived experiences. Popular media can depict sex and relationships with diversity and authenticity, including LGBT sex education storylines, lgbtq+-inclusive sex education messages, and narratives about consent, communication, and relationship education.
Documentaries on global sexuality education in Europe, interviews with experts from organizations like the sexuality information and education council, and fictional portrayals of peer education situations can all help students make informed decisions about their sexuality. By combining entertainment with learning, these materials address sexuality and sexual health in an accessible way.
Integrating Audiovisual Resources into Comprehensive Sex Education
Comprehensive sex education frameworks already emphasize the importance of varied teaching tools. The international technical guidance on sexuality and national sexuality education standards encourage the inclusion of digital media as a way to reach diverse audiences. Schools and community groups can curate age-appropriate films and online videos to strengthen formal sex education curricula and make sexuality education programmes more relatable.
For example:
- A documentary on safe sex practices could accompany a lesson on hiv education.
- A fictional drama could illustrate the emotional impact of premarital sex or unintended pregnancies.
- Short YouTube explainers can clarify the science behind sexual and reproductive health.
When guided by educators and informed by technical guidance on sexuality education, these resources ensure that students not only receive comprehensive sex education but also learn to critically assess media portrayals of sexuality and sexual relationships.
This approach bridges the gap between traditional education as a school subject and the realities of modern media consumption. By combining classroom learning with thoughtfully chosen streaming content, sex education becomes more engaging, culturally relevant, and effective—preparing children and young people to navigate the complex world of human sexuality with confidence and respect.