Sex educator breaks down East of Eden birth scene after it raises point about consent

Netflix's East of Eden has sparked a conversation about consent following a particularly uncomfortable scene involving Florence Pugh's character, Cathy Ames, giving birth.

The streaming platform's new adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel doesn't shy away from Cathy's complicated and often disturbing story, but one intimate moment has raised a wider question about bodily autonomy during childbirth.

The scene sees Cathy in labour and being physically examined while she is already in an extremely vulnerable position.

Although the examination takes place in the context of delivering her baby, sex educator Lillithfoxx says that doesn't automatically remove the need for consent.

“Childbirth can make someone incredibly vulnerable,” Lillithfoxx explained. “They may be in pain, exhausted, frightened, partially undressed, and surrounded by people making decisions very quickly.”

For that reason, she says communication becomes more important rather than less.

The show has raised some important questions around consent (Netflix)

“When someone has the capacity to make decisions, they should be told what someone is about to do to their body, why it is necessary, and given an opportunity to consent or refuse.”

Importantly, agreeing to medical care doesn't mean agreeing to every form of physical contact that might follow.

“Labour itself does not give blanket permission for intimate touch,” she added.

“Someone can agree to one examination and decline another, or change their mind as the situation progresses.”

Cathy's loss of control makes the scene uncomfortable

For Lillithfoxx, it's Cathy's apparent lack of agency that makes the East of Eden sequence particularly striking.

“What stands out to me is the loss of control Cathy experiences,” she said.

“She is already in an extremely vulnerable position, and the intimate examination happens without any visible attempt to ask permission or prepare her for that touch.”

Her reaction is significant too, with Lillithfoxx adding: “Her reaction makes the moment feel invasive because the audience sees how little agency she has over what is happening to her body.”

However, that doesn't necessarily mean the person examining Cathy intends to violate her boundaries.

“Someone may understand that the character examining her believes he is helping her medically while still feeling deeply uncomfortable with the way her bodily autonomy is handled,” Lillithfoxx explained.

“Intent and impact can exist side by side.”

Pugh's character, Cathy Ames, is a controversial figure but is put in a vulnerable position (Netflix)

How are childbirth scenes filmed safely?

There's also another layer of consent involved in putting a scene like this on screen.

Although childbirth isn't sexual, recreating it can require actors to perform in extremely intimate and exposed circumstances.

“A childbirth scene can involve nudity, intimate positioning, genital areas, physical restraint, or simulated medical contact, so there can be a lot to plan even though the scene itself is not sexual,” Lillithfoxx explained.

An intimacy coordinator can help choreograph exactly what will happen before cameras start rolling, including which areas of an actor's body will be visible and where another performer is permitted to touch them.

They can also organise modesty garments and physical barriers, as well as closed-set procedures designed to limit who is present during filming.

The show, based on a novel, has been sparking conversations (Netflix)

Actors can change their minds

Crucially, an actor agreeing to perform an intimate scene doesn't mean that consent can't later be withdrawn.

“The strongest approach is very specific,” Lillithfoxx said. “An actor should know what touch is expected, where it will happen, how much of their body will be shown, and what the final scene is intended to look like before filming begins.”

Those boundaries can continue to be negotiated throughout rehearsals and shooting.

“Agreeing to a scene weeks earlier does not mean an actor stops having boundaries once they arrive on set,” she added.

If something feels uncomfortable once filming actually begins, the production can pause and change elements including the blocking, camera position, physical contact or barriers being used.

Under SAG-AFTRA protections covering nudity and simulated sex, Lillithfoxx notes performers can also withdraw previously given consent before footage is captured.

“Consent can change when a person actually experiences the position, touch, costume, or choreography they previously agreed to in theory,” she said.

And that's perhaps why the East of Eden scene has struck such a nerve. Childbirth might be an extraordinary physical event, but vulnerability doesn't make someone's boundaries disappear.

As Lillithfoxx puts it: “Meaningful consent requires room to change your mind.”