February 14, 2022

7 of the most Sex-Positive TV shows

By LoveHoney

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Back in 1950s and 1960s, sex on TV was a big no-no. Television censorship was so strict during this era that you couldn’t even show married characters sharing a bed and wives were forbidden from being depicted as pregnant.

What a contrast to the year 2020, where the gloves are off and sex is very much on the cards. To celebrate sex positivity on our screens, global sexual wellness brand Lovehoney has shared its seven favourite sex-positive TV shows.

Black Mirror

Black Mirror never fails to leave its audience feeling unsettled and in need of a cup of tea and a lie-down.

The show is famous for its twists and unpredictable plot lines, but what Season 5 also brought was some serious sex-positivity, in the form of the episode ‘Striking Vipers’.

Without dropping any spoilers, the episode captures the complexity of human sexuality while exploring the sexual potential of virtual reality and open relationships.

Normal People

Based on the 2018 Sally Rooney novel and probably one of the standout TV shows to hit Kiwi screens at the beginning of lockdown in 2020, Irish drama Normal People is a rollercoaster of emotions. 

The series follows Marianne and Connell as they navigate adulthood from their final days in secondary school to their undergraduate years at Trinity College in Dublin. 

Not only is it beautifully shot, but Normal People captures the intimacy of adolescent sex in an honest, realistic and raw way. The show, which saw intimacy coach Ita O’Brien work with the young cast to coordinate the sex scenes, delicately explores areas including consent, sexuality, complicated relationships and BDSM.

POSE

Set in 1987 (and, in season 2, the early ’90s) POSE takes place inside the gender-nonconforming ballroom culture scene of New York City.

When the sex scene between ballroom emcee Pray Tell (Billy Porter) and Ricky Wintour (Dyllón Burnside) hit the screens, it was the first time mainstream television depicted two black, gay men who were HIV-positive making love.

In reality, this was the first time in Billy Porter’s career that he had the chance to be romantic with another man on camera. “As a Black queer man who has lived in a space for 30 years of being the magical fairy on the side, of never, ever being the object of anyone’s affection in anything in my entire career, ever… I’ve not had a kiss in anything”, the star told Entertainment Weekly‘s The Awardist podcast.

Sex Education

If there’s one show that’s showing the importance of open conversations around sex and sexuality, it’s Netflix’s comedy-drama, ‘Sex Education’. Centred around the key protagonist, Ottis, whose mum is a sex therapist (played by Gillian Anderson), he teams up with classmates, Meave, and openly gay best friend, Eric, to start an underground sex therapy clinic at school. Otis ‘plays’ therapist, and, at times doesn’t do a bad job, answering students questions on sex and relationships.

The show depicts all types of relationships including exclusive, same-sex, casual and one night stands. Refreshingly, the it also brings to the forefront the importance of discussing sex openly and removing social stigmas.  

Sex Education will have you gripped and cover all things sex and relationships, including why it is essential to know what turns you on, understanding your sexual identity, exploring fantasies, connecting with your partner and everything in between.

Special

Netflix’s Special might just be the first TV show ever to depict a union between a gay, disabled man and a sex worker on screen.

Based on Ryan O’Connell’s memoir, I’m Special and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, the story follows Ryan, a young man in his mid-20s living with cerebral palsy.

Keen to lose his virginity, he reaches out to a sex worker. The scenes that follow are sex positive for multiple reasons and have been described as ‘ground-breaking’ and ‘revolutionary’ due to the way gay people, disabled people and sex workers are portrayed.

How To Get Away With Murder

Fans of the series will already know that this is one show that isn’t short on sex, but the episode ‘It’s Called The Octopus’ saw the legal drama go that extra mile for its viewers.

The foundation of the episode is inclusive sexuality, but the beauty of the episode is that it doesn’t just show the audience polyamory, queer sexual experiences, BDSM and sex parties – ‘It’s Called The Octopus’ actively advocates for all these activities.

Broad City

Broad City is a sitcom created by and starring Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, based on their real-life friendship and their attempt to “make it” in New York. 

One of the most sex-positive scenes in the series is when Ilana meets her doppelganger, Adele, and decides to pursue her.

What’s so great about Broad City is that the show never really labels Ilana’s sexuality, and Ilana never worries about finding a label for herself either.

Additionally, the show’s refreshing and bold approach to Jeremy and Abbi pegging in the episode “Knockoffs” gets a round of applause for exploring sex in such an open and non-traditional way.

The more sex positivity we see on our screens, the more viewers will understand that tolerance of other sexualities, other body types and different sexual practices is the bare minimum – and that acceptance and inclusion are the true benchmarks.