Sex Ed Is Going Virtual for All Ages: 8 Online Educators for Adult Sex Ed
Sex educators really had to flex this pandemic. I mean, all educators had to adapt to a new form of learning, but in observing what’s gone down in my own school district, it’s apparent that some subjects have been neglected a little bit more than others. Clear example: my 6-year-old’s gym/health teacher has given up on remote learning, and now just links to other people’s videos for all of his “lessons.”
As tough as it is, however, some educators are really thriving, finding that they shine online.
I share the work of many of these educators on my own sex ed site, which is for parents and their kids. But online adult sex education is having a moment, too. And not just on sites like Salty, Blood & Milk and, well, here.
When educators can no longer teach Sword Swallowing 101 at their favorite local sex shop or friendly neighborhood play party, they have to get creative.
There are more amazing educators out there than I can rave about in a single post but, below, I share some of the sex educators who are killing it on social media.
- Yael R. Rosenstock Gonzalez. I’d like to start with one of the Buzz blog’s own educators. Rosenstock Gonzalez is a sex coach and educator who shares information on Instagram about everything from bad sex to traveling with toys to the importance of orgasms. Instagram isn’t her only online home. She has a lot of irons in the fire, so subscribe to her newsletter to stay up-to-date on workshops, podcast episodes, webinars, and more.
- Cassandra Corrado. I came to know Corrado’s work through her Rewire News Group posts and videos. But she also creates a lot of content on un/healthy relationships, violence prevention, LGBTQ+ health, and sexual pleasure for her Instagram feed and her blog.
- Dr. Uchenna Ossai. Ossai is a ray of sunshine in my Instagram feed. I get excited whenever she posts a new sex advice video either there or to her Facebook page. More recently, she created an online platform called Woke Is the New Sexy, where she shares even more information and resources on sexual pleasure.
- Eva Bloom. Bloom is the creator of What’s My Body Doing, a web series that’s all about pleasure-inclusive sexuality. Her videos appeal to everyone from teens to this aging mom. Check out her YouTube page.
- Eric Sprankle, Psy.D. Sprankle is technically a sex therapist, but he answers questions about sexuality and sexual health on his Scarlet Letters blog. He also provides lots of laughs through his Twitter feed, where he tweets out sex-related reminders with a humorous twist.
- Tia Freeman. Her Instagram has created a sexual safe space for Black folks. In addition to highlighting Black businesses and sharing Black history, she provides info on everything from contraception to sex tech to polyamory.
- Dr. Wendasha Jenkins Hall, Ph.D. She facilitates pleasure-based workshops about sexuality that center modern Black women and femmes. Hall also shares small tidbits of info on her Instagram page, including quick videos on what she refers to as Just the Tip Tuesday.
- Jamie LeClaire. This sex educator’s digital content game is strong. They offer everything from an Airtable-hosted resource hub to themed Spotify playlists to a website where you can track their many clips. Their Instagram is also a wealth of great sex ed info, though it looks like the latest post was in late October.
This brings me to an important caveat. Though I LOVE the ways in which educators are innovating online, it’s proving precarious to rely on social media platforms to convey important information about sexuality.
In 2019, a pair of laws were passed: The Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and The Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA). They were passed with the intention of making it easier to fight sex trafficking online. Under these laws, websites are responsible if third-party accounts post ads for prostitution on their platforms.
Sites have responded to this new responsibility by drawing up overly restrictive Terms of Service (TOS) that censor all sorts of sex-related content, including consensual sex work, educational content, and more. As a result, many social media users are being shadowbanned or deleted entirely.
Sex ed business coach Cameron Glover sees this as an opportunity for educators to invest in digital business assets they have complete control over, such as their websites and their email newsletters. In this scenario, social media would be merely a tool to supplement these larger sex ed offerings.
Wherever educators land, we love that they’re pushing creative limits and getting essential sexuality information to students, especially at a time when in-person classes are impossible. Sex is such an important component of our physical and mental well-being.
So, if you love what you see on the platforms linked above, consider supporting these educators in other ways, whether you’re subscribing to their newsletters, contributing to their Patreons, or signing up for their virtual workshops and webinars.
Because we need sex ed… For everyone.
