Recently, Lovehoney dove into the ‘masturbation gap’ and found that, on average, women masturbated around 70 times a year (in 2022 and 2023), while men clocked up almost 191 sessions in the same time frame. The gender divide around the stigma of masturbation means that men prioritise self-pleasure as a way to de-stress, while women don’t as often.

Education is partially to blame for this culture and gender divide. Female pleasure is not discussed in schools, with the focus placed on the importance of condoms to prevent pregnancy or STI/STD transmissions, which provides a limited, heterosexual, cis view of sex.

As a result, the internet has become women’s go-to for information. The same research found that one in four women learned more about women’s health from social media than from school. Another study found 59% of American women felt that female masturbation should be covered in school. All 59% of these women also revealed that when masturbating they always orgasmed, but only 15% of this group orgasmed with a partner during sex.

By avoiding discussions around female pleasure, not only does it become embarrassing to approach the subject, but it also means that women aren’t satisfied during sex.

Sex Education is ground-breaking as it explores how natural sexual desire is for women. Aimee is completely unphased by female masturbation, leaving dildos everywhere and even buying her favourite sex toy for her best friend, Maeve. Friendship goals right there.

It’s extremely liberating to see Aimee not only embracing but meeting her high sex drive by trying out different toys to discover what gives her the most pleasure. She isn’t sexualised in the process; she’s fully clothed in bed and we get the sense that this is a very regular part of her routine, much like brushing her teeth.

It’s inspiring to see Aimee accept her desires and satisfy them. It helps to normalise women’s sex drive as a natural need that no one should be ashamed of. Her desire for sex isn’t the problem – it’s the sexualised world in which she lives.

“I’m so grateful to Sex Education for normalising female masturbation”