Media, including movies and television, have become the leading way in which teens obtain sex education. This seems to be a big problem due to the fact that, “more than 75% of primetime shows contain sexual content but only 11% discuss the risks of sex” (Victor Strasburger, MD). Using media as a sexual educator for teens is unreliable and in most cases unsafe. The media does tend to leave out the important details, consequences and the many risks of sex and sexual behavior. Including possibilities of sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, emotional distress. According to the article, "Clueless": Why Do Pediatricians Underestimate the Media's Influence on Children and Adolescents? another contributing problem would be that, “Similar to adults, teenagers believe that the media influence everyone but themselves. This is known as the "third-person effect" and is well documented in the communications literature. For example, in a national survey of more than 500 teens, nearly three fourths believed that sexual content on television influences teens their own age, but fewer than one fourth believed that their own behavior is ever influenced by the media” (Strasburger).
Seemingly the first thing that needs to be done is to have teens realize that the media is influencing them whether they are aware of it or not. Sex and sexual messages being displayed on television and in movies are being pushed into the viewers, teens, unconscious.
Works Cited:
Sex Education. Photograph. Google.com. Web. 2 Dec. 2010. <http://zeldalily.com/index.php/2010/05/ontarios-progressive-sex-education-plan-is-stirring-up-a-hornets-nest/>.
Strasburger, MD, Victor. ""Clueless": Why Do Pediatricians Underestimate the Media's Influence on Children and Adolescents?" Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics, 04 Apr. 2006. Web. 06 Nov. 2010. <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/117/4/1427>.
Allee A.