Sexuality Today: The Human Perspective Chapter Fourteen Sex, Art, The Media, and the Law

Nudity and Sex in Art §Nudity in art often directly affected by cultural attitudes §Prehistoric representations of the body and sex had magical/religious significance §In ancient cultures, erotic art used for sexual instruction purposes §Today, controversy exists over use of public funds to create art with sexual themes §Pornography vs. Erotica

Sex and the Printed Page §Writings traced back 4,000 years l Cycles of acceptance and non-acceptance l Sometimes reflected political protest §Nineteenth century more prudishness, but erotic literature flourished §Literature today explores all themes l May illustrate §Proliferation of adult magazines and tabloids in 1960s

Sex in the Media §Television l Rating system since 1996 l Increased sexuality l Stereotyped female and male roles §Advertising l Exploits sex to sell products l Subliminal §Internet l Newest medium l Easy access and affordability §Films l Increased explicitness, nudity, and exploration of all sex-related themes l Portrayal of women

Pornography §Hard-core pornography, whose purpose is to show lengthy scenes of sexual activity, widely available §Flourished with introduction of video, and almost exclusively available in video and on Internet §Large proportion are amateur productions §Sexologists recommend avoidance of connecting sex with violence and use of children §Kiddie porn is most secret, lucrative, and damaging

Exposure to Sexually Explicit Materials §Great debate and confusion over the results and interpretation of research studies §Davis & Bauserman (1993) l Propose sexually explicit material is a form of persuasive communication §Arousal and emotional reactions l Almost all materials produce arousal l Gender differences in emotional response §Effects on attitudes l Little effect §Effects on behaviors l More sexual behavior within 24 hours

Pornography, Aggression & Violence §No more exposure to pornography among sex offenders and criminals than in non-criminal population §Some research suggests that pornography can increase already held negative attitudes toward women, especially if it depicts sexual aggression or violence §Little correlation between pornography availability and incidence of rape in four countries

Legal Aspects of Sexual Behavior Sexuality Education Sexual Assault and Rape Sex Workers and Nude Dancing Reproductive Rights Rights and Responsibilities of Sexual Partners