Irish Examiner

The Importance of Consent in Intimacy

Sex in Ireland has long been a topic few of us openly discuss. Many of us remember the contentious, day-long debate on RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline in 2020 about the explicit nature of Normal People. We can laugh about comments comparing it to “a porno movie” now, but what we may not have realised at the time is just how pioneering popular culture can be in shaping and normalising conversations about sex, intimacy, and indeed, consent. Since then, we’ve had many series  which have pushed those conversations further, but few as successfully as Bridgerton, Netflix’s hit Regency-era show known for its scandalous storylines and steamy romances.