Sex and the Citizen: What Every Collegiette Should Know

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By Rachel Gopaul

Sex. Sex? Sex! Sex has become conventional in the public realm in Western society today. It seems as if the taboos that were culturally constructed and associated with sex have almost been completely removed from our social consciousness. If you do not believe this, try turning on the television. Whether or not you realize it, we are constantly and consistently being bombarded by sexual images. Television, music, movies, magazines and the internet customarily have sexualized content. Have you ever felt that the sex-scene in that film was completely unnecessary? Moreover, most music depicts intimate sexual encounters or sexually explicit content. It was not until after you listened to Umbrella by Rihanna for the third time that you probably realized it was about sex, right?  Advertisements carry embedded messages and show areas of the body that were once taboo (believe it or not) to be shown in the public. Not to mention “50 Shades of Grey” and other romantic cult-classics depict extremely intimate and unrealistic sex scenes. But, what effects does the mainstreaming of sex have on society?

The mainstreaming of sex has quite possibly had a positive effect on our lives. Since sex has become less taboo to talk about, “sex talk” has in fact increased. Many studies have been done on understanding the pleasure power of sex and thus, has led people to feel comfortable asking questions, raising discussion and learning about their bodies without feeling ashamed. For example, in our decade there has been increased research on the female g-spot and the female orgasm. This has taken sex out of the bedroom for women, who by social constructs and stigma were unable to discover this side of their sexuality publically. Therefore, sex has become something that is not only synonymous with male pleasure. Female pleasure and finding the mystifying g-spot has moved to the forefront as well. Queue the applause for the ladies.

Along with all of the “good stuff” like learning how to achieve maximum pleasure, it is important to know the consequences of unprotected sex, like STIs, HIV AIDS and pregnancy. The proliferation of sexual content in the mainstream media has pushed caregivers to speak openly about sex to their children, and also has pushed sexual education to become a crucial part of the education curriculum for adolescents. This is a positive thing. While “Teen Mom” portrays a somewhat realistic perspective on the disadvantages of unprotected sex at a young age, the majority of television shows show completely unrealistic and fantastical sex scenes. Media plays an important role in the initiating of sexual intercourse of adolescent as they portray sex without consequences and casual sex and fail to highlight situations like sexual violence. This has a high potential to lead to an increased number of unprotected sex among adolescents who are still developing their idea of sex, values, and beliefs. The type of sex portrayed in the media may have adverse effects as they represent the main player in the sexual socialization of our youth. Those who are older may form more informed opinions on shows like “Gossip Girl” and are able to put scenarios into context based on their experiences. Beyond television, children are exposed to sexual images in the virtual world. The internet has exposed society to online games with sexualized digital characters and has made pornography extremely accessible.

The mainstreaming of sex has also changed the sexual norms of society. Today, men are obsessed and highly concerned about penis size and erectile dysfunction prevention. Sex was never spoken about in school decades ago. Media representation of sex has made sexual education necessary. Our society has become comfortable in addressing sex. Porn has progressed from pictures to VHS to DVD to the internet. Other shifts in sex in society are the new obsession with pubic grooming and vaginal rejuvenation. Sexting is more commonplace, male enhancement medication is everywhere, dating sites seem like the only way to find true love, Plan B has changed the need for contraception, cougars change the dating scene and there is frequent cheating amongst celebrities. Online dating has taken away privacy from the dating game. Generally people are working longer hours and marrying later, leaving a large pool of single people who are ready to ‘mingle.’ Likewise sex before marriage has lost some of its social stigma and divorce and mixed families are more common. Even in fashion, wearing under garments in public is the new trend. What is more, the mainstreaming of sex in Western society has led to the sexualization of the image of the woman. Women are portrayed in the media as Megan Foxes and Scarlett Johanssons. This image places pressure on woman to be “sexy” according to the media’s interpretation. It is interesting to take a look around and see how our society is changing.  Sex will continue to change in the eyes of the media and in Western culture and will have an impact on our relationships, body images and children and which will always have its disadvantages and advantages. 

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