Sex, Explained is a docuseries on Netflix that contains 5 episodes: fantasy, attraction, birth control, fertility, and childbirth. The Netflix series, narrated by Janelle Monae, presents both the scientific and psychological perspectives of each topic. Experts are interviewed and we hear about, for instance, why BDSM (Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/ Submission, and Sadism/Masochism) can be a healthy outlet. Psychologist Lisa Diamond assures us that our fantasies “don’t say anything reliable about us” and we need not be concerned about them. Fantasies are just fantasies!
The attraction episode describes how our biology and our preferences get hard-wired. It argues that the environment has a lot to do with our choices. The birth control episode explores the history of birth control and discusses how people are generally dissatisfied with our current birth control options. There are many reasons that patients at Maze dislike birth control, one of which is changes in libido. Watch Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus discuss this topic on her series Sex Points.
The fertility segment covers the struggle that couples face, advances in technology, and the hope that there will soon be financial coverage leading to broader access to treatment. The childbirth episode introduces the “engineering miracle” of the cervix. It takes us through history, the race divide, how childbirth has become medicalized with a flood of interventions and conflicting information on how to give birth. This has led to women believing that having an epidural is cheating or feeling like a failure if given a C-section. Ultimately, it is agreed that women need to make their own individual choice regarding what’s good for them.
This entertaining show is filled with factual, sometimes steamy, information along with fun animation. A patient at Maze Women’s Health once described Sex,Explained as a textbook with all the boring parts removed and that’s right on!
If you have questions about sex that you need explained, contact us for more information.