The Role Of Sexuality In The Media

Since the start of filmmaking, sex has been a heavily debated topic, both on and off the screen. In the early 1970s, a kiss on screen or the mention of a sexual activity would be enough to convince parents to keep their children away. Not half a decade later, though, sexual acts were being displayed on camera for all to see, demonstrating a rapid progression in the acceptance of sexual acts over time in the film industry. Over time, a change has occurred in the regulation of content of American movies, signaling the collapse of governmental censorship. In the span of only five years, the government’s morality policy shifted so dramatically so as to allow even more mature content, having a powerful influence on the public (Brisbin, 16). Kirby Dick’s “This Film Not Yet Rated” highlights the unfair hierarchical value system of the American film censorship system, which reinforces traditional societal attitudes towards sexuality, and goes through unnamed sources to remove parental control over a child’s media consumption. In considering the progression of societal attitudes surrounding sexuality, the media continues to portray sexuality in a light far behind its times. …show more content…
Across the globe, different ratings systems prevent children from viewing films without a parental guardian, whereas other ratings prevent children from seeing films regardless of whether or not they are with a parent. In the United States, these ratings are determined by unidentified individuals who take great precautions to remain anonymous—a behavior only taken by American film raters (TFNYR). Though a panel of “parents” is intended to be rating these films, their anonymity prevents the general public from being able to determine the validity of their ratings, as every parent and individual has a different tolerance for what their children can and cannot view