People Are Sharing The Sex Books That Basically Changed Everything For Them

Start with these.

When your high school sex ed class fails you, it makes sense to look for other sources — namely, books. 📚

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That's why we asked the BuzzFeed Community about the sex ed books that were most impactful to them. Here are several of their top recommendations!

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1. Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski

Simon & Schuster / Via bookshop.org

"I read this until tears welled up in my eyes and then I put it down for a time. I didn't understand how much I had been taught by society and past partners about my own (lack of) self worth and how that affects my ability to function." —ashleighp4ce2cb1ef

Get it from Amazon for $14.75, Bookshop for $17.47, or find it at a local bookstore.

2. The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book For (Younger) Girls by Valorie Schaefer and Josee Masse

American Girl / Via bookshop.org

"An iconic book, really. It’s been so helpful to girls for quite awhile now." —molly1112

Get it from Amazon for $7.53, Bookshop for $11.95, or find it at a local bookstore.

3. S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties by Heather Corinna

Da Capo Lifelong Books / Via bookshop.org

"I had a pretty limited and heteronormative sex education in middle and high school. Even though I thought I had learned enough on my own, this normalized and taught me about things like intersex, different sexualities, and safe sex for lesbians (which is never talked about). It made me feel safe and seen, and helped me make good choices when I started college." —jamie918

Get it from Amazon for $15.25, Bookshop for $16.55, or find it at a local bookstore.

4. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Berkley Books / Via bookshop.org

"In this book, the protagonist is autistic, and she finds her way romantically and sexually. The sex scenes are very well-written — and it is enlightening to see how she views them, given her autism." —Libresoy

Get it from Amazon for $12.13, Bookshop for $14.72, or find it at a local bookstore.

5. What's Going on Down There?: A Boy's Guide To Growing Up by Karen Gravelle

Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books / Via bookshop.org

"What’s Going on Down There? and The Period Book, both by Karen Gravelle. They are, respectively, meant for young boys and young girls, as an introduction to sexual health specific to those two genders, but they both cover topics regarding the other gender, which is important." —rohasi

Get it from Amazon for $8.69, Bookshop for $12.87, or find it at a local bookstore.

6. The Period Book: A Girl's Guide To Growing Up by Karen Gravelle

Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books / Via bookshop.org

"There are, I’m sure, other books that cover sex and sexuality more directly, but this was a great intro for me, just in getting to know myself, what was happening with my changing body, and how to practice safe and healthy sex when that time came." —rohasi

Get it from Amazon for $9.99, Bookshop for $12.87, or find it at a local bookstore.

7. The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex: A Medical Handbook For Men by Stephen E. Goldstone

Dell / Via bookshop.org

—maxredmond

The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex covers safe sex tips, foreplay, sex toy suggestions, and STI-prevention advice, all in one comprehensive book.

Get it from Amazon for $17, Bookshop for $17, or find it at a local bookstore.

8. Girls & Sex: Navigating The Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein

Harper Paperbacks / Via bookshop.org

"I read it for a college public health class and learned so much about what I thought I knew." —Linette

Get it from Amazon for $14.51, Bookshop for $15.63, or find it at a local bookstore.

9. Shameless: A Case For Not Feeling Bad About Feeling Good (About Sex) by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Convergent Books / Via bookshop.org

"Yes, it is possible to be a Christian AND sex-positive AND celebrate LGBTQ people AND be pro-choice." —jillannk3

Get it from Amazon for $14.52, Bookshop for $15.64, or find it at a local bookstore.

10. Forever by Judy Blume

Atheneum Books for Young Readers / Via bookshop.org

"This was like a 'how to' for us pre-teens in the '80s. (Not that we were ready, but always good info to have.)" —G3D

"At 11 years old, I thought ‘make love’ meant fall in love. It did not. I had very little sex knowledge prior to reading that book. Afterwards? Well..." —emilyf4a6fb358d

Get it from Amazon for $9.99, Bookshop for $11.03, or find it at a local bookstore.

11. Doing It!: Let's Talk About Sex by Hannah Witton

Sourcebooks Fire / Via bookshop.org

—francescao3

YouTube star Hannah Witton's book Doing It! addresses everything sex-related — from consent and contraception to the actual enjoyment of sex — in a style that's approachable, relatable, and thoroughly fun to read.

Get it from Bookshop for $10.11 or find it at a local bookstore.

12. I Am An Emotional Creature: The Secret Life Of Girls Around The World by Eve Ensler

Villard Books / Via bookshop.org

"My mom got me my first sexual positivity book when I was 12 and it was I Am An Emotional Creature by Eve Ensler. Not necessarily a sex-ed book but it definitely helped me feel less shameful about my desires and my body." —jessicavanschalkwyk

Get it from Amazon for $16, Bookshop for $16, or find it at a local bookstore.

13. Nerve's Guide to Sex Etiquette for Ladies and Gentlemen by Em & Lo

Penguin Publishing Group / Via thriftbooks.com

"It's written like a 1950s self-help book — which is cute and adorable — but is actually filled with advice for everything from a first date to how to properly communicate in a group sex situation." —ReMiDe

Get it from Amazon for $1.68 (used), Thriftbooks for $4.69 (used), or find it at a local bookstore.

14. Diary of a Submissive: A Modern Tale Of Sexual Awakening by Sophie Morgan

Avery Publishing Group / Via bookshop.org

"[It's from] a series about the author’s journey into BDSM and then finding a way to incorporate that in a day-to-day normal relationship. I read this when everyone else was reading Fifty Shades and I can tell you these influenced me a lot more." —Shelby Fuson

Get it from Amazon for $17.14, Bookshop for $16, or find it at a local bookstore.

15. Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide To The Evolutionary Biology Of Sex by Olivia Judson

Holt McDougal / Via bookshop.org

"Such a fun book that talks about the sex habits of different organisms and offers a good evolutionary perspective on our own sexuality." —ratchetbtch

Get it from Amazon for $14.32, Bookshop for $17.48, or find it at a local bookstore.

16. The Hormone Diaries: The Bloody Truth About Our Periods by Hannah Witton

Wren & Rook / Via amazon.com

—francescao3

YouTuber Hannah Witton's book (titled after her series of the same name) talks about periods, hormones, and birth control in a super candid way.

Get it from Amazon for $13.59 or find it at a local bookstore.

17. Hooking Up: A Girl's All-Out Guide to Sex And Sexuality by Amber Madison

Prometheus / Via amazon.com

"It’s both informative and hilarious!" —Blackbird68

Get it from Amazon for $17.85 or find it at a local bookstore.

What's a sex ed book that you'd recommend? Share in the comments!