Media influences sexual ideals of American youth
Terrisa Mays
There is more sex shown on TV, on the internet and in music than ever before, and it is undoubtedly affecting society.
Some commonly agree with the sentiment that Americans are being exposed to sexual materials at a younger age with every generation; the phenomenon of sex in the media threatens to transform the maturation of the average American.
An insightful interview with MCC psychology professor Suzy Horton provided valuable information in regards to the affects of sex in media on the minds and behaviors of American children and adults.
When asked about the primary medium for sex in the media Horton said, “TV is the primary medium for sex in the media for children and adults, and cable TV has reduced the effectiveness of ratings on television shows; it is most effective when parents monitor the shows their children watch.”
When asked how TV affects young Americans, Horton presented statistics from a survey entitled Sex on TV (2005) that states: “Young people see twice as many sex scenes as they did in 1998 but only 14 percent of them refer to risks and responsibilities.”
When probed about a possible decline concerning sex in the media, Horton firmly expressed, “I think the media is getting much sexier, although I don’t perceive sex in the media as a negative thing, for example homosexuality has been a really good thing, as they have been portrayed as normal people and not deviants.”
Regarding the negative aspects of gratuitous sex in the media, Horton further declared that, “people are not taking responsibility for risks, such as the emotional ones.”
Horton also calls for good “peer pressure,” and notes campaigns by corporations such as Dove, that are striving to, “teach that you are beautiful the way you are. Just be healthy.”
On what societal institutions are doing to offset negative effects of sex in media, “That’s exactly what the Obama Administration is doing; changing sex education from abstinence based to comprehensive education. Which Horton describes this as, “Not only teaching abstinence, but also teaching protecting yourself from risks, and also how do you respond to situations.
