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Sex Ed: An Inclusive Teenage Guide to Sex and Relationships
Everything you need to know abouse sex and relationships in the 21st century, with words from an award-winning team.
Find out about: concent, the body, what is sex? sexual health, online life, relationships, reproductive health, gender & sexuality, body image.
Find out about: concent, the body, what is sex? sexual health, online life, relationships, reproductive health, gender & sexuality, body image.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2021
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58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 23, 2021
Sex Ed is an amazing ressource and I’m very happy it exists! Every young (and not so young) person should have access to high quality and inclusive information about sexuality and this is exactly what Sex Ed delivers in a very approachable way. The « life online » chapter is particularly excellent. I love their broad approach to sex-ed, including multiple aspects of sexuality that are often neglected in sex-ed courses.
I only took off one star because I thought there wasn’t enough discussion about the possible variation of penises (the discussion about the variations of vulvas is much more complete). Really, it should be rated 4.5 stars.
I only took off one star because I thought there wasn’t enough discussion about the possible variation of penises (the discussion about the variations of vulvas is much more complete). Really, it should be rated 4.5 stars.
July 21, 2022
Probably important to point out that I am not the target audience for this book. A progressive view on sex ed is not written for me.
But, as someone who works with teenagers, I was interested in what a sex education book used by schools in England would entail, and it was about what I thought. Neutral at best and very harmful at worst.
To be clear, there was much of it that was good. There were good tips on communication in relationships and an emphasis on equality in relationships. The sections on the biology of the body and diseases was clear and helpful. The chapter on body image was mostly really good and I was actually impressed with he clarity and warnings given with the online chapter. This book is having conversations that certainly need to be had.
But, if this is an authoritative book for children and teenagers sexual education then I believe it will be harmful for our kids. There’s a prevailing attitude, both expressed explicitly and implicitly, that as long as there is consent and communication “nothing bad will happen” with sex. This is an untrue statement, both scientifically and emotionally. Our own laws reflect that, the book reminds the readers that sexual contact under 18 (in England) is illegal yet writes as if the reader will just ignore this law and does nothing to talk about why these laws are in place.
There’s a clear bias in how the book is written, which ultimately does the reader harm. In the same chapter discussing the biology of pregnancy, clearly stating when life begins and the formation of a baby, abortion is referred to as “getting the pregnancy out.” Abstinence is mentioned one time as a “unhelpful” discussion, rather than giving some time to discuss the benefits from limiting sexual partners.
I understand why a book like this would be written and the perspective from which it comes. To take the “head in sand” approach and not discuss these topics with teenagers is unhelpful also, yet I can’t help but feel afraid for the kids that learn this approach as an authoritative view on sexual education.
But, as someone who works with teenagers, I was interested in what a sex education book used by schools in England would entail, and it was about what I thought. Neutral at best and very harmful at worst.
To be clear, there was much of it that was good. There were good tips on communication in relationships and an emphasis on equality in relationships. The sections on the biology of the body and diseases was clear and helpful. The chapter on body image was mostly really good and I was actually impressed with he clarity and warnings given with the online chapter. This book is having conversations that certainly need to be had.
But, if this is an authoritative book for children and teenagers sexual education then I believe it will be harmful for our kids. There’s a prevailing attitude, both expressed explicitly and implicitly, that as long as there is consent and communication “nothing bad will happen” with sex. This is an untrue statement, both scientifically and emotionally. Our own laws reflect that, the book reminds the readers that sexual contact under 18 (in England) is illegal yet writes as if the reader will just ignore this law and does nothing to talk about why these laws are in place.
There’s a clear bias in how the book is written, which ultimately does the reader harm. In the same chapter discussing the biology of pregnancy, clearly stating when life begins and the formation of a baby, abortion is referred to as “getting the pregnancy out.” Abstinence is mentioned one time as a “unhelpful” discussion, rather than giving some time to discuss the benefits from limiting sexual partners.
I understand why a book like this would be written and the perspective from which it comes. To take the “head in sand” approach and not discuss these topics with teenagers is unhelpful also, yet I can’t help but feel afraid for the kids that learn this approach as an authoritative view on sexual education.
December 30, 2021
This is an interesting and detailed guide to everything about sexuality and sexual health. ‘Sex Ed’ is called an inclusive guide because it tackles all of the different aspects of sex and relationships that teenagers might be wondering about, while also being inclusive with all genders, races, etc.
The book is filled with several chapters on different things, such as Consent, Gender and Identity, Relationships, The Body, Sexual and reproductive health, etc. I like how the first chapter is about consent, something which, although should be obvious, isn’t always easy for people to grasp and I like how the book explains exactly what consent is and in what situations it’s considered that someone has given consent versus not. The book then goes on to talk about gender, sexuality and identity which is something that I know I never learned at school or from any literature when I was younger. After that there is a chapter about the body including how it changes through puberty.
As well as talking about these aspects of understanding ourselves the book then does go on to talk about sex and does get quite detailed in its descriptions and illustrations of all the sexual body parts and what sex is in general. I’ve read some books and magazines aimed at teenagers before, that try to explain sex, but this book goes into much better explanations and details than a lot of what I’ve read in the past. It does mention different types of sex (yes I’m going to mention them) including piv, oral and anal, but these are described in a way that doesn’t make them sound bad or shameful, though if you’re not comfortable with these subjects then reading them first time might be a bit of a shock. The book though, explains sex in a good and positive way, encouraging teens to ask questions if they need to and to not be ashamed or embarrassed about not knowing something. It also encourages teens to only do what they feel happy with, and the chapter on consent is one that is mentioned again the more you read on.
After explaining what sex is, there is a chapter on reproductive health which includes information on different forms of contraceptives to avoid pregnancy and more on sexual health too, which is about how to avoid getting any STIs. I do like the way in which this book approaches these subjects, in clear and easy to understand ways although I’m not sure why there is so much detail on fertility and the ways in which you can get pregnant (in vitro, etc). This book does go into quite some detail on certain aspects of sex, however there are moments in the book where certain chapters like the ones on consent or relationships that try to explain something so much that they give some slightly unrealistic scenarios of the way teens might approach each other about sex, with examples of conversations that felt almost too obvious or simple. Some teens, depending on their age, might feel that these moments are a bit too obvious, and depending on the teens and their parents some readers might also not find it so easy to read certain parts of this book too, such as a chapter that explains what pornography is.
There is a chapter later about online aspects of relationships which include issues that teens might face like the prospect of sending nude pictures online. I particularly liked this chapter as teens can feel a real pressure when it comes to activities online which can have unfortunate and long-term consequences. At the end of the book there is a glossary of terms and words used in the book as well notes to parents and teachers. There are good illustrations throughout the book, these are made to look fun, even though they are sometimes showing some detailed anatomy of certain parts of the human body, but these fun and simple, black white and grey illustrations are good as they do help teens to understand their and other peoples bodies better.
Overall this is a good book for any teens who are curious or worried about their bodies and sexuality and for anyone to look at to understand more. I do think that some parents (and maybe some teens) might find some parts of the book more difficult to read (I know the young me might have been a little overwhelmed with it), especially if they feel less comfortable talking about sex, but this book does a good job of explaining certain aspects and did feel like the sex education lesson that most teens (and me at that age) missed out on when at school. The language used in the book is inclusive, which one Amazon reviewer seems to be upset about, as there is no longer the term ‘women’ or ‘men’ mentioned but rather a ‘person with a womb’, for example (which you might not be so used to reading if you grew up with the other gender terms used).
For those reading this on Amazon UK, the reviewer in question also suggested that this book centres on one sided pleasure of the person with a male organ but this isn’t true and I don’t think they took the time to read this book properly as that chapter focuses on all forms of pleasure on all sides. Yes this book talks both about the basic biological side of sex and about pleasure too, which might be a bit too much of an explanation for some people who aren’t comfortable with some of the words used and the detailed discussions on sex (I think the very young teen me would have felt a little uncomfortable at first), but that doesn’t mean the book ‘excludes women’ or is a bad read and the image the reviewer used of the book shows only one type of sex that’s explained (PIV – please look it up if you don’t know what it is), when there are several mentioned, thus their picture doesn’t reflect the whole book.
As I’ve said, this is a good book about this topic and worth a read if it’s something that you or a teen might be interested in reading. There are some helpful organisations mentioned at the back of the book, as well as fun small illustrations throughout too, helping to break down the text into more fun and easier to read chunks. I’m not sure if this book is for everyone. It does go into some detail about sex, and all aspects of it including toys and porn, and I’m not sure that some more conservative people might find it less comfortable reading than others (occassionally some parts did feel like over-sharing), but as a guide to explaining everything and in a positive way, this is a good read, and one which I’m sure many teens will appreciate, especially if there’s no one that they feel comfortable talking to about this topic.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
The book is filled with several chapters on different things, such as Consent, Gender and Identity, Relationships, The Body, Sexual and reproductive health, etc. I like how the first chapter is about consent, something which, although should be obvious, isn’t always easy for people to grasp and I like how the book explains exactly what consent is and in what situations it’s considered that someone has given consent versus not. The book then goes on to talk about gender, sexuality and identity which is something that I know I never learned at school or from any literature when I was younger. After that there is a chapter about the body including how it changes through puberty.
As well as talking about these aspects of understanding ourselves the book then does go on to talk about sex and does get quite detailed in its descriptions and illustrations of all the sexual body parts and what sex is in general. I’ve read some books and magazines aimed at teenagers before, that try to explain sex, but this book goes into much better explanations and details than a lot of what I’ve read in the past. It does mention different types of sex (yes I’m going to mention them) including piv, oral and anal, but these are described in a way that doesn’t make them sound bad or shameful, though if you’re not comfortable with these subjects then reading them first time might be a bit of a shock. The book though, explains sex in a good and positive way, encouraging teens to ask questions if they need to and to not be ashamed or embarrassed about not knowing something. It also encourages teens to only do what they feel happy with, and the chapter on consent is one that is mentioned again the more you read on.
After explaining what sex is, there is a chapter on reproductive health which includes information on different forms of contraceptives to avoid pregnancy and more on sexual health too, which is about how to avoid getting any STIs. I do like the way in which this book approaches these subjects, in clear and easy to understand ways although I’m not sure why there is so much detail on fertility and the ways in which you can get pregnant (in vitro, etc). This book does go into quite some detail on certain aspects of sex, however there are moments in the book where certain chapters like the ones on consent or relationships that try to explain something so much that they give some slightly unrealistic scenarios of the way teens might approach each other about sex, with examples of conversations that felt almost too obvious or simple. Some teens, depending on their age, might feel that these moments are a bit too obvious, and depending on the teens and their parents some readers might also not find it so easy to read certain parts of this book too, such as a chapter that explains what pornography is.
There is a chapter later about online aspects of relationships which include issues that teens might face like the prospect of sending nude pictures online. I particularly liked this chapter as teens can feel a real pressure when it comes to activities online which can have unfortunate and long-term consequences. At the end of the book there is a glossary of terms and words used in the book as well notes to parents and teachers. There are good illustrations throughout the book, these are made to look fun, even though they are sometimes showing some detailed anatomy of certain parts of the human body, but these fun and simple, black white and grey illustrations are good as they do help teens to understand their and other peoples bodies better.
Overall this is a good book for any teens who are curious or worried about their bodies and sexuality and for anyone to look at to understand more. I do think that some parents (and maybe some teens) might find some parts of the book more difficult to read (I know the young me might have been a little overwhelmed with it), especially if they feel less comfortable talking about sex, but this book does a good job of explaining certain aspects and did feel like the sex education lesson that most teens (and me at that age) missed out on when at school. The language used in the book is inclusive, which one Amazon reviewer seems to be upset about, as there is no longer the term ‘women’ or ‘men’ mentioned but rather a ‘person with a womb’, for example (which you might not be so used to reading if you grew up with the other gender terms used).
For those reading this on Amazon UK, the reviewer in question also suggested that this book centres on one sided pleasure of the person with a male organ but this isn’t true and I don’t think they took the time to read this book properly as that chapter focuses on all forms of pleasure on all sides. Yes this book talks both about the basic biological side of sex and about pleasure too, which might be a bit too much of an explanation for some people who aren’t comfortable with some of the words used and the detailed discussions on sex (I think the very young teen me would have felt a little uncomfortable at first), but that doesn’t mean the book ‘excludes women’ or is a bad read and the image the reviewer used of the book shows only one type of sex that’s explained (PIV – please look it up if you don’t know what it is), when there are several mentioned, thus their picture doesn’t reflect the whole book.
As I’ve said, this is a good book about this topic and worth a read if it’s something that you or a teen might be interested in reading. There are some helpful organisations mentioned at the back of the book, as well as fun small illustrations throughout too, helping to break down the text into more fun and easier to read chunks. I’m not sure if this book is for everyone. It does go into some detail about sex, and all aspects of it including toys and porn, and I’m not sure that some more conservative people might find it less comfortable reading than others (occassionally some parts did feel like over-sharing), but as a guide to explaining everything and in a positive way, this is a good read, and one which I’m sure many teens will appreciate, especially if there’s no one that they feel comfortable talking to about this topic.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
March 27, 2023
I stumbled across this book in a library and upon flicking through decided to purchase it for myself. I ended up finishing it in a couple days and very much appreciated the information presented.
It facilitated me recontextualising previous experiences I've had in a new light. I feel many people could benefit from the information presented (not only teenagers). In essence I was realising how uneducated I was through my past actions which made me appreciate the opportunity for this educational guide especially.
I believe that the full impact of this guide will come through applying its teachings in my own relationships which I already have started to do. Please keep-in-mind that there is information (consent and relationships) in here that is very applicable beyond sexual scenarios.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY - a major theme throughout.
I look forward to sharing excerpts of it with others that I feel could benefit or would appreciate it.
Five stars! *****
It facilitated me recontextualising previous experiences I've had in a new light. I feel many people could benefit from the information presented (not only teenagers). In essence I was realising how uneducated I was through my past actions which made me appreciate the opportunity for this educational guide especially.
I believe that the full impact of this guide will come through applying its teachings in my own relationships which I already have started to do. Please keep-in-mind that there is information (consent and relationships) in here that is very applicable beyond sexual scenarios.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY - a major theme throughout.
I look forward to sharing excerpts of it with others that I feel could benefit or would appreciate it.
Five stars! *****
February 6, 2022
Is there a way to give negative stars?
Maybe I should make a "Burn This Book" shelf?
Every now and then I like to peek into the secular world's offerings to see what they're trying to teach our young people and how. When I was writing for a pro-life org/website I read tons of this kind of material and after a while it just got too depressing and ultimately numbing.
At any rate, not surprised at the content. Same old same old normalization of destructive behavior and deranged thinking.
Thankfully only 7 ratings.
Read up on Theology of the Body, y'all.
Maybe I should make a "Burn This Book" shelf?
Every now and then I like to peek into the secular world's offerings to see what they're trying to teach our young people and how. When I was writing for a pro-life org/website I read tons of this kind of material and after a while it just got too depressing and ultimately numbing.
At any rate, not surprised at the content. Same old same old normalization of destructive behavior and deranged thinking.
Thankfully only 7 ratings.
Read up on Theology of the Body, y'all.
March 13, 2022
The School of Sexuality Education is a UK charity comprising doctors, teachers, activists and artists who visit UK schools to talk about sex, bodies, relationships and identity. This YA book (illustrated by Evie Karkera) aims to answer teens’ common questions and improve general sex education. There’s a lot of information and common sense here but the lack of anecdotes (especially on embarrassing topics) means it lacks a human connection.
July 12, 2022
Why did I read this? I don’t know.
I feel like I know a lot more about sex and sexual health, but I will most likely never use this information. Nonetheless, here I am.
I feel like this was a very tame sex ed book which is good for teens, but I as a teen veering on the adult side think that teens my age could do with a bit more information regarding things like sex toys, role playing, etc.
I feel like I know a lot more about sex and sexual health, but I will most likely never use this information. Nonetheless, here I am.
I feel like this was a very tame sex ed book which is good for teens, but I as a teen veering on the adult side think that teens my age could do with a bit more information regarding things like sex toys, role playing, etc.
April 29, 2022
Great overview and hugely helpful in getting thinking about how to talk to children and young people about sex, identity and pleasure
I would give this book to my kids
I would give this book to my kids
November 6, 2022
Quite comprehensive and features lots of aspects that belong to sex ed in a manner that is approachable for young adults. Bought it as a reference book for my own classroom.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews