Love & the Layman

So… What Counts as Sex, Really?

Junction.Audio Season 1 Episode 2

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 21:26

What actually counts as sex? If your definition starts and ends with penetration, your dictionary is definitely outdated.

In Episode 2 of Love & the Layman, certified sex coach Samantha Raddock and her husband Jared tackle a philosophical quandary that’s been left too open to interpretation: how do we decide what “real sex” is in the first place?

From mutual masturbation to oral sex to cervical orgasms — and everything in between — this conversation challenges the narrow scripts many of us were taught to follow. Is penetration really the gold standard, or is sex something broader, more flexible, and far more pleasure-forward?

With expert clarity, honest curiosity, and plenty of “wait, really?” moments, this episode makes space for a more inclusive definition of sex — one that leaves room for connection in every body, at every age, and in every kind of intimate experience.

Still think sex has one rulebook? Relax — we’re rewriting it.

Press play. We’ve got you.