Introducing Sex Ed

Sex Ed is a revolutionary new guide to relationships and sexuality for teenagers. Written by the School of Sexuality Education, an award-winning organisation that tours British schools giving workshops on Relationship and Sex Education, it takes an inclusive approach where no subject is taboo. 

The black and white illustrations and conversational tone make the book perfect as a reference for older teens and a great way to start non-judgemental conversations on difficult subjects such as consent, gender identity and porn. Here is what some of our reviewers had to say:

"It is easy to read and dip into and out of, both informative and reassuring. It is written in an informal way. It raises all the subjects that I wish I know about when I was a teenager" 
elsie, Parent

"It is the best constructed sex education book I have come across."
Soderstrom, Parent

"this needs to become a must have tool in the kit of every teen. I daresay that I even learnt a thing or two!"
giw 1970, Parent

"This book is written for all young people, it does not matter what gender you are, your sexuality or how you identify yourself, this book is written for everyone"
AwesomeReader, Parent

Read on to find out more about the School of Sexuality Education's work and the book, in their own words.

You can also read an extract here.

Guest Blog from the School of Sexuality Education

Sex Ed: An Inclusive Teenage Guide to Sex and Relationships is a positive, practical and empowering guide for teenagers, tackling sex and relationships in an inclusive and non-judgemental way. Written by the award-winning team at School of Sexuality Education, the guide explores consent, reproductive and sexual health, body image, online life, gender & sexuality and relationships and how these topics intersect with each other. 

The way Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is delivered — whether it includes or excludes, shames or celebrates — shapes self-understanding and self-esteem throughout peoples’ lives. As an RSE charity, we we wrote Sex Ed in order to provide a comprehensive, engaging and shame-free tool-kit which explores all things relating to relationships and sex education (RSE). From our diverse range of lived experiences and evidence-based knowledge, we’ve written the book in the style that we deliver workshops: transparently, and with the aim of building confidence as well as knowledge around topics which have a real impact in young peoples’ everyday life. 

As a charity, our aim is to change the fact that:

●59% UK girls and young women aged 13-21 said in 2014 that they had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the past year.

●Stonewall’s School Report found nearly half (45%) of lesbian, gay, bi and trans young people are bullied for being LGBT at school. 

●Nearly half (48%) of children who menstruate aged 14-21 in the UK are embarrassed by their periods.

In the wake of #MeToo and ‘Everyone’s Invited’, Sex Ed aims to speak directly to injustices in and outside education institutions. RSE which covers consent, including digital consent, and harmful power dynamics in society, is an essential aspect of ending sexual violence. By unpicking certain normalised attitudes and behaviours in a safer space, we challenge myths pertaining to rape culture and gendered sexual pressures which cause harm on a global scale. We are aware of the fact that some readers will have experienced significant adverse, traumatising experiences. The book is sensitive to the effects of trauma, and we encourage readers to dip in and out as needed.

At School of Sexuality Education, we believe that young people should be resourced with the information and tools to become change-makers for themselves and to build the spaces they feel celebrated and comfortable in. We wanted a book that reflected this, a book that would answer the questions we were too worried to ask as young people ourselves. 

For example, in the chapter on anatomy we explore what different bodies and genitals can look like. We unpack the myth that there is a ‘normal’ way to look, because ‘normal’ will mean something different for everyone. As students do in our workshops, readers will be reassured that words relating to sex and bodies are not rude or shameful, and that their questions are valid. Often our RSE sessions are the first time students experience the freedom to say words like ‘vulva’, ‘anus’ and ‘orgasm’ out loud, especially in a learning environment. So much learning, unlearning and exploration is possible from this space when it’s met with curiosity and openness. We encourage young people to come up with their own definitions of sex, sexuality, gender, pleasure and self-care that feel right to them. 

In the identity pages of Sex Ed we explore how sex characteristics don’t tell us about a person’s gender and how the body a person is born with does not tell us about the kind of person they will grow up to be. We discuss how every person is evolving and has the right right to define and determine who they are, free from discrimination and harm. In this way, Sex Ed is oriented around young people’s rights, equality and social justice.

Alongside our engaging in-school workshops, we hope Sex Ed will contribute to the equitable world we dream of.

School of Sexuality Education support schools to provide age-appropriate, inclusive, trauma-informed relationships and sex education programmes. Our team of unembarrassable facilitators deliver workshops on consent, relationships, sexuality, body image and more. We also offer staff training, consultancy and work with university groups. Our spiral curriculum responds to the latest Government guidance on Relationships, Health and Sex Education. Contact us with questions on bookings and our work here.