An independent bookstore in Sheffield will be hosting a book club to raise money for charity and provide a safe space to discuss sex.
Juno Books will launch the scheme in January as a space for people who may have questions about their bodies or feel unable to speak about topics like sex that may otherwise be considered taboo.
The book club is fundraising for Fumble, a registered charity which provides free sex education resources to young people.
Kerry Miller, a sex education researcher and the book club organiser, said: “People that I didn’t really know that well would send me really personal stories about contraception they’d been on, stuff that didn’t work and problems they’d had and it was kind of alarming.
“There clearly wasn’t a space where people felt like they could talk about those things.”
According to January 2022 poll statistics from Sex Education Forum, 28% of young people had not been educated on how to recognise a heathy relationship and 46% stated they had learned nothing about sexual pleasure.
Kerry said: “My generation didn’t really have sex ed and I think it’s not massively better now, but I had this feeling that a lot of us had missed out when we were at school.
“I thought a book club was a good way to do it because people don’t have to come to a space and talk about something they may not be very comfortable with, they have the book to hide behind as a starting point.”
A poll run by Fumble revealed 79% of young people admitted to not knowing what kind of online sex education content was reliable and safe.
This statistic, alongside others regarding exposure to explicit content and lack of privacy, resulted in Fumble creating a manifesto which included building “a happy, healthy place online for sex education.”
Juno Books, on Chapel Walk, is a queer and feminist community bookshop which aims to provide a platform for the voices of people who may not otherwise be heard.
Sarah Scales, joint owner, said: “There are people who have missed the opportunity for sex education at school who are in their twenties or thirties or older who want to talk about it in a safe and friendly environment and we’re hoping we can provide that.”
The book Sex Ed: A Guide for Adults by Ruby Rare, a sex educator and body-positivity advocate, will be the first discussed by the club.
Kerry said she picked the book because it is very informative while being engaging and easy to understand with illustrations throughout.
She said: “It’s really body and sex positive and very inclusive so it felt like a perfect starting point for what I want the club to be.”
The first book club meeting is set to take place on 8 January 2023 and is priced at £15, which includes a copy of the book, access to the group and a £2 donation to Fumble.
