Abstract
England’s statutory Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) guidance mandates inclusive yet sensitive delivery of sex education in secondary schools. However, teachers – often the frontline interpreters of these policies, navigate complex emotional terrains shaped by cultural conflicts, institutional expectations, and personal beliefs. This qualitative study explores the affective dimensions of teaching sex education through semi-structured interviews with 12 secondary school teachers across England, drawing on Sara Ahmed’s theory of affective economies and Arlie Hochschild’s concept of emotional labour. Findings reveal a spectrum of emotions across three key emotional clusters: (1) positive alignment ;(joy, fulfilment) among teachers whose values aligned with institutional contexts; (2) negative distress ;(anxiety, anger, trauma) tied to cultural dissonance, personal experiences, and perceived systemic neglect; and (3) ambivalence ;(neutrality, reluctant professionalism) reflecting tensions between authenticity and institutional expectations. Teachers employed emotion regulation strategies like open communication ;(peer support, institutional dialogue) and self-care ;(counselling, grounding techniques). This study centres the lived emotional experiences of teachers – often overlooked in policy debates. By centring emotion in effective sex education, this research advocates for institutional cultures that honour teachers’ emotional labour while fostering inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms.