Most University courses move away from the AS/A2 topic of gender to look at one or a combination of Representations, Class, Race, Disability or Sexuality.

The changes in media representations of sex and sexuality over the last fifty years are astonishing. The media industries are no longer forced to portray husbands and wives occupying separate beds, and scenes of sexual activity are rarely avoided or quietly inferred. Sex in the mass media, especially within the moving image, is becoming increasingly frequent and explicit (About 66% of prime time shows contain some sexual content.), and many advertisers have come to the realisation that “sex sells.” Viewers can observe depictions of intimacy and affection, marriage and family life, and gender roles, as well as suggestive and erotic behaviour, right in their living rooms.

On the one hand the accessible and popular nature of television makes it an opportune way to learn about sex and sexuality without embarrassment, on the other, the images on TV can be limited, stereotypical and one-dimensional.

Sexual Activity

Almost 23% of the sexual portrayals that were shown in 2000 involve characters from the ages of 18-24, and 9% (almost one in ten) involve characters under the age of 18. This then assumes that sex is an activity only enjoyed by the young and older people in the media are often presented as asexual.
The bulk of the sexual action and language occurs between unmarried characters. One study found that unmarried heterosexual characters engage in sexual intercourse four to eight times as much as married characters.

Heterosexuality

Homosexuality is still not fully accepted in today's society and traditional patriarchal portrayals of both men and women are still dominant, with few exceptions to such images. This is, perhaps, particularly true of men. Whilst patriarchal images of the weak, male-dominated woman remain, in many respects such limited views have begun to change within our society. However, men are still seen to be powerful, successful and rational in thinking. It is still uncommon for a man to appear emotional and sensitive. As a result of this homosexuality is rarely seen on network television and representations of sexuality have been severely restricted and largely confined to the cinema.

Homosexuality

When homosexuals do appear as characters on television programmes, they are usually depicted negatively as "villains or victims of ridicule" (Gross 1989 cited in Craig 1992, p195). Often it is difficult to identify gay or lesbian characters. As a consequence of this, programmes have adopted signs of gayness in order to portray characters' sexualities as quickly as possible. Such signs include certain gestures, clothing and even codes of language adopted in order to visualise an individual's homosexuality. This has led to overtly camp portrayals of gay men (categorised by overt gesture, flamboyant clothing etc) and butch lesbians with dungarees and crew cuts.
When homosexuals are portrayed on network television their sexual behaviour is often largely ignored, as if to say, mainstream culture can accept their difference, but their exploits in the bedroom are strictly taboo. Lesbian relationships are often portrayed using voyeuristic means, as titillation for heterosexual males and gay relationships often emphasise the ‘friendship’ aspect of the partnership.
When the media presents realistic portrayals of gay relationships e.g. Queer as Folk, they can often provoke outrage and a plethora of complaints on the grounds of taste and decency.

Further reading can be found in:

• Cohan, S. & I. R. Hark (Eds.) (1993): Screening the Male, London: Routledge
• Craig, S. (Ed) (1992): Men, Masculinity and the Media. Newbury Park, CA: Sage
• Dines, G. & J. M. Humez (Eds) (1995): Gender, Race and Class in Media: A Text-Reader. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
• Dyer, R. (1993): The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. London: Routledge
  Screen (Ed.) (1992): The Sexual Subject. London: Routledge
• Swanson, G. (1991): 'Representation'. In D. Lusted (Ed): The Media Studies Book. London: Routledge

Issues of Sexuality in Sex and The City

Based on the bestselling book by Candace Bushnell, "Sex and the City" revolves around the lives of four young professional New York women in search of the perfect relationship. The series first aired in 1998 and ran for 6 seasons until early 2004.

Critics have complained about the lack of positive representations of heterosexual masculinity in Sex and the City. Only the gay men are represented positively. Are men therefore unfairly represented and stereotyped?

However, though positively represented, the gay characters are often very stereotypical e.g. the overtly bitchy character Anthony and the flamboyant but unlucky in love Stamford.

For some, the programme can be shocking because of its use of 'coarse' language and representations of sexuality. Is it using such representations to ensure high ratings through controversy? Is it shocking because of the language and the sexuality, or because it represents women using that language and seeking sexual satisfaction?

Despite the sexual and economic freedom of the female characters, they are all in search of the ideal man. Are they still therefore conforming to what men believe women should be interested in? And thus is it actually a patriarchal text?

Lesbianism is represented as 'difference' and largely treated as sexual experimentation. The four central characters remain firmly defined as heterosexual. When Samantha 'became' a lesbian, despite having a fabulous relationship, it was outlined as a period of experimentation and she returned to heterosexuality because she missed penetrative sex with men. Where does this place the lesbian/bisexual spectator?

To examine representations of sexuality across a range of texts/genres you need to consider;

• Who has created the sexual images?
• Who is engaging in the sexual behaviour?
• Whose viewpoint is not heard?
• From whose perspective does the camera frame the events?
• What is our role as a spectator in identifying with, or questioning what we see and hear?
• Are the images largely stereotypical or do they offer difference?
• What ideological standpoint does the text perpetuate?