Throughout the British comedy’s uproarious and deeply moving three seasons, creator Laurie Nunn has considered queer yearning, self-discovery, friendships, and of course, sex, as the classmates age and begin to embark on a path toward adulthood and liberation. For several of the characters, that has meant exploring and reckoning with their queer identities while seeking acceptance from those they love and the larger world around them.

For characters like Eric, that path has proved especially complicated. Hailing from a Ghanaian-Nigerian background, the teen battles homophobia from within the walls of Moordale, as well as in his family and church community, yet remains bravely himself — power-clashing outfits, glittery makeup looks, and all.

In the third season, the Effiongs travel to attend a wedding in Nigeria, where homosexuality is criminalized. Concerned for her son’s safety, Eric’s mother urges him to forgo makeup and painted nails and to adopt a less flamboyant wardrobe. But to Eric’s surprise, the event leads to an unexpected connection with wedding photographer Oba (Jerry Iwu), who invites the teen to an underground party. Their journey to the bash is fraught — wary glances from their cab driver lead Oba to create exit plans, and to code-switch physically and verbally. When they arrive safely at their destination, however, the pair enter the club, a place Eric can authentically express himself and explore his sexuality in a way he hasn’t been able to back home in England.

Adam (Connor Swindells) is a bully with bad grades and a beautiful girlfriend who projects confidence but is, in fact, wrestling with pressures, insecurities, and questions about his identity. Eric serves as a mirror and a guide for Adam, encouraging him to reexamine his beliefs and explore his feelings. It’s admittedly sometimes uncomfortable to see Eric, who is so open when it comes to his identity, having anything to do with someone who appears so toxic, yet the pairing, unfortunately, touches on a dynamic that very much exists in the real world, especially in high school. Their will-they-won’t-they push and pull continues throughout the third season.

Eric experiences a far healthier situation with Rahim (Sami Outalbali), an empathetic partner who is serious about their relationship — something that ultimately proves to be the young couple’s undoing. Eric isn’t ready for that level of commitment, but to Rahim’s credit, even when they break up, he’s able to express his sadness to Eric and they remain friends.

Friendship and chosen family are critical in the queer community, and building that family in your teenage years makes the future much easier. Sex Education understands that, and the show portrays the friendships among its characters as genuine and meaningful, highlighting the emotional support, understanding, and connection they offer.

Notably, the friendships also grow and evolve over the seasons, furthering each character’s development. Charming, popular Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling) begins the show as someone who exudes traditionally masculine jock energy. But he’s hardly a stock close-minded character. He comes from a queer household, and his mothers (Sharon Duncan-Brewster and Hannah Waddingham) are navigating the natural ebbs and flows of a marriage. And he’s close friends with nonbinary Cal (Dua Saleh). When the pair develops feelings for one another, Jackson not only comes to some important realizations about his own sexuality, but also finds his fixed notions about gender expression challenged.

Sex- and body-positive Lily (Tanya Reynolds) is another key character whose experiences celebrate queer friendship, young love, and physical intimacy. Initially interested in exploring a sexual relationship with Eric, Lily instead finds in him a friend with whom she can express her true self without fear of judgment. They’re entirely open with one another about who they are, and they find freedom and joy in dressing up, applying makeup, and even watching porn.

Lily undergoes yet more personal growth when she begins dating pansexual Ola (Patricia Allison). Together they experience all the highs and lows of first love. Emphasizing the importance of communication and consent between partners, Lily and Ola’s sexual relationship includes frank conversations about boundaries and desires. It makes for one of the healthiest portrayals of teen sexual experimentation — and queer sexual exploration — on television, making queer sex fun, and not fearful or traumatic.

In its fourth and final season, Sex Education continues to explore and honor queer experiences. With Moordale Secondary School closing its doors, Season 4 sends the crew on a new adventure to Cavendish College where Otis meets O (Thaddea Graham), a fellow student sexual guidance counselor — for the first time, he’s got some real competition. His friendship with Eric is tested when Eric becomes a member of the cool clique, The Coven, a circle that includes transgender couple Abbi and Roman (Anthony Lexa and Felix Mufti).