Young people’s exposure of bodies in a Swedish Internet community . Paper presented at The Virtual ’07, 20-22 September 2007 Malin Sveningsson Elm , PhD Department of Media and Communication Studies, Karlstad university, Sweden [email_address]

About Lunarstorm: 1.2 millions of members. 50% of the members are beneath 18 years old. Among 15-20 year-olds, 85% visit Lunarstom weekly and 25% daily. In average, young Swedes spend 45 minutes a day at Lunarstorm.

1.2 millions of members.

50% of the members are beneath 18 years old.

Among 15-20 year-olds, 85% visit Lunarstom weekly and 25% daily.

In average, young Swedes spend 45 minutes a day at Lunarstorm.

Teenagers get undressed on the Internet Pornographic pictures on Lunarstorm and other web sites Young women and men, using sex-signatures, publish pictures of themselves undressed on the Internet. Many of them are found on the web site that is often called Sweden’s largest online ‘youth recreation centre’ - Lunarstorm. There are several other, less known sites that are visited and used by young people. And there, photos are even more plentiful and more provocative. /…/ (Aftonbladet, 2002-10-09).

Teenagers get undressed on the Internet

Pornographic pictures on Lunarstorm and other web sites

Young women and men, using sex-signatures, publish pictures of themselves undressed on the Internet. Many of them are found on the web site that is often called Sweden’s largest online ‘youth recreation centre’ - Lunarstorm. There are several other, less known sites that are visited and used by young people. And there, photos are even more plentiful and more provocative.

/…/

(Aftonbladet, 2002-10-09).

Question: Are young people’s presentations of self really as sexually provocative as has been claimed by the media? To the extent they are – how should this be interpreted? Point of departure taken in assumption that people can feel more free to experiment with identity online than offline.

Are young people’s presentations of self really as sexually provocative as has been claimed by the media?

To the extent they are – how should this be interpreted?

Point of departure taken in assumption that people can feel more free to experiment with identity online than offline.

Online embodiment and -disembodiment Main part of research done in the 1990:s. Technical conditions of the media have changed, and so have users’ aims with the interaction. From text based to multimodal From seeking global contacts with strangers to interacting with friends and acquaintances from one’s local context.

Main part of research done in the 1990:s.

Technical conditions of the media have changed, and so have users’ aims with the interaction.

From text based to multimodal

From seeking global contacts with strangers to interacting with friends and acquaintances from one’s local context.

Theoretical points of departure: Gender as created (de Beauvoir, 1953/1997) performed (Goffman, 1976) recreated (Butler, 1990) Different masculinities/feminitities hold different values Hegemonic masculinity Normative femininity

Gender as

created (de Beauvoir, 1953/1997)

performed (Goffman, 1976)

recreated (Butler, 1990)

Different masculinities/feminitities hold different values

Hegemonic masculinity

Normative femininity

A few notes on methods Units of analysis: 500 personal profile sites of male and female users, 15-20 years old. Thematic analysis: 94 themes that were grouped into 20 categories. Quantitative analysises of the themes and categories.

Units of analysis: 500 personal profile sites of male and female users, 15-20 years old.

Thematic analysis: 94 themes that were grouped into 20 categories.

Quantitative analysises of the themes and categories.

Analyzed material: All 500 users in the sample Remaining 422 users 88 users, classified as oriented towards an exposure of the body Remaining 3978 photographs showing other people, animals and objects, alone or with the owner of the nest 919 photographs, showing the user alone

Category ”Exposure of physical body” 88 users 17% of users in whole sample. Young women in the majority: 20.8% compared to 14.4% of the men. 919 photos Young women in the majority: 60% of photos compared to the mens’ 40%.

88 users

17% of users in whole sample.

Young women in the majority: 20.8% compared to 14.4% of the men.

919 photos

Young women in the majority: 60% of photos compared to the mens’ 40%.

Composition of photos 11.5% 59.3% 24% 5% % of photos 63.8% 52.6% 86.7% 60.0% Facial pictures Close-ups Half-length pictures Full-length pictures 65.7% 20.0% % of men in category 55.6% 26.7% % of women in category 30.6% 4% % of men’s photos 19.5% 5.8% % of women’s photos

Exposing parts of the body Body art women: 61.5% men: 44.4%

Body art women: 61.5% men: 44.4%

Exposing parts of the body Other body parts: women: 46.7% men: 40%

Other body parts: women: 46.7%

men: 40%

Provocative photos? Very few photos could be classified as provocative in the meaning showing much skin: 14 bare bellies 48 tightfitting and/or low-cut tank tops 21 bare torsos Provocative in the meaning showing a provocative expression?

Very few photos could be classified as provocative in the meaning showing much skin:

14 bare bellies

48 tightfitting and/or low-cut tank tops

21 bare torsos

Provocative in the meaning showing a provocative expression?

Conclusions: Female users displayed more photos of body art than the men, and the men posed in fashion photos. Changing masculinities/femininities? Women focus on faces while men on torsos. Contradicts other studies of exposure of body in online arenas, according to which women’s bodies are more sexualized than men’s. Differences in arenas’ goals and target groups? Few photos were sexually provocative. Reason in changes in technology and users’ practices? (i.e. less anonymous, more social presence)

Female users displayed more photos of body art than the men, and the men posed in fashion photos.

Changing masculinities/femininities?

Women focus on faces while men on torsos. Contradicts other studies of exposure of body in online arenas, according to which women’s bodies are more sexualized than men’s.

Differences in arenas’ goals and target groups?

Few photos were sexually provocative.

Reason in changes in technology and users’ practices? (i.e. less anonymous, more social presence)

Further questions… Main part of research on online embodiment done in the 1990:s. Technical conditions of the media have changed, and so have users’ aims with the interaction. From text based to multimodal From seeking global contacts with strangers to interacting with friends and acquaintances from one’s local context. Previous research on ways of presenting bodies may not be possible to apply on internet arenas of today?

Main part of research on online embodiment done in the 1990:s.

Technical conditions of the media have changed, and so have users’ aims with the interaction.

From text based to multimodal

From seeking global contacts with strangers to interacting with friends and acquaintances from one’s local context.

Previous research on ways of presenting bodies may not be possible to apply on internet arenas of today?

Young people’s exposure of bodies in a Swedish Internet community . Paper presented at The Virtual ’07, 20-22 September 2007 Malin Sveningsson Elm , PhD Department of Media and Communication Studies, Karlstad university, Sweden [email_address]