'I May Destroy You' Episode 3: 'Wild' period sex scene blows minds, fans thank Michaela Coel for normalizing it
Spoilers for 'I May Destroy You' Episode 3
To say that the Arabella-Biagio sex scene in Episode 3 was uncomfortable would be an understatement, but such is the reality of periods. And who else but Michaela Coel to show it by normalizing it to an extent where it seems as lucid as any other lovemaking scene on television. Except that this has never been done before on TV, let alone show a person put on a sanitary napkin or explore the mysterious ways of a tampon and blood clots. Coel's dark, provocative and timely HBO dramedy that explores the aftermath of Arabella (Coel) realizing she was raped on a night out, tackles yet another very common occurrence: period sex. In a flashback, we see the invitation of the Arabella-Biagio (Marouane Zotti) fling and at the beginning of it is the very realistically messy and awkward period sex scene that seems to have won fans over with how much it 'normalizes' the whole situation.
Arabella meets Biagio on her writer's retreat to Italy, at a time when Terry (Weruche Opia) is paying her a visit. They score drugs from him earlier in the day, and later at night after Terry leaves Arabella in the club, Biagio takes her very inebriated self to her apartment. The two end up getting it down and dirty when Arabella briefly pauses to tell Biagio she's on her period. Totally unfazed by it, Biagio's reaction shocks Arabella because she's never done it before, but her new man is totally cool with it. He even offers to pull her tampon out, and engages in scrutinizing a blood clot in the process as well. His piqued curiosity leads Arabella to later deduce that he was lying, implying he's done it before, but no harm done. They even go out to get a bite later and Biagio opens up about his need to peddle drugs during a conversation by the sea.
The whole sequence peaks with how relatable-turned-awkward-turned-normal it is, and that seems to have won fans' hearts. There's no shocking, poignant epiphany about the sex scene. It just happens like Terry having an equally confusing sexual encounter in the next room with two Italian men. Terry's threesome is thought-provoking because it highlights the nuanced layers of consent in modern-day dating. And while Biagio didn't technically lie about having had sex with a woman on her period before, his and Arabella's encounter though might be labeled gross and too much by some, but it still flows with ease.
"I don't think I've ever seen a show normalize period sex like this," shared a fan on Twitter about Coel's period sex scene in her show. Another shocked viewer added: "I cannot believe they are showing blood clots and period sex on TV. Oh my God." A third also took to commend HBO for how far it's going with normalizing the sex-niche, tweeting: "Well, period sex portrayed on TV and he picked up her blood clot that came out of her and I... HBO, you wild, fam. Touting Coel, a fan wrote: "@MichaelaCoel is portraying all the themes that TV was too scared to broadcast before. #IMayDestroyYou — Black gay masculinity, Sexual Assault, Periods, Mental health."
Fans also feel "Biagio and that period scene and his fascination with the blood clot... The lesson here is that women's bodies are not gross, our bodies are fascinating and natural, and men should really educate themselves." And while there were some actively appalled viewers, the general consensus read: "#IMayDestroyYou is so amazingly layered. Well funny and addresses so many complex issues. Normalizing periods for one and normalizing so many characters of color. And Hackney focused always helps. Big up!"
'I May Destroy You' airs on Mondays at 9pm on HBO.