Society’s stance on sex discussions remain varied. The variation ranges from those who are totally comfortable discussing anything to do with sex, to those who think it’s an absolute abomination, and that those who do so should eternally burn in hell!

Truth is though, sex discussions are fundamentally harmless … well … at least, they should be. Apart from the obvious instances where it should be restricted, (such as around children, the elderly, or in sacred places), discussions on sex can be quite useful, and empowering too.

Discussions of sexual subjects on talk-shows are generally useful, and sometimes critically important.

Here are 10 brief benefits of sex discussions on talk-shows:

1. Anonymous queries: participants can present their sex questions without being identified. It is often important for participants that they can present their questions on subjects without listeners necessarily knowing their identities.
2. Listen and learn in the safety of their own spaces. Listeners have the benefit of listening sex discussions in the security, and comfort, of their private spaces – which is often their homes.
3. Listeners learn they are not alone with some issues. A lot people carry deep anxieties and guilt associated with their sexual activities. This is often because they believe they are alone in committing sexual transgressions. When they listen sex discussions on talk-shows and hear of others in similar scenarios, they begin to feel realize they are actually not an aberration, but that they are quite normal.
4. Reduction of stigma to sex subjects. There are those who are chronically afraid to discuss certain sex topics, even to themselves. For example, there are those who believe it’s sinful to even think about some sex issues. The ‘forbiddeness’ of thinking about, or discussing, some sex subjects, are decreased or erased, when listeners hear others discussing sex issues in a healthy, harmless, and fun manner.
5. Listeners learn new sexual activities. Yes … talk-shows on sex often expose listeners to new activities they can try towards increasing personal enjoyment and improving their relationships.
6. Improve what they are already doing sex. Some people believe they have been practicing sexual acts to a high standard – when such is not the case. Some listeners to sex matters on talk-shows often realize that they have been making mistakes in their sexual activities. After listening the talk-shows, they are then afforded the opportunity to correct and improve their sexual activities.
7. Hear the perspectives of their partners. Couples and sex partners often suffer from lack of communication on sex issues. Individuals are often afraid to share their thoughts on sex issues in their relationships.  Sex discussions on talk-shows allow listeners to hear others express the unstated thoughts of their partners. For example, men will hear what women are thinking on some sex issues, and, of course, the converse, women hear the thoughts of men on some issues. In so doing, they obtain a sense of the unexpressed thoughts of their partners.
8. Educated on medical issues that are sexual. One unfortunate casualty of not discussing sex in general is that people are often ignorant about the medical issues that are associated with some sexual activities. By listening to sex discussions on talk shows, listeners learn about medical issues in sex. For example, listeners may learn that hard sex against a woman cervix can cause serious illnesses; or that certain sexual acts can result in exposure to specific diseases.
9. Averting harm. After being educated on the dynamics of different sexual activities and their corresponding medical issues, listeners are often empowered to adjust their behavior to protect themselves in different ways.  Having knowledge of the sex issues they did not know before is one thing – taking actions to improve their sex lives or to protect themselves from medical harm is a further step. Listeners of sex subjects on talk-shows facilitate or increase their capacity to act for their sexual betterment.
10. Listeners and participants can be entertained. This might sound weird …. but there are a great many people who believe sex matters must always be a super serious endeavor. They don’t believe sex can be fun. Sex talk-show listeners often appreciate entertaining sex talk, and some times transfer that entertainment to sex in the sex lives outside the talk shows.  Of course, this must necessarily be a consequence of the sex talk-show host infusing the elements of humor and entertainment in the commission of the shows.

Overall, talk-shows that address and explore sex subjects are not always unproductive exercises and a waste of time. Neither are they necessarily harmful to listeners. On the contrary, they are often quite useful in many ways.