Scholarly vs. Popular Media Focus on Sexuality, Essay Example

Sexuality is particularly an outstanding topic viewed from different perspectives and described by in different ways. While the scholars have their own definition and understanding, the media have its. Communicating sex is quite significant in today’s world due to the sex exposure young children encounter, more especially from the media. This paper discusses the scholarly verses the media focus on sexuality.

Scholarly focus on sexuality

Letitia A. Peplau, a scholar in the psychology department in the University of California wrote the article human sexuality. He describes the sex differences between men and women. While men have a greater desire for sex, women have less sex desires with different sexual orientation. A meta-analysis and quantitative methodology approach used to study the behavioral approach of sex towards men and women. A group of young men and women aged between 23-35 years studied. The study showed that women’s less desire for sex describes their less frequency in having sex. While women do worry less about the fantasies about sex, men have sex as apriority and thee have more fantasies to do with sex. A man’s brain more occupied with sex among other leisure activities, while a woman’s mind preoccupied with other stuff like fashion. Another finding showed that while women commit themselves and value relationships, men are not (Peplau, 2003). Men have a tendency of being aggressive and take lead in requesting for sex with their partners, while women tend to be more passionate about the relationship and are less aggressive in tuning into sex. While there are a few notable cases of women who may see unto sex before the ale partner, the majority would prefer to take their time to establish and strengthen the relationship. Letitia A. Peplau also describes the plasticity in the frequency and desire for sex, which more often changes in women, than it does for men. The hypothesis that sexuality in men and women being similar rejected out of the several results and findings discussed above.

There is also a list of scholars – Matthew J. Mimiaga, Sean Bland, Sari L. Reisner, Kevin Cranston, Maura A. Driscoll, Deborah Isenberg Rodney VanDerwarker, Kenneth Mayer- who focus on the homosexuality. They describe homosexuality as a shortcut, or rather a quick way of a man satisfying his desires without the hassle of tuning a woman. A group of 40 identified homosexuals studied. They participants subjected to interviews that focused to find information regarding their sexual behaviors, how they perceive them, and how they manage outcomes. They focus on the HIV risk for the homosexuals, which is extremely high. The results showed that the homosexuals reportedly to be heavy drug and substance abusers, and they drink themselves carelessly. The homosexuals have a tendency of changing partners, with a high involvement in unprotected sex. Their sexuality life turns out to be an illusion, solvable by drinking, drug use, and substance abuse (Mimiaga et al 2011). The hypothesis that homosexuality is just a lifestyle just as heterosexuality rejected as homosexuality found out to be a life of illusion rather than a comfortable one.

Popular media focus on sexuality

The media describe why sexuality as a topic is never enough. There is the famous Cosmopolitan magazine that sells like hot cake. It educates women about multiple orgasms, giving expertise information while at the same time giving narrations of other women’s stories. Barbara Keeshling, a PhD holder and author of the magazine Super sexual Orgasm have it that women have a possibility of having more than one orgasm since they have no refractory period. Men, on the other hand, have no multiple orgasms. Susan Crain Bakos even goes further and explains that any woman who does not enjoy multiple orgasms does so out of the failure to seek them out. The USA today, Newsweek, the Times, and the various websites never fail to talk about, or give information about sexuality, a hot topic that leads enormous sell of products.

Media also focuses on the adolescents (15-20) years, and how their sexual behaviors change with time, more especially with the changing generation. The adolescents, more especially those not free with their parents rely on the media to obtain sexual information. Unlike in earlier days, adolescents obtain sexual information and even practice sex early in their life. The Television is the greatest, the visual music, the magazines, and finally the internet. The media aim at passing information, but unfortunately, the information reaches the wrong audience. The younger generation obtains exposure to both the homosexual, heterosexual, and the bisexual. Media influence the sexual behavior in the younger generation, more than any other means.

The scholarly and the media both aim at passing information. Whereas the scholars focus on addressing the elderly, the media addresses both the young and the elderly (Peplau, 2003). The scholarly has a disadvantage of addressing less audience; however, the media addresses more people, but reaches the young generation thus rotting their sexual behavior.

In conclusion, sex education is extremely beneficial. The teachers, parents and the scholars should play a central role to ensure children exposed to healthy stuff. The media people should play a central role in ensuring they meet the right audience. People should work together to ensure production of a healthy future generation through the right form of sex education.

References:

Peplau, Letitia Anne. (2003), Current Directions in Psychological Science (Wiley-Blackwell). Vol. 12 (2), p37-40. 4p.

Mimiaga, Matthew J., Reisner, Sari L., Bland, Sean E., Driscoll, Maura A.,Cranston, Kevin, Isenberg, Deborah, VanDerwarker, Rodney, Mayer, Kenneth H. (2011). AIDS & Behavior,Vol. 15 (2), p305-318, 14p.