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.