Performing smart sexual selves: A sexual scripting analysis of youth talk about internet pornography

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Abstract

In this article, we explore young New Zealanders’ use of sexual scripts in talk about Internet pornography (IP) to perform ‘smart’ sexual selves. Using sexual scripting theory, as developed by feminist discursive psychologists, our analysis of interview data generated with 10 youth (aged 16–18 years) highlights two commonly constructed sexual identities across youth talk; (i) the proficient Internet pornography user, and (ii) the astute Internet pornography viewer. The way these young people talk about portrayals of sexuality and gender in IP – and their ability to discern its artifice – suggests they are savvy consumers who are capable of using IP as a cultural resource (e.g. for learning, entertainment) while at the same time acknowledging it as a flawed representation of sex and sexuality. We discuss the implications of our findings for strengths-based sexuality education that supports sexual agency, proposing a justice-orientated approach grounded in the notion of ethical sexual citizenship.

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The Impact of Internet Pornography on Adolescents: A Review of the Research

Eric Owens, Richard Behun, Jill Manning … (2012)

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C Lynn Sorsoli, Deborah L. Tolman, Mary Collins … (2007)

Although it is widely recognized that sexual content pervades television, research rarely examines how television's sexual messages are gendered and occur in a relational context. This study describes the development and implementation of a new coding scheme to evaluate sexual content from a feminist perspective. Merging scripting theory (Gagnon and Simon, 1987) with the theory of compulsory heterosexuality (Rich, 1980), we explicate a heteronormative and dominant sexual script, the Heterosexual Script, and assessed its presence in the 25 primetime television programs viewed most frequently by adolescents. Our codes captured depictions of boys/men and girls/women thinking, feeling, and behaving in relational and sexual encounters in ways that sustain power inequalities between men and women. Male characters most frequently enacted the Heterosexual Script by actively and aggressively pursuing sex. Less frequently but still at high rates were depictions of female characters willingly objectifying themselves and being judged by their sexual conduct.

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Lust, love, and life: a qualitative study of Swedish adolescents' perceptions and experiences with pornography.

Sven-Axel Månsson, Lotta Löfgren-Mårtenson (2010)

There is a widespread concern in Western society about the visibility of pornography in public places and on the Internet. What are the consequences for young men and women, and how do they think about gender, sexuality, and pornography? Data was collected, through 22 individual interviews and seven focus groups, from 51 participants (36 women and 37 men aged 14-20 years) in Sweden. The results indicated a process of both normalization and ambivalence. Pornography was used as a form of social intercourse, a source of information, and a stimulus for sexual arousal. Pornography consumption was more common among the young men than among the women. For both the young men and women, the pornographic script functioned as a frame of reference in relation to bodily ideals and sexual performances. Most of the participants had acquired the necessary skills of how to deal with the exposure to pornography in a sensible and reflective manner.