So hearing Adam of all people open up about wanting to be penetrated is particularly special. And bottoming, of course, is therefore seen to be the opposite of this. To top is somehow seen to be more manly, and therefore more acceptable, less "gay" somehow. And that's key, because much of the stereotyping that revolves around gay sex roles actually comes from a place of shame. In fact, this scene is far more sweet and romantic than most of the straight sex scenes that take place this season. When Adam essentially asks Eric to top him, there's nothing salacious about it. It's also the way this scene was handled. Sex Education has always been disarmingly frank about all aspects of sex, and it's not the only show to explore queer sex in particular, but still, even then, how often do we hear something like, "I want you to put your dick in me" on screen? And it's not just the words themselves that matter. It's a huge moment of growth, but not just for Adam. Why Sex Education's Eric/Adam moment had to happen Thanks to Eric's love and a lot of hard work on his part, Adam is now at a point where he can openly say something so intimate that would have utterly revolted him just two seasons earlier. It's almost like the Adam we have here today is a different person entirely, but it's to the show's credit that his evolving journey towards self-acceptance has never felt rushed or disingenuous. Take a moment here to recall what Adam was like as a closeted bully back in season one. But given more time, Adam goes on to say, "I want you to put your dick in me. "I want you to have sex with me." Eric is confused, of course, particularly as this follows that earlier rejection at the picnic. "I don't want to have sex with you," Adam tells his boyfriend. Following his chat with Otis, Adam is inspired to finally voice his desires out loud, albeit with his back turned to Eric, because that's the only way he can clear his mind and express what he truly thinks. That's still each other, but just not in the ways that they first assumed. It's not until Adam visits Eric's bedroom later on that the pair finally figure out what they really want. Not only does Eric assume that Adam would be the top, but Adam isn't able to express himself fully at the best of times, so when he says, "This isn't what I want," he struggles to clarify that it's the position he's talking about, and not Eric himself. Labels can be useful, but rigidly sticking to them can also be constricting, and that's exactly why Eric and Adam's picnic goes awry. And then there are plenty of people who simply reject the notion of these roles entirely. Not only are these "roles" far more varied than stereotypes would have you believe, but plenty of queer men are versatile, enjoying both roles at different times (or even in the same session!). In reality though, this is utter rubbish. Bottoms, on the other hand, are more submissive, and cliché dictates that you're clearly the more 'feminine' one, which then feeds into the idea that bottoms are usually smaller and/or weaker than their partner too. As a top, you take the lead and control the situation. Social stigmas and unfounded stereotypes dictate that tops are naturally more masculine and often, they're physically larger too. Sex Education s3 star reacts to Eric/Adam backlash And ironically enough, that's primarily down to a lack of education about sex, or the gay kind, at least. It doesn't even occur to Eric that Adam might want to bottom, or that he himself might want to top. Where Eric's inexperience does comes in though is with his assumption that he would be the one bottoming, or receiving. Even though Eric says he doesn't know what he's doing when it comes to sex, that's not entirely true, because he's already douched and ready to go with that all-important lube/condom combo. As Ncuti Gatwa himself told us just recently, "There's not a blueprint for a queer youth's romantic journey through life." And that's true in both a physical and an emotional sense.Īs Eric is more experienced with LGBTQ+ culture, he's essentially Adam's blueprint for being queer, and at times, that can put an unfair amount of pressure on him. And why's that? "I'm worried that I don't know what I'm doing." That's often the case with first-time sex, particularly for teenagers, and even more so again for young queer people. But suddenly, faced with the deed itself, Eric admits that he is "a bit scared," after all.