Sex Culture

After discussing the ideals of virginity pledgers, I began to consider how the media has influenced an adolescents' perception of the "sex culture." I really believe that I fully grasped the concept of sex around the age of 12. At that point in time, I viewed it as possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of. Now I hear stories about the younger generation and how many are losing their virginities around the age of 14. At what point, did adolescents become mature enough to completely mentally and physically give themselves to another individual. In middle school, I was still discovering myself and trying to establish my identity, by no means was I ready to give my heart and soul away to another. Many of these young girls deal with low self-esteem issues, and at the tender age of 14, these issues provoke irrational decision making motives. Acting out and looking for love when one does not love oneself, is basically a disastrous scenario. It seems that true love is no longer a requirement for sexual intercourse. In movies and television shows, the excuse of "everybody else is doing it," seems very frequent and very convincing. People no longer act off instinctual feelings of preparedness, but just jump into a serious situation. Many times the outcome is detrimental and often a source of regret.

One show in particular, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," portrays sex in an unrealistic and often exaggerated manner. In some instances, it seems as if the show is condemning premarital sex, but the next episode could show high school girls planning and expressing their excitement over getting pregnant. This fascination with motherhood is innate, but it seems that girls don't comprehend the level of matureness and commitment that it entails. When the show began, I would consider it one of my guilty pleasures. Now entering it's fourth season, the plot has just been blown out of proportion with so many scenarios that make it impossible to follow. Here is a trailer from the first season: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAxXSfZWi-A

Seems like the pilot for a moderately decent show right?

In another season, they make one of the other main characters pregnant. They portray it in such a casual manner. They show the negative sides of having sex and the emotional havoc it often evokes, but they sort of glamorize the process. Although the characters go through ups and downs, they seem happy and are eager to get pregnant. Maybe it's because they need a stable attachment in their life, seeing as a baby wouldn't desert them. In this scene, Ben is shown losing his temper in an altercation with Adrian. I am aware the acting isn't Emmy worthy, but the message in this scene is powerful. Losing one's baby is a terrible occurrence, but instead of showing it happening in teenagers' lives, it should be displayed in a more realistic and stable environment, like that of a married couple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft003Zdte5A&feature=related