Is The Media Selling Sex to Young Adults?

By Anais Morales, SBI Health Education Intern

Of course it is! The mass media greatly revolves around our society. Billboards, magazines, music videos and even commercials are selling sex to everyone, regardless of who it is. I would describe the media as an open market full of scammers. The media does not care who is watching or reading these ads, as long as the message or product is delivered to the general public. They are willing to brain wash consumers into their form of thinking in order to sell. Young adults tend to be easily intrigued and convinced by others. For this reason, the media target teens and young adults as their main consumers.

How can the media be so influential to young adults? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2001), “by the time adolescents graduate from high school, they will have spent 15,000 hours watching television, compared with 12, 000 hours spent in the classroom”. These findings indicate that teens are spending more time watching television than in school, which can be problematic. Too much television can greatly influence the lives of young adults. “Nearly 50% of adolescents report getting information about birth control from the mass media. Four out of ten teens (40%) report that they have gained ideas for how to talk to a boyfriend or girlfriend about sex directly from media portrayals” (www.soc.ucsb.edu). Teens and young adults are utilizing information learned from the media to make decisions about their sexual behavior.

In my opinion, the media should not be the main resource for information that young adults seek for answers. Young adults are unaware of the messages that are presented to them. The media gives negative messages to young adults. For instance, while engaging in sexual activity, precautious acts are not portrayed before sexual intimacy. Why do you think that is?

The media is not educating the public on proper sexual behaviors, instead they are just selling sex because sex sells. And they take advantage of that. For this reason, the media controls the minds of vulnerable young adults to sell sex. We, as a society, should encourage community organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, and AIDS Community Services of Western NY, on educating teens and young adults on safe sex. Overall, the media should not be the main source of information that teens use; instead they should seek for professionally trained individuals in the community who will provide valid and knowledgeable information to make a “smart” decision.

Resources:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;107/1/191
http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/sexuality-in-the-mass-media