Teens and Sexual Media
Media vs. Parents: The Influence of Teenage Sexuality
Marissa K. Witt
ENG122: English Composition II
Instructor Sara Keller
November 19, 2012
Media is everywhere we look. The various outlets available include television, movies, music, magazines, computers, internet, social networking sites, cell phones, and IPads, etc. It is safe to say that we are a generation that is consumed by media. Most people cannot leave their homes without watching the morning news, checking Facebook, sending an email, or making sure their phone is with them and adults are not the only ones that are consumed with media. Babies as young as six months old are put in front of a TV to entertain them or to teach them how to talk and communicate through Baby Einstein videos. Children are introduced to Disney movies where all of the story lines include a princess trying to find the love of her life, a prince, and living happily ever after. As children grow in to pre-teens (“tweens”) and teenagers, they look to these various media outlets to teach and guide them on how to become adults and what to expect as they enter adulthood. Magazines, like Teen Magazine, idolize singers and actors as role models, have quizzes to see if that shy boy in class has a crush on you, and even give dating advice. More and more, teens are gathering information about sex and relationships through such outlets rather than turning to their parents and educators to find these answers. This is where the growing concern that media’s influence amongst teenage sexuality far outweighs that of their peers, parents and teachers. It is a widely known fact that the U.S. ranks number one in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) as a result of the staggering effect of media on our adolescents. In the first portion of this paper, we will review the various media outlets available and the sexual content therein. Next, we will talk about the statistics and percentages of adolescent
Marissa K. Witt
ENG122: English Composition II
Instructor Sara Keller
November 19, 2012
Media is everywhere we look. The various outlets available include television, movies, music, magazines, computers, internet, social networking sites, cell phones, and IPads, etc. It is safe to say that we are a generation that is consumed by media. Most people cannot leave their homes without watching the morning news, checking Facebook, sending an email, or making sure their phone is with them and adults are not the only ones that are consumed with media. Babies as young as six months old are put in front of a TV to entertain them or to teach them how to talk and communicate through Baby Einstein videos. Children are introduced to Disney movies where all of the story lines include a princess trying to find the love of her life, a prince, and living happily ever after. As children grow in to pre-teens (“tweens”) and teenagers, they look to these various media outlets to teach and guide them on how to become adults and what to expect as they enter adulthood. Magazines, like Teen Magazine, idolize singers and actors as role models, have quizzes to see if that shy boy in class has a crush on you, and even give dating advice. More and more, teens are gathering information about sex and relationships through such outlets rather than turning to their parents and educators to find these answers. This is where the growing concern that media’s influence amongst teenage sexuality far outweighs that of their peers, parents and teachers. It is a widely known fact that the U.S. ranks number one in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) as a result of the staggering effect of media on our adolescents. In the first portion of this paper, we will review the various media outlets available and the sexual content therein. Next, we will talk about the statistics and percentages of adolescent
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