What happens when we stop accepting the stories we’ve been taught about sex, gender, bodies, desire, and pleasure—and start questioning who those stories actually serve? In this episode, we’re joined by Ericka Hart, M.Ed. (she/they), a trauma-informed, consent- and pleasure-based sex educator who has spent the past 15 years teaching comprehensive sex education at the elementary, high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Ericka is the founder of Sex Ed as Resistance, author of Nasty Work: Resist Systems, Explore Desire and Liberate Yourself, and co-host, alongside her partner Ebony, of the critically acclaimed podcast Hoodrat to Headwrap. Ericka’s work challenges us to think differently about sexuality—not simply as something we learn about, but as something deeply connected to power, culture, history, identity, and liberation. Together, we explore how traditional sex education has failed to give many of us the tools to understand our bodies and desires, and how societal and colonial ideas about sex and gender continue to shape who is allowed to experience pleasure. We unpack the history of consent and what it means to define consent beyond a simple “yes” or “no,” particularly when it comes to access, agency, and pleasure. We also talk about reclaiming desire on our own terms, body positivity and the people left out of mainstream beauty and sex-appeal standards, and practical ways we can begin to challenge the messages we’ve internalized about our bodies. This is a conversation about unlearning, resisting, exploring, and imagining something better—a world where sexuality education isn't about shame or fear, but about agency, pleasure, consent, and liberation. In this episode, we explore:• Why “education meets agitation” is at the heart of Ericka’s work• Rethinking traditional sex education through Nasty Work• The impact of societal and colonial views on sex, gender, and pleasure• Consent, its history, and its relationship to access and agency• How to reclaim desire on your own terms• Body positivity, beauty standards, and who gets left out• Tools for reconnecting with your body and pleasure• What a radically different future for sexuality could look like• Ericka’s work, Sex Ed as Resistance, and Nasty Work Learn more about Ericka and her work at ihartericka.com. Get Ericka’s book: Nasty Work: Resist Systems, Explore Desire and Liberate Yourself Learn more about Sex Ed as Resistance and Ericka’s offerings: Ericka Hart’s website Come to our October 2026 Couple's retreats! Learn more and reserve your spot here: https://www.shamelesssex.com/retreat Do you love us? Do you REALLY love us? Then order our book now! Go to shamelesssex.com to snag your copy Support Shameless Sex by sending us gifts via our Amazon Wish List Follow us on IG @shamelesssexpodcast Other links: Get 10% off boosting your load with code SHAMELESS at https://loadboost.com Get 45% off our favorite ethical (and educatonal) porn with code PLEASURE at http://erikalust.com — that’s Erika with a K Get 10% off + free shipping with code SHAMELESS on Uberlube AKA our favorite lubricant at http://uberlube.com Get 15% off the best sex toys with code SHAMELESSSEX at http://purepleasureshop.com Work with some of our favorite sexual health and hormone specialists at https://swanmd.com + mention Shameless Sex for a discount
