Abstract
This article presents a content analysis of gendered messages in contemporary sex education films aimed at adolescents. The data set consists of 28 films, dated from 1990 to 2000. The authors analyzed the films for presence or absence of differential gender scripts across four categories. Additionally, the authors compiled the results of the category-level analysis so as to determine each film's composite gender-based sexuality message. Results indicate that these contemporary sex education films contain different messages about male versus female sexuality. Overall, 63% of individual scripts were gender differentiated, and 89% of films contained at least some gender-differentiated scripts. The films reinforce a sexual double standard in which male erotic desire and sexual agency is legitimized whereas female erotic desire and sexual agency is minimized, and the films convey a “sex as danger” message regarding female sexuality, thus creating a social context conducive to the suppression of female sexual desire, pleasure and initiative.
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