Sure, as a tween I got pamphlets about the changes forthcoming in my female body, but beyond that and the mandatory month or so of sex-ed in high school — which was more about abstinence and STIs and unwanted pregnancy than consent and love and pleasure — I learned everything else on the internet. Sorry, Mom and Dad! Strange message boards and teen-focused advice websites — shout out to Scarleteen and I think one from a tampon brand? — taught me the gist of things, as long as terrifying porn advertisements didn’t take over the entire screen. The euphemisms tripped me up. It took me years to understand what my friend meant in 7th grade when she told me “I gave him something I can never, ever have back.” What was it? A scrunchie? A key to your diary? Oh. Virginity. Got it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many good, smart books about sex in the world. They’re not scandalous or raunchy — but there certainly are those if you’re looking for them. They’re just books about a totally normal, regular thing most humans experience. This list hits most of the major sex topics. We’ve got advice books, academic-ish books (history, politics, sociology, etc.), memoirs, and books for teens. If these weren’t enough for you, be sure to check out this list of 100 must-read sex education books for grown-ups, these 28 sex positive books, or these 10 books by and about sex workers.
