"You're Lucky to Be Down There": Worship, Consent and Real Desire with Sex Educator Birna Gustafsson

What if most of what we get wrong about sex — in the bedroom, the doctor's office, and the comments section — starts with asking the wrong questions? In this candid, wide-ranging episode, Natassia sits down with sex educator and public health advocate Birna Gustafsson, who teaches at Harvard Sex Week and instructs nurses and midwives in sexuality in clinical practice at the University of Iceland, to unpack consent beyond the checklist, sex and disability, desire and frequency myths, sexual communication, oral sex, enthusiasm versus technique, queer pleasure, the viral "real eater" phenomenon, and the sex ed most of us never got. From the ER case studies she teaches — the ones nursing school never prepares you for — to the sold-out BJ class and the oral pleasure workshop men refuse to attend, to the TikTok trend Playboy interviewed her about, Birna makes the case that the measure of a good sex life was never what you're doing or how often. It's how you feel about it. And that enthusiasm — real, embodied attraction to the moment — beats technique every time. Whether you're the one asking the questions (as a partner, a parent, or a practitioner) or the one who's never had the words to answer them, this conversation will change how you talk about sex. **In this episode:** - Why "how often do you have sex?" is the wrong question — and what to ask instead - The consent conversations nobody prepares you for: Alzheimer's, disability, and the patients medicine forgets - The class men refuse to take, and what it says about gendered scripts - Why enthusiasm beats technique — and whether it can be taught - What "real eaters" are, why women are raising the bar, and how to spot the fakes - Why the performance IS the experience in queer sex — and what everyone else can learn from it Follow Birna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbirna/  Visit her website: https://birna.net  Subscribe to her new platform, Explicit Studies: https://explicitstudies.substack.com  ⸻ As a sexologist, I'm picky about the products I recommend, and LBDO has become one of the brands I trust both personally and professionally. On my solo nights, I reach for Rush, their air-pulse stimulator that's soft, intuitive, and elegant enough to live on your nightstand. And with my husband, we bring in Loop, LBDO's vibrating ring that adds a warm hum of pleasure for both of us. Upgrade your solo and partnered rituals at https://us.lbdo.com/discount/LUST15 and use code LUST15 at checkout for 15% off. ⸻ Lust in Translation Podcast Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive insights: ⁠lustintranslation.com  ⁠ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lustintranslationpod/   ⁠ Follow Natassia on on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natassiamiller/⁠