This document discusses how sexuality is portrayed in popular media and how it influences cultural norms. It notes that different cultures and time periods have varying definitions of appropriate sexual behaviors. While media often focuses on certain types of content for entertainment purposes, it rarely addresses risks or responsibilities. The document advocates understanding diversity in human sexuality and that what is considered "normal" is shaped by cultural context rather than being inherently defined.

1. Chapter One Perspectives on Human Sexuality

2. Sexuality in Popular Culture Is Shaped by the Mass Media, So We Should Ask: What kinds of sexuality are portrayed by the media? What messages about sexuality are sent? Who are the messages intended for? What messages are ignored or avoided? What shapes the selection by the media?

3. Mass Media Portrayals of Sexuality Occur in Multiple Forms Television Movies Music Magazines, tabloids, books Hand held technology World Wide Web Advertising

4. Media Portrayals of Sexuality: Sell products Produce sexual arousal Increase sexual behavior Provide sexual information Correct or incorrect

5. Media Effects Live by: Keeping sexual behavior visible Reinforcing sexual and relationship norms Including irresponsible models

6. Mass-media Depictions Are Meant to Entertain, Not Inform Rarely present reality scenarios Perpetuate the status quo Create a social context by defining: What behaviors are appropriate With whom they are appropriate Why they are appropriate

7. Television Increasing exposure Increasing sexual content Rare presentation of risk Rare presentation of responsible action Unrealistic presentation of sexuality

8. Television FCC regulation of public airwaves Enforces regulations via fines Responds to public grievances Does not regulate cable Parental responsibility

9. Television Genres Comedy series Soap Operas Crime/action-adventure programs Drama series Commercials Music videos Games Other

10. Television Genres Emphasize Different Types of Content Comedy series – Taboos Soap Operas – Sexual transgressions Crime/action – Sexual variation Drama series – Situations

11. Television Genres Emphasize Different Types of Content (cont.) Commercials – Attitudes Music Videos – Individual expression Games – Exploitation & aggression Other – Variations Note absence of risk or responsibility

12. Feature Length Films Sexy content Nudity Sexual double standard Vulnerability Rare presentations of risk or responsibility

13. GLBT People in the media Historically absent from mainstream films Historically presented stereotypically New trend to present GLBT in positive ways

14. Online Sexual Activities Global Cybersex Online sex Web sites/chat rooms Meet new partners Safety

15. Triple A Engine Access Affordability Anonymity

16. Cybersex Real time event involving two persons engaging in sexual talk for the purpose of sexual gratification

17. Online Sexual Activities Effect on Culture Crosses distance Promotes intimacy without physical contact Creates a new level of plasticity and expression Positive for expression of under represented groups Negative if it becomes compulsive or addictive

18. Dial-a-Porn Commercial telephone sex lines that enable the caller to anonymously “talk dirty” with someone Phone worker is paid to respond to the caller’s fantasies Creates a sense of “pseudo-intimacy” with the voice

19. Cell Phone Sex Easy access Privacy Mobility Potential billion dollar industry

20. Sexuality Across Cultures and Times What is considered “natural” varies between cultures In America, kissing is considered erotic The Mehinaku of the Amazonian rain forest consider kissing to be a disgusting sexual abnormality Culture molds and shapes our sexual interests

21. Cultural Differences: Mangaia of Polynesia Adolescence have a high level of sexual desire Adolescents are instructed on how to please their partner A woman may leave a man who does not satisfy her Adulthood is marked by a decrease in sexual desire

22. Cultural Differences: The Dani of New Guinea Little interest in sexuality Sex for reproduction Extra relational sex and jealousy is rare Female orgasm is unknown 5 year sexual abstinence between pregnancies

23. Cultural Differences: Victorian Americans Women had reproductive desire rather than sexual desire Women with sexual desire classified as suffering from “nymphomania, or furor uterinus ” Men were viewed as animal like Men had raging, uncontrollable sexual appetites

24. Victorian Americans: Long Lasting Effects War between sexes Madonna – Whore dichotomy for women’s roles Women’s responsibility to tame men’s impulses Sexual double standard

25. Sexual Orientation: The Pattern of Sexual and Emotional Attraction Based on the Gender of One’s Preferred Partners Heterosexuality: between men and women Homosexuality: between persons of the same sex Bisexuality: both males and females

26. Contemporary American Culture Heterosexuality is the only sexual orientation receiving full social and legal legitimacy State by state recognition of civil unions Who knows which states currently have legislation?

27. Homosexuality, Bisexuality, and Culture: Ancient Greece Roles for men Highest form of love: Same-sex relationships between men Between an older and a younger man Men were also expected to be married Roles of women Child bearing was associated with marriage Courtesans

28. Homosexuality, Bisexuality, and Culture: Sambians of New Guinea Sexual orientation is malleable across lifespan Young males engage in sexual activity with one another Adolescence marks the occurence of sexual activities between males and females Adulthood marks the end of sexual activities between males

29. Gender and Culture Gender: What makes a person a man or woman goes beyond simple anatomy. Gender is the set of culturally-influenced characteristics associated with being male or female

30. Gender and Culture The characteristics associated with being male or female Culturally defined Not always defined by genitals only Fully explored in Chapter Five

31. Transsexual and Transgender Persons Genitals and gender identities are discordant A person born with a penis self-identifies as a woman A person born with a vulva and vagina self- identifies as a man Not the same as transvestite

32. Gender and Culture: Two spirits Biological males who assume female dress, gender role, and status Accepted as a “man-woman” and given spiritual status in several cultures worldwide Includes some Native American, Filipino, Lapp, and Indian cultures Some females considered “two-spirit,” but more rare than with males

33. Societal Norms and Sexuality Diversity across cultures and times Calls into question what is inherently natural or normal Words like “natural,” “unnatural,” “normal,” and “abnormal” are value judgments They often state how we feel about behaviors, rather than objectively describing those behaviors

34. Natural Sexual Behavior How do we decide if a sexual behavior is natural or unnatural? What is natural? What is unnatural?

35. Natural Sexual Behavior We have internalized the norm since infancy Is a part of “the cultural air we breathe” and like the air is invisible We have learned our culture's rules so well, they seem instinctive

36. Normal Sexual Behavior Behavior that conforms to a group’s average or median patterns of behavior Not related to moral or psychological judgments

37. Normal Sexual Behavior Many people feel pressure to behave like the statistical norm Ironically, most of us actually don’t know how others behave sexually Most people do not talk about their sexual activities, especially those that they perceive as being outside the norm.

38. Sexual Behaviors and Variations Researchers view human sexuality as characterized by sexual variation, i.e. sexual variety and diversity Understand sexual activities as existing on a continuum of frequency and behavior People’s activities can be typical or atypical of the group average—does not necessarily indicate deviance

39. Sexual Behaviors and Variations Many activities thought of as “deviant” are engaged in by most of us to some degree: Exhibitionism Voyeurism Fetishism

40. Authors’ Standard The authors of the text believe that the basic standard for judging various sexual activities is: Whether they are between consenting adults Whether they cause harm It is up to the individual to evaluate the ethical or moral aspect of behavior in accordance with his or her values.

41. Summary Popular culture Sexual behaviors and norms vary Understanding diversity Influence of culture

42. Summary (cont.) Popular culture Sexual behaviors and norms vary Understanding diversity allows us to acknowledge that there is no such thing as inherently “normal” or “natural” sexual behavior Sexual behavior strongly influenced by culture