Sex and The Media
- Emerson Pipes
- Dec 20, 2020
- 3 min read
Discamer:
While my rants do contain factual information I have research and verified, they also come from my own frustrations and opinions of the subject. I am a media and film prodcuations university student who is part of the LGBT community and has a great intrest in queer media. I encourage others to do their own research and also come to their own opinion of the subject
Teens/young people grow up consuming media that shows an idealised version of sex and relationships.
There is often a lack of communication, rather the emotions of the two characters are shown through shots and angles that invoke inimases and the characters seemingly know exactly what to do. They also gloss over things like condoms or foreplay, to save for screen time they only show the ‘important’ parts. But because of this teens have a twisted idea of what sex it and how it works.Sex is shown as clean and easy, unless its for comedic effect, with little issues.
The media also show idealized body’s, men and women show in their perfect states. Women in matching underwear and with flawless skin, no marks or stretch marks. Men with toned bodies, waxed and flawless.
Education
Sex is taught in a universal way, that for everyone sex is the same between a man and woman (Now some LGBT safe sex is taught but not alot) however this is inherently false. Sex is uniuq to neatly everyone, people have different bodys and reactions to things and need different things. The universal teaching leads young people to have expectations for sex that may lead them to becoming confused or dissapointed. Why didn't it feel good? Am I doing something wrong?
Young people, especially women, are discouraged from exploring what they like because of the taboo around sex. Historically men controlled sex and women were reduced to child bares, sex was just for married couples to repoduce or was seen as a dirty and sin full thing.
I think younger people are becoming more open about talking about sex, which is brilliant. However just talking among themself isnt the best way to learn about sex, they may mistake somthing for facts whe its just advice. Advice from a friend about sex is fine, but facual information about sex from perfeinals is also very important.
Unfortunately sex education is still hightly cencored on most media platforms, I follow alot of sex ed youtube channles who have stuggled to survive when they simply want to help others not feel so alone or feel too shy to talk to others about sex. Media is so important in how young people see and learn about sex, it should be used to help inform and connect with people. Restricting this or censoring it because sex is seen as too tabboo is only further hurting young people. Especially when they go to less certified and factual sources for their education- allowing medical professionals and educators to teach through the medium of media would stop misinformation among young people.
Sex is a social thing, as young people grow up sex is talked more and more about among friends as they start to experiment and start to have sex. Everyone wants to talk about their experiences and compare first times, figure out what they like and what they don’t.
For example I learnt everything I know about sexuality and sex from the internet, I couldnt not ask my school (I went to a chatholic uk school) or my family (I was too scared) about this. For me, it was mostly okay. I found good youtubers who were themselves LGBT and educated, I also had a sexually active friend group who I was able to talk to about this stuff.
Update:
Looking at the newer UK curriculum, they do talk about LGBT people and how to cover these topics ‘When teaching about these topics, it must be recognised that young people may be discovering or understanding their sexual orientation or gender identity. There should be an equal opportunity to explore the features of stable and healthy same-sex relationships.’ and I have heard from some younger friends and family that the education is improving but the stigma and fear is still there.
UK- Sex educatuon
Sex Ed Youtube channels:
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