In this op-ed, writer Liv Facey discusses Eric’s storyline in Sex Education season 4 and why it’s an important portrayal of a young queer person’s relationship with God.
Too often, queer people are rejected by churches. But the final season of Sex Education reminds us that queer Christians exist, holding on strong to their faith and seeking somewhere that welcomes them with open arms. In season 4, God (Jodie Turner-Smith) appears to Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and assures him: "You will change hearts and minds, and let everyone know that I love them for who they are. I made you this bright so that others would see in the darkness.”
For four seasons, Netflix’s Sex Education has been a funny and mostly joyful exploration of teen sexuality. Discussing topics such as pansexuality, abortion, vaginismus, and sexual assault, it’s been more informative than most sex ed classes I had in school. The show’s final season continued its path of opening up wider societal discussions; one of season 4’s most compelling is Eric's relationship with his faith and his Christian community.
From the moment we met Eric in season one, his character has offered a refreshing take on Black queer identity and family as he rejects the role of the fearful gay teenager. Instead, he’s larger than life and embarking on a journey to fully love himself and reconcile all parts of his identity: being a Black gay student, growing up with Nigerian parents, and participating in religion. By the finale, the show allows us to witness how his self-love and queer identity affect the wider context of his life, particularly as a gay Christian.
In recent decades, religion, particularly Christianity, has typically been represented negatively in popular culture. In TV, we’ve seen religion be the center of character’s identities in shows like Jane The Virgin, used as a comedy prop for characters like Grandma Ruby (Jenifer Lewis) in Black-ish, or shown as more complicated relationships with God by Rue in Euphoria. That negativity makes sense — Christianity has long been associated with conservatism in the U.S. and in anti-LGBTQ sentiments around the world. This year, it was revealed that American Christian groups have helped to restrict gay and trans rights. Though some Christian churches and denominations are becoming more LGBTQ+ friendly, the Christian Church as a whole has not been welcoming to queer and trans people, and that’s reflected on screen.
Sex Education doesn’t shy away from that context, acknowledging the fractured relationship queer people have with religion — and how that fracture is often painful and isolating for queer people. It’s not an easy break. Season 4 explores how myopic views of religion have contributed to the ostracization of communities and reinforced historical perceptions that sexual identity and religious identity cannot coexist. In Eric’s first interaction with Pastor Samuel this season, Eric tells him he’s hesitant to be baptized because he feels that in church, he has “to hide parts of myself that others might not be comfortable with.” The reality that Eric and other LGBT people often struggle in religious settings is further solidified by Abbi (Anthony Lexa), who admits to Eric that despite being Christian, she had to leave her old church when she transitioned because they weren’t accepting of her. Crucially, she’s not overtly angry, there’s no air of “good riddance” about her; she’s sad.
As we witness Abbi and Eric’s excitement to raise money for Eric’s church shift to disappointment when the church refuses their donation because of how inclusive their high school is, it emphasizes the extent to which queerness is so forcefully rejected in religious spaces. The show highlights that Eric and Abbi have a desire for community and a relationship with God, but their chosen Christian circles make it difficult for them to feel accepted. In doing this, they bring a realistic, refreshing narrative to the conversation about how young people participate in religion. Further, the show posits that religious identity is something that LGBTQ people are allowed to want, but as Abbi says to Eric, not everyone can fight to make that a reality, and that’s OK. Through Abbi and Eric’s discussions, it becomes clear that what’s more important is acknowledging that religious identity and sexual identity can and should be able to coexist peacefully.
A 2022 study by The Trevor Project revealed that one in five LGBTQ youth said their religion is important to them; but “LGB adults who report that they left their religion due to conflict with their sexual identity report higher odds of attempting suicide, compared to their peers who had no conflict between their faith and sexuality (Gibbs et al., 2015), suggesting the mental health impact is related to how they are treated in these spaces,” The Trevor Project wrote.
In season 4, Eric meets a gay man from his church at a queer club; the man later renounces his identity (coded in language of sin and purity) to become baptized. He says the church is his community, and he doesn’t want to lose that. “I’ve done many things in my life that I am ashamed of. Things that have made me unclean,” he says at his baptism. “But today, I turn my back on sin and thank God for his mercy that I can be reborn and made pure.” While Eric can understand why he takes that route, the writers make a powerful point by conflicting the two characters, as it is never a thought for Eric to renounce his gay identity to reconcile his relationship with God.
Instead, he is resolute: “I have to tell my truth otherwise I will be half a person and I can’t live like that.” His statement to the congregation reinforces an idea that is often forgotten when it comes to faith, which is that religion should and can be able to accept all of you. So much about Eric’s journey this season embodies the journey that so many young people like me go through today, where the idea of religion feels like a constant sacrifice of our identities. But as Eric’s journey this season shows us, through leaning on surrealism for Eric's spiritual journey, religious people can look, sound, and act differently from one another, and that is more than OK.
The show’s use of surrealism is the most powerful way it explores Eric’s religious journey. A key feature of Eric’s bedroom since season one has been his picture of Black Jesus. Typically, Jesus is depicted as a white man, but Black Jesus is historically used to affirm that despite these barriers society has created that suggest God is not for you, Jesus can take any form. The recurring role of Black Jesus following Eric all season is particularly compelling in episode six when he dreams of Black Jesus telling him, “You are my precious child. You are brave and bold and absolutely ‘effervocious.’” The message ends with Cal appearing and asking if Eric would like bread; bread is reflected as a gift from God in Christianity and symbolizes sharing and community. If we reimagine the structures of oppression inherent in religion that attempt to exclude queer people, religion as a whole can be better for everyone. This makes Eric’s decision to become a pastor even more impactful as he decides to be that change.
Another crucial aspect of Eric’s journey is his relationship with his parents, Abeo and Beatrice Effiong. His family is rooted in the Nigerian diaspora, and despite West African parents typically being presented as rejecting queer children, both of Eric’s parents reject the stereotypical narratives of homophobic Black parents and instead try to understand their son. Eric’s mum’s support for her son at his baptism when no one else did is a beautiful moment. One of the final scenes sees Beatrice and Pastor Samuel come to Eric’s fundraiser and acknowledge how they want to make the church more open and inclusive — Eric’s steadfastness and trueness to himself is powerful.
As Christians, we’re taught that God has unconditional love for us, but Sex Education’s queer characters and our individual experiences show this often doesn’t extend to sexual and gender identity. The work the writers of Sex Education did this season to highlight that religion and queerness don’t have to create cognitive dissonance or be opposing ideas is one of the most important stories the show tells throughout its run.
As Sex Education shows, these religious institutions need us. We are its future. When Eric falls on his knees in the final episode and says, “I can’t be something that I am not,” that stuck with me. Our spiritual identity is as much a part of our identities as our sexual and gender ones, and no part of us should be sacrificed for the other.
