Word Count: 537 The media should not be blamed for the sexuality of americanyouth. First concern in sexual activity is too much media. Television issomething that kids watch all the time. Television shows that show sexualactivity and children pick up on those events quickly.
Teenagers dream aboutmarrying someone who is good looking and has money and then starting afamily with them. A lot of teens watch soap operas and romantic shows. Teens see kids, their age, having sex and getting pregnant and they think theycan do it, too. Parents should watch what types of TV shows and movies thattheir children are watching.
TV commercials are explicit when it comes toshowing sex. Teens can pick up ideas about sex from commercials. Such as,the Trojan Man and the Durex commercials shown frequently on MTV andother stations. The media could be more discrete about that sort of materialon the airwaves. In light of these statistics, it would appear that thenonjudgemental/safe-sex approach can add up to a dangerous combination. Dr.
Theresa Crenshaw, a past president of the American Association of SexEducators, Counselors and Therapists, in testimony before a Housesubcommittee in February 1987, said, To say that the use of condoms issafe sex is in fact playing Russian roulette. A lot of people will die in thisdangerous game. Yet despite warnings like this, schoolteachers routinelypresent homosexuality to their students as just another option about whichthey must decide for themselves (Kilpatrick 598). On the other hand, withthe popular television show, Ellen, the main character and the actress whoplayed her, Ellen Degenerous, was an open lesbian.
This views homosexualsas nice, fun loving people and not the hated figures that some communityactivists portray them as. In turn, the media can be a blessing to the gaycommunity because they show the lighter side of their sexual preference. Then again, some parents view this as a wrong statement and refuse to lettheir children watch this display. Another show is Will and Grace, Will is agay man living with his friend Grace. This show was aired after the Ellenshow was cancelled because of its bad ratings after she came out into thelimelight with her secret. Second concern in the media.
All sorts of teens and womensmagazines that are in stores today are filled with sex and what types ofprotection to use. Parents should watch what their kids are reading. Inmagazines there are a lot of pictures that children and teenagers dont need tosee. Next concern in the media. On the radio they talk about sex and manydifferent ways to have sex. Teens and children listen to the radio and theyshouldnt be listening to some of the topics discussed on those radio shows.
Children pick up on things quickly and are easily influenced by things goingon around them. Planned Parenthoods Alan Guttnacher Institute, publishedthe results of two large studies, both of which failed to show any reduction insexual activity for teenagers who had taken sex education courses (Kilpatrick591). .
