If you're on TikTok, you've probably seen it at least once. Sophia Smith Galer appears in your feed. With over 413,000 followers, Smith Galer is known for its simple educational content, sharing insightful and urgent videos on everything from pasta to medicine to politics. An award-winning journalist and passionate advocate for sexual health, her most recent effort is her groundbreaking debut book, Loss: Sex education for the 21st century..
Why This Is Our Summer Read
Described as a 'myth-busting appeal', Smith Galer's book is clear, concise and a must-read, attacking the lies that have dominated sex education in the UK and around the world. Each chapter covers a variety of topics, from virginity to virility, and focuses on a different sex myth. The majority of UK adults will have faced many of the problems outlined by Smith Galer. Vagina cannot be accurately identifiedIt is clear that sex education is severely lacking.
At the school I went to, we only got sex education (i.e. we learned how to roll a condom on a banana). ~ after Half the class began exploring their sexuality and false rumors began to spread. She explores the ways in which culture overemphasizes penetration and promiscuity over safety and comfort, carefully identifies a range of harmful misconceptions prevalent in the culture, and then delicately outlines solutions and ways to improve sex education for everyone. We discuss it thoroughly. Sex can still be a difficult and intimidating topic, but it would be nice to see the country start talking openly about these important topics, beyond just whispering the word 'vagina' like it's in a Miranda sketch.
@sophiasmithgaler The latest report I have for you is a very big one. #AbortionRights #NewsReporter #UKnews #USnews ♬ Blade Runner 2049 – Synthwave Goose
lose it We're not just focused on the UK. Sophia explores the stigma that permeates cultures internationally, including the lies surrounding virginity, pressure, and the hymen. She delves deep into vaginoplasty, fake blood kits, and Kegel exercises, Smith Galer exposes companies founded to exploit women's insecurities, and the balance between legal repercussions and freedom of choice when it comes to these surgeries, fueled by misogyny and hate. explores the moral balance of misinformation. We never want to take away a woman's autonomy to decide what to do with her body, but women should not feel pressured to make decisions based on lies and lack of information.
This is a must-read for anyone interested in global attitudes to sex and how we can challenge ourselves to create safer societies for everyone. This is the HANX team's favorite book and something we wish we had available when we were in school.
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