We live in a highly sexualised society. During the last 50 or so years, sex has become part of ordinary discussion in both academic and popular culture. It’s steadily become more and more normal to see, hear, talk about, and think about, sex. Advertising, movies, video games, TV shows and pop music lyrics feature sexual themes. Magazines feature articles instruct us how to feel sexual and how to perform sexual acts. All of this impacts how we see ourselves. More and more, we take for granted that to be a normal, healthy person, we deserve to be sexually satisfied. This has two results:
- First, we evaluate ourselves according to our sexuality. Our sexual desirability and performance become more and more important; everything else about us – our athleticism, artistic creativity, intelligence, craftsmanship, relational sensitivity, kindness, courage – become less and less important
- Secondly, we take for granted that we have the right to define what it means for me to ‘be sexually satisfied’. No-one outside me has the right to tell me who I am sexually, or how to conduct myself sexually – least of all ‘God’ or ‘the church’. Anyone who tries to stop me from achieving sexual satisfaction – whatever that means for me – is at best old-fashioned, and at worst downright oppressive and evil.
The G,S&C has produced this resource paper to help Christians navigate the many issues: Sexualisation Resource Paper
Additional Reading
Link to Australian Senate Inquiry: Australian Senate – Online access to porn
Link to Porn Harms Kids symposium (where video of the talks will soon be available): Symposium
Link to UK report of the Children’s Commissioner, Basically Porn is Everywhere Porn is everywhere
Link to UK PM David Cameron’s speech launching Internet Matters YouTube clip here
Link to the UK Bailey Commission report Letting Children be Children UK Commission Report
Link to film Love and Sex in an Age of Pornography (SBS catch up, available short time only) SBS Clip
Link to USA website with stats Facts & Figures from Stop Porn Culture
Link Reality and Risk website Reality & Risk
Link to research by Brown and L’Engle on the impact of porn on young people, X-rated X Rated Impact
Link to research linking x-rated porn viewing with aggressive behaviour Porn and Violence