Let's talk about bad sex ed
Take your seats while I roll in that TV stand
Well hello horny readers! Thank you so, so much for reading the ADULT SEX ED newsletter! If you’re enjoying it, please share with friends, so they can be hilariously informed.
Adult Sex Ed comedically challenges why we think what we think about sex. In case you’re new, I’m Dani Faith Leonard, a comedy writer, film producer, and performer. In 2018, I started a comedy show called Adult Sex Ed and launched this newsletter last year. Each week, I take a fun deep dive into a topic that I’ve been researching. Want to know more? Read the whole description on substack here.
Ready to get a little smarter? Okay, let’s go!
Hey! There are a bunch of new Adult Sex Ed readers, so I want to take this week to reintroduce myself, this newsletter, the show that started it all, and talk about WHY I started it to begin with. Plus—I’m introducing a new Adult Sex Ed poll! I’d love to hear from all of you more often. Please answer the questions below and chime in.
Adult Sex Ed started in 2018 as a live comedy show which has been performed in NY (Caveat, Midnight Theater), LA (Dynasty Typewriter) and around the country with leading comedian guests. At each live show, I invite a few of the funniest people I know to tell stories about their own educations and the lessons they had to learn the hard way. Then, I lead historical “lessons” on how these beliefs about sex came to be and impacted our culture. Part stand-up, part John Oliver-style deep dives, all live and brand new each time. Past guests include Gianmarco Soresi, Josh Gondelman, Jermaine Fowler, Dulce Sloan, Mara Wilson, Justin Martindale, Atsuko Okatsuka, Joanna Hausmann, Dylan Adler, and many more.
This newsletter grew out of the live show, as a way to connect with the audience who couldn’t be there in person, as well as an outlet for my weird research. But why did I start it to begin with? I grew up in a really open home—my Mom was even a sex ed teacher for a while. In school, I received the opposite messages (we watched Philadelphia to learn that it you have sex, you’ll get AIDS). My teacher was actually very cool, but was limited by the curriculum. The culture of the 90s and early 2000s was also a confusing combination of oversexed pop stars who took virginity pledges.
So this daughter of a sex ed teacher decided that she needed to challenge her own long-held beliefs the best way I know how…in front of a live audience. Now, I’d love to know more about you! How was your sex ed? Probably not great, based on the stats! Please answer the questions below! I’ll reveal your answers next week.
Lastly, please use the comments section below to name a myth or belief that you were taught that you had to dispel when you were older! You can also respond to this email and it will go right to my inbox.
Here are some recent newsletters you might like:
You can access all past newsletters here!
Men are troglodytes (think Fred Flinstone) and women, dingdongs (his wife). Neither had any sex appeal or desire. Children just "came along."
My mom told me that Masturbating is a sin that needs to be confessed to the priest so that I can go to heaven.
I thought I was going to hell when I was around ten!