Introduction Films that involve romance and weddings typically portray the female and male lead roles as those who fall under the gendered sexual scripts created by society. As Manatu writes in her article, “Love and Romance,” she argues that white women as viewed as “passive-dependents” while males are viewed as those who “take charge” (2003:52). Typically mainstream romance and wedding films illustrate a white, middle-class, heterosexual couple and their love-story that takes place. Since heterosexuality is considered the standard in what is expected in social and sexual relations, wedding films continuously reinforce this standard created by society (Ingraham 2002). Although these films tend to reinforce the concept of hegemonic masculine
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For example, a sex-scene takes place around the middle mark of the film between the main (male) character, Kevin, and the main (female) character, Jane. Both Jane and Kevin are heterosexual, white, middle-class, and physically attractive by cultural standards. Each of these descriptive characteristics illustrates a reinforcement of the “who” aspect in the DCS for Ideal Sex (Walden 2016). The viewer can assume that the sexual encounter consisted of penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI), which reinforces the “what” aspect of the DCS for Ideal Sex (Walden 2016). However, the sexual interaction takes place in Kevin’s car after a night of heavily drinking, which violates the “where” and “when” aspects of the DCS for ideal sex. Kevin and Jane are also not in a relationship at the time of the sexual encounter, therefore the “why” aspect, which involves love, is also violated. According to Rubin, the violation of love is upheld by the concept of sex negativity (1984). She defines sex negativity as, “Western cultures generally consider[ing] sex to be a dangerous, destructive, negative force” (1984:99). In this, there are certain culturally accepted exemptions from the idea that sex is negative such as, marriage or for the purpose of reproduction (Gayle 1984:99). However, the sex-scene between Kevin and Jane in 27 Dresses (2008) is not exempt from the notion of sex negativity due to culturally unacceptable variation of a sexual
For example, a sex-scene takes place around the middle mark of the film between the main (male) character, Kevin, and the main (female) character, Jane. Both Jane and Kevin are heterosexual, white, middle-class, and physically attractive by cultural standards. Each of these descriptive characteristics illustrates a reinforcement of the “who” aspect in the DCS for Ideal Sex (Walden 2016). The viewer can assume that the sexual encounter consisted of penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI), which reinforces the “what” aspect of the DCS for Ideal Sex (Walden 2016). However, the sexual interaction takes place in Kevin’s car after a night of heavily drinking, which violates the “where” and “when” aspects of the DCS for ideal sex. Kevin and Jane are also not in a relationship at the time of the sexual encounter, therefore the “why” aspect, which involves love, is also violated. According to Rubin, the violation of love is upheld by the concept of sex negativity (1984). She defines sex negativity as, “Western cultures generally consider[ing] sex to be a dangerous, destructive, negative force” (1984:99). In this, there are certain culturally accepted exemptions from the idea that sex is negative such as, marriage or for the purpose of reproduction (Gayle 1984:99). However, the sex-scene between Kevin and Jane in 27 Dresses (2008) is not exempt from the notion of sex negativity due to culturally unacceptable variation of a sexual