Skip to main content

Sexuality, Popular Culture, and the Media

A.    Media Portrayals of Sexuality
o    American Youth devote more time to media than to any other waking activity.
o    Summarizing a handful of studies on the relationship between exposure to sexual media and our sexual behavior, Prof. Jane D. Brown (2002), reports that the media:
1.      Keep sexual behavior visible,
2.       Reinforce a consistent set of sexual and relationship norms,
3.       Rarely include sexually responsible models.
o    This form of persuasive communication is altering patterns of social communication and interpersonal relationships.

TELEVISION
o    Among all types of media TV has been the most prevalent, pervasive, and vexing icon.
o    Exposure to sexual content on TV is a significant contributor to many aspects of young people's sexual knowledge, beliefs, and behavior.
o    TV is demonstrating consistent negative impact of exposure to sexual media content among teens and young adults.
o    Media content does not reflect the realities of the social world; rather, the media images of women and men reflect and reproduce a set of stereotypical and unequal but changing gender roles.

B.    Sexuality Across Cultures and Times
o    Culture takes our sexual interests-our incitements or inclinations to act sexually-and molds and shapes them, sometimes celebrating sexuality and other times condemning it.
o    Among the variety of factors that shape how we feel and behave sexually, culture is possibly the most powerful.
o    Sexual Orientation: is the pattern of sexual and emotional attraction based on the gender of one's partner.
o    Heterosexuality: refers to emotional and sexual attraction between men and women.
o    Homosexuality: refers to emotional and sexual attraction between persons of the same sex.
o    Bisexuality: is an emotional and sexual attraction to both males and females.
o    Gender: The characteristics associated with being male or female.
o    Thus, culture and a host of other factors help to shape masculinity and femininity, while biology defines men and women.
o    In Transsexuality, a person with a penis, for example, identifies as a women.
o    Transgendered individuals have an appearance and behaviors that do not conform to the gender role ascribed for people of a particular sex.

o    Societal Norms and Sexuality
o    When we label sexual behavior as "natural" or "unnatural" we are typically indicating whether the behavior conforms to our culture's sexual norms.
o    Normal sexual behavior: is behavior that conforms to a group's average or median patterns of behavior. A mere statistical term for psychologists.
o    Instead of looking at what is normal and not, psychologists look at sexual diversity-that is sexual variety and diversity.
o    The most that could be said of a person is that his or her behaviors are more or less typical or atypical of the group average. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Letter to Sensei,

[the following is an experience I shared at the July 2011 World Peace Prayer Meeting--also know as Kosen-Rufu Gongyo--on July 3rd 2011.] After sharing the following with my fellow bodhisattvas, this letter was faxed immediately to President Daisaku Ikeda, my Mentor.    Happy birthday America, Happy birthday Lady Liberty The land of the free The land of the many I’m so fortunate to have my karmic manifestations result in my propagating the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law in America. I am essentially here to share with you the experiences I’ve encountered through practicing Nichiren Buddhism. The tremendous fortune, the tremendous benefits, both conspicuous and inconspicuous, have been so immense that not sharing these with you would be counterproductive to my role as a Bodhisattva. July 3 rd 2011 Sensei, The Pacific Ocean stands between you and I, nonetheless we are working side-by-side to fulfill one mission: to relive all sentient beings from the sufferings o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Humans Are Free

Robert Kane (1938-) Indeterminism: true free choice must escape the determinist net and require a self-originative choice not reducible to factors over which we have no control. Kane, in this essay, directly contradicts the central premise of determinists that all human actions are determined by internal or external factors beyond our power to change. Moreover, Kane develops an explicitly libertarian alternative to determinism, arguing that at least some human actions emerge from a power to be the ultimate source of one's purpose, he calls this a "deeper freedom".                Humans Are Free FREE WILL: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR AN ANCIENT PROBLEM FREEDOM Surface Freedom: Everyday freedoms. We can freely choose what movie to see, where to shop, what music to listen to, and etc. This sort of freedom would subject us to manipulation of desires and wants. Desires and senses are subject to covert control. RESPONSIBILIT...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alex Yarijanian: The Visionary Leader’s Manifesto

  Alex Yarijanian: The Visionary Leader’s Manifesto Lifestyle – A Man on a Mission .  Daily Routine & Habits: Alex’s day starts before the world catches up. By 5:00 AM, he’s already strategizing—balancing health, business, and innovation. His morning workout isn’t just physical—it’s a mental drill, sharpening his focus before diving into high-stakes negotiations. Over a protein-fueled breakfast, he absorbs the latest healthcare policy updates, market shifts, and innovation breakthroughs. Every hour is optimized: meetings with executives, mentoring emerging leaders, and securing multimillion-dollar healthcare deals. Evenings aren’t downtime; they’re an opportunity. Whether refining a new healthcare model , coaching a CEO on value-based contracting , or speaking on a national stage , every move is made with precision. Momentum is everything. Presence & Style: Alex doesn’t just enter a room—he commands it. His presence is a calculated blend of charisma, intellect, and a...
Post a Comment
Read more