Sexual Health Issues in Media

Sexual Health Issues in Media

Sexuality has become more and more present in the media. Along with this presence, come two distinct messages that are often incongruent. Television, movies, and music all portray sexuality as spontaneous, natural, animalistic, and passionate in nature. On the other hand, commercials and messages through other mediums such as the news promote sexual preparedness, responsibility, and awareness about sexuality and the effects of intercourse, both positive and negative.

In film, sexuality is rarely planned. Especially between young unmarried individuals. The television show "Scrubs" provides an excellent example. Both the protagonist, J.D, and his best friend/love interest, Elliot, encounter spontaneous forays of sex and sexual activity in places that do not typically indicate planning of such activates. While one could assume "Hey, these two characters are doctors, they probably know how to be safe when it comes to sex", in most cases, evidence of this is not present, so it must be assumed that they do not. This is also the case in the television show "House". Two colleagues, Chase and Dr. Cameron have unplanned and spontaneous sexual intercourse at work and other public places before their relationship becomes public and official. The secretive nature of their sexual relationship, coupled with the fact that at different times they both resent and attempt to resist the sexual acts together would indicate that they for the most part do not show up to work with a couple condoms in their pocket. This theme of spontaneous and passionate sex resonates throughout television and media, especially in reality television. On the latest season of the Real World, which takes place in Hollywood, most of the characters up to this point in the season have participated in sex with one another or with visitors to the house. Purely by the nature of these rendezvous, which typically take place after a long night of drinking, it must be assumed that they are truly spontaneous and unplanned in nature.

On the other hand, through commercials, support for protected and more responsible sexuality is strongly supported on every front imagined. A common proponent, not surprisingly, is the Trojan condom company. In their most recent commercial, they present a bar full of a few beautiful women, and a whole lot of pigs. Literally. All the women seem to be disgusted with the attempts by the pigs to seduce them. One pig traverses to the bathroom and retrieves a Trojan condom from the machine, and returns to the bar as a handsome young man that is able to swoon the same woman quickly. This indicates that not only is it desirable for men to be prepared for sex, but it is disgusting to attempt sexuality without being prepared with a condom. Another ad ran on MTV shows a boy and a girl sneaking off from their dance in to a nearby closet. They begin making out but the girl starts nervously expressing her question of whether or not he plans on wearing a condom. In his response, he feverently tells her that he never has sex without one and that any common excuse not to wear one is foolish. Both of these commercials provide a very valuable but incongruent message to other mediums, ironically even on the very same channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJjtQrfY0yU MTV Condom Ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6krr40mdHM Trojan Condom Ad

Pornographic Mainstream Media

Pornographic media and soft-core pornographic venues are becoming more and more prevalent in American popular culture and media. Nip/Tuck is a show accessible on FX, which is about two plastic surgeons and their interesting clients, along with their complicated private lives. While the sexuality that permeates this show is wrapped in a detailed and well rounded script, the sexual overtones of the entire show are nothing short of pornographic. In any one episode, there are scenes and themes which would not bass on the more conventional channels during typical viewing hours. The strong sexual imagery and themes, if stumbled upon by an unsuspecting viewer, would probably be at least shocking that the show is available on basic cable.

Music videos are also pushing the television boundaries in terms of the pervasive sexual imagery and sexual messages being portrayed through both the music and the visual aspects of the media. More and more often songs themselves, within the lyrics, are becoming more sexually geared. With more and more artists attempting to push this accessible sexual envelope, other artists are forced to push even further to maintain a competitive career. Simultaneously the imagery in the music videos for these songs is in competition with the lyrics and the music videos of other artists. The term “Sex Sells” is taken to heart by the directors and creators of these videos. While lyrics for songs like “Love in this Club” carry obvious sexual overtones, the music video makes an obvious attempt to keep up while still being marketable to its target, youth. Other music videos which are targeted towards older individuals have much more liberty to sell the sex in ways that are more obvious and less mainstream in terms of their appropriateness for forums outside of the internet. Songs like “Lollipop”, which is also on MTV’s top 10 music videos, carries such a strong sexual theme that the lyrics are modified to be acceptable, but it is obvious what is meant. Meanwhile the sexual imagery is still present throughout the entire video, where women are serving very standard roles of sexual servitude while the men in the video are apparently wealthy and in sexual and physical control at all times.

“A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila:2” is another show available on mainstream cable television which is thoroughly rife with sexual imagery which lives on the boundaries for cable television. Most of the contestants spend the majority of the show wearing scantily clad ensembles, men and women, and the star of the show, Tila, is rarely wearing anything but outfits which are sexual in nature. Most of the competitions carry sexual overtones. Documentaries like Tila Tequila’s show and the Real World frequently become acceptable forums for sexual imagery which in the past would have not been allowed because of their pornographic overtones.

While the Real World has, since its inception, been a forum for footage of people living as normal a life as possible while being surrounded by cameras, the result while the cast engages in sexual conduct is often an unforgiving glimpse in to sexuality in a fashion that is more vivid then seen before on typical television. In the last four to five years especially, in my opinion, the show has highlighted more and more sexuality in ways that are surprising. There are now often scenes where the act of sex is shown, although it be covered or blurred to make it more acceptable for basic cable viewing.

Sexualized Minorities in the Media

Sexualized Minorities or “Sexual Otherness” in Media and Heterosexism in Media

Often in the media, minorities are depicted as being often deviant, criminals, or victimized. Especially in music, but also in television and movies, the criminals are depicted as being minority figures. If they aren’t directly involved in criminal activity, they are positioned in such a way as to imply that they are intimidating or dangerous. It is popular for musicians to write and perform songs involving drug use and abuse, criminal activity, crimes against women, racism, and violence. When these images are the majority of the images and messages shown to minorities, it presents a model that expresses to them that this is the ideal or optimal path. In the film “Boyz N the Hood”, although it is an attempt to depict the real issues of living in south central LA, the effect of the film was regarded as glamorizing gang violence and lifestyle. It seems that even more recently, this lifestyle has been geared towards women. The "thug" has gone from an intimidating notion to sexually desireable. Rap music now often focuses on the correlation between violence, criminal activity, and sexual prowess to appeal to both the male and female audience. This is compounded by the fact that in popular culture, African Americans are subject to the myth that males are sexually superior and more phsyically capable in regards to sex and sexuality.

Minorities, when put in reference to non-minority subjects, are often place in a submissive role or position. In television, minorities often play the rich white individuals nanny, housecleaner or secretary. In this image, the minority figure is literally suppressed by the majority figure.
A less extreme or obvious example is the movie “Finding Forester”. In the movie, a young man who is atheletically and intellectually gifted earns his way in to a private high school. While there he experiences the negative effects of being an obvious minority from his professors and from other individuals throughout the movie. A less obvious example though is that even though he is very intellectually gifted, he is under the tutelage of Sean Connerys’ character. Even though there isn’t a strong racist implication made, despite Sean’s disparaging remarks, the minority figure is still placed in a “Less than” position even though he is very gifted.
Minority females are often depicted as being exotic or sexual rarities. While typical majority females are sexually attractive, minorities are depicted as rarities that should be sought after with double the fervor. This is exemplified in television and movies, where women of different races are characterized by common physical traits which are placed on some kind of pedestal. On the “Tyra Banks Show”, often she explores the issues of race, women, and “The other” in terms of sexuality and how it is viewed, particularly by men. Since this show is geared towards women, it is clear that all of these episodes are focused of delving in to what men find attractive in certain races and why. Also, episodes which focus on fetishes, and the like are showcased for exploration, which typically ends up looking like or serving as an exhibit at a freak show.

Examples of sexualized masculinity and sexualized femininity in media

Over and over again our culture provides examples of male and female ideals in terms of physicality, occupation, and societal roles. These ideals are often very difficult if not impossible to accomplish for the average man or woman in our society, yet the media portrays these standards as normal and expected from a very young age. The first example of this physical ideation goes to comic books. From inception in our society, the viewers of comic books, most of which are young adults or children to which they are targeted towards, are given visual and narrative examples of the way men and women are to be. Men are hyper-masculinized with large muscles, brave and courageous personalities, and rare physical attractiveness in many cases or physically domineering or intimidating characteristics in many other characters. The women in the comic books also serve similar but feminine characteristics. The female characters are always physically sculpted and would be considered beautiful. They also rarely serve in roles that give them leadership over their male counterparts. These themes all work to serve the same end in promoting the idea that men are the heroes of our society and characteristics that are exhibited by these heroes is ideal. Unfortunately in these stories, they almost always end in some kind of violent confrontation, where two polar opposites fight toward victory of good versus evil, if not certain death. All of these characteristics become a part of the engendering process in to our society that teaches young boys and girls what qualities are considered ideal within them, which ultimately guides their development.

Further along in to young adulthood, children, both boys and girls begin being subjected to advertising and media revolving around videogames which further amplify these characteristics. Male characters follow the same guidelines that comic books seemingly do, where large, muscular and either attractive of terrifying characteristics rule whereas in women beauty is key.

Often characters who do not exhibit these qualities are those which either play roles of weaker or helpless characters or villains. In many different types of media, whether it be film, television, games, comics, books or any others, villains are portrayed as the antithesis of the hero. They are often misshapen, ugly, and dark. What message does this send to those that don’t or can’t ever achieve the physical ideal? Not only are those who are not ideal less than, but they are in conflict with or against those who are the ideal.

How is class presented in the media?

The rich make sweet sweet love, the poor just f-.....
In the media, people who are represented as affluent are often the ones in the given story or situation who fall deeply in love, whereas the poorer counterparts are the ones who are often looking for the quick release. The story that comes immediately to mind is 8 Mile. The main character experiences quick sexual conquest with the co-star Britney Murphey. This takes place in a taboo context and doesn't seem to mean more than physical attraction. Later on in the movie, Eminem’s' enemy and Britney’s character begin a relationship and experience a much more romanticized sexual conquest in comparison to Eminem and Britney's factory rendezvous. This shows an undercurrent of classism in that often in the media; the idea of being "In Love" often belongs to people who people like seeing in love. Celebrities and pretty people are supposed to be in love, and the average and unspectacular are supposed to clap for them.

Lower Class jobs can be sexualized in the working world.
The waitress, the nurse, the French maid, the secretary, the school girl, the stripper, the hot teacher, the pool-boy, and so on are often roles which are sexualized in media. These positions, unlike the less financially modest roles people can play in our society, seem to be unworthy of protection from sexual harassment in the media, whether it be on television, movies, or music. There is an assumption that attractive people who work these roles are always ready to romp where as people like executives and more professional roles would never consider such an unprofessional act. And if they do, it is often romanticized.

Sexual prowess makes up for position, affluence, or status.
Often in music status and affluence are very important. Male musicians often sing or rap about being willing to "Take care" of the object of their desire. Their physical attractiveness is more important than their financial, emotional, or psychological support that are often expected as just as much if not more important in real-world relationships. Furthermore, in music, women who have not only physical attractiveness but also have stable financial qualities and are emotionally and psychologically stable are unbelievable rarities worth dedicating entire songs to. When it comes to men, those who are not necessarily financially stable or have other shortcomings are not worth any type of relationship and are subject to being left by their partners or being cheated on because of those shortcomings, disregarding other redeeming qualities. Furthermore, songs like "The way I r" express that even though the male musician in the song isn't affluent, the woman will essentially lower herself to his level. This belief that finance is the focal point in sexual qualities and characteristics is a common theme in music.
Independent, by Webbie
The way I r by Timbaland
Lollipop by Lil Wayne

There is a proper way for certain classes to participate in sexuality.
In our readings for this last week, the idea was expressed that sexuality that is expressed to be proper from a feminist perspective is biased because if comes from academics and women in higher positions of power. It stated that any other form of sexuality is demeaning to women all over and that it does damage to feminism as a whole. In reality, there is legitimacy in alternative sexualities. Hustler was shown as an example of sexualized media that snubs the idea that class is somehow above alternative forms of sexuality. A blatant example of this is the news media, which sensationalizes celebrity and political sexual scandals, often extremely out of proportion. One example would be Carmen Kontur-Gronquist who was Mayor of Arlington, who lost her political position in Oregon because of some sexualized photos which were leaked to the media. Sex scandals in politics are often career killers even though at this point in our history, what these people do isn’t necessarily unusual.

Marriage quality…

In the movie “The Notebook”, the entire plot revolves around class struggle and sexuality. In the beginning, a rich young woman falls in love with a young country boy, who are both subsequently pulled apart by her mother and fathers distaste for the young man’s lack of refinement. Later in the movie, she meets a man during her stint as a nurse and, because of his financial status, is very much approved by her parents and they soon become engaged. Even though later on in the film the girl decides to abandon her fiancée for the protagonist, it is only after he has built himself a large and beautiful house, much of which was according to her original specifications earlier in the movie, and finds his own success as a carpenter. Even though there was a sense of class resolution, there really wasn’t because the country boy had to come up in the world before she reconsidered her future.

Examples of Obscenity/Violence in sexualized media

1. Law and Order, specifically Law and Order SVU (Special Victims Unit) often deals with sexualized crimes and violence against both men and women, but more often women. I find it interesting that in the show, most of the episodes involve people being harmed or killed while participating in non-conventional sexual practices. What I mean is that the show paints a picture which would imply to regular viewers that participating in non-heterosexual monogamous sexual activity is very likely to end violently. Unfortunately there are a few theories in the field of Communication and Psychology which would imply that watching these kinds of shows could cultivate a system of belief that begins to reflect the content of the shows. This is unfortunate because all kinds of sex can end tragically, but more importantly, sexual acts are committed every day by the millions and usually I would assert that most of them are consensual and meant to be enjoyed by both or all parties involved.

2. Like my first source of media suggests, over-representation of a particular phenomenon can eventually have an effect on those who watch. Particularly those who watch large amounts of TV. The news is another source of media that often only reports the negative aspects of sex and sex acts. While rape is often reported on the news for no particular reason, crimes related to non-conventional sex is sensationalized and blown to such a proportion that it seems like there is nothing more important that that given crime or situation. This, I feel, only serves to create negative stereotypes around so many different lifestyles and beliefs that in and of themselves are legitimate.

3. In the media, sex is used to often represent an act of fear or oppression. One media artifact in particular comes to mind. The movie, 300, shows several different kinds of sexual conduct throughout the film. There is an example of heterosexual monogamous sex between the main character and his wife the queen. Later, there is an example of homosexual and group sexual activities when one character, disenfranchised by his idol, the king of Sparta, goes to the opposing army as a traitor. While in the lair of the enemy, the throne room is darkly lit while dozens of women and only a few men participate in sexual acts together. Near the end of the movie, an evil and manipulative politician and his queen participate in a sexual act together that, while both agreed to the encounter, was used by the woman to get what she wanted in a trade which allowed the man to be as violent and uncaring during the act as he wanted. “You will not enjoy this...” This further pushes the idea that any other act outside of normative sexuality is dangerous and socially deviant or evil.

4. In many forums, violence has been purposefully linked with sex and sexuality. What fight or physical competition doesn’t have at least a few girls in bikinis ring-side? Often athletes participating in these kinds of sports have women specifically selected to be in their corner because of their physical appearance. The message sent through these images is that being a risk taker makes a man more physically attractive.

5. Another example of this is in the film “The Fast and The Furious III”. In the very beginning of the film, a young man is taunted in to a race by another guy and his girlfriend. The reward for winning the race is essentially the rights to have the girlfriend. She offers herself up as the reward. In the subsequent race, safety is completely disregarded and death would certainly occur had either of them made a single false move. According to these different types of media, sex and sexuality is worthy of serious injury or death.

Blog #1: Social Construction of Sexuality

Question: How is the social construction of sexuality presented in media images or artifacts?

1. Males and Females are expected to exemplify stereotypical ideals in terms of their physical appearance.

In most forms of media, men are expected to be large, dominant, muscular, and physically imposing and capable. Females are expected to be attractive, voluptuous or model-like thin or slender, and in most cases, less than their male counterparts in terms of their physical ability and stature. This is exemplified by the models created for the game "World of Warcraft". Players are allowed to choose between male and female, facial features, and other physical characteristics such as skin tones and accessories like piercings, horns, and hair styles. But every choice of the ten different races limits selection to picking a larger, more physically domineering male, or a more slight and attractive looking female character. With concerns to accessories, options of piercings are almost exclusively available to females and more threatening attributes like scars or imposing characteristics like horns are relegated to males.

2. Sexual exploration and experimentation is expected to begin during adolescence.

Superbad is a movie involving three teens in their efforts to subdue their particular love interests before they graduate from high school. This is a common theme in American culture in that the longer one goes without beginning their sexual exploration, the more taboo their inactivity becomes. The three main characters in the movie all expressed anxiety over whether or not they were going to be able to accomplish their goals, and explored measures which included breaking the law to obtain alcohol which they planned to use to inebriate their potential firsts to accomplish their desires. This is counter-intuitive with regards to the larger cultural context which suggests that pregnancy should be delayed until an individual is economically capable or raising that child on his or her own, which is rarely the case among adolescents.

3. Males and Females are held to different sexual standards in different situations.

In the media, often sex is so idealized that it trumps all other values. This of course is depending on the venue, but I have observed that often monogamy or staying true to one partner or the other isn’t as important as maintaining the illusion of staying true in most media venues. In this commercial for Carls Jr., a man is eating buffalo wings when an attractive waitress approaches from a few tables away and begins to flirt with him for a few moments. The camera then pans out and the man’s girlfriend comes in to view, and the narrator says “Guys love going out for buffalo wings, that is…when they’re with the guys..” This implies that although it wasn’t good that he be caught obviously lustfully flirting with the other woman, perhaps if his girlfriend weren’t present, it might be more acceptable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKr_bvd8h2I

4. Men and women are to serve certain roles in sexual contexts.
In sexual contexts, men and women serve different roles and purposes in the media. Men are encouraged to be dominant, intimidating, in control, and in some situations, violent. Most or all of these qualities are often presented to be desirable for a man to possess. Females are expected to serve submissive, helpless, silent, and deferential roles in sexual relationships. This picture shows both a male serving a very aggressive sex role over a female and a female serving a submissive role while simultaneously being almost unaware that she is being what appears to be attacked.

5. Although it is taboo for certain ages to begin participating in sexual practices, they are fair game for sexual advertising in the United States

Products meant for a wide range of consumers are often advertised using very sexual images. Skechers is a common brand of footwear for all ages, yet in this ad, they take a pop singer (Who happens to be very popular at a variety of ages too) and hyper-sexualizes her using limited clothing and falic-like instruments to get one message across to the target audience, which is young adults. If you buy and wear skechers like the celebrity, you could be just as sexy and provocative as her! Skechers + your foot = Sexy!

These are just five of the ways that media in the United States works to construct and understanding of what it means to be a man, what it means to be a woman, and what it means to be either sex in relation to one another. Media paints a picture of what it means to be sexual for the viewers, and unfortunately if we were to compare the picture media paints, and the message that the average individual can appreciate, I believe it is clear that they are likely to be very different if not diametrically opposed.