Sex and Sexuality in Entertainment Media Popular With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adolescents

Abstract

Media may serve as important sexual socialization agents for lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) adolescents who often have limited interpersonal resources from which to garner sexual information. A content analysis was conducted on a sample of television programs, films, magazines, and music popular with LGB youth to quantify the sexual messages LGB youth encounter in the media. Results suggest that heterosexuality is overrepresented and LGB sexualities are underrepresented in media popular with LGB adolescents. When depicted, LGB sexual talk was often talk about stereotypes or insults/jokes related to sexuality and rarely about relationships or sex. LGB sexual behaviors were nearly nonexistent. LGB sexual talk seems to be increasing in entertainment television, but LGB sexual behaviors have remained relatively rare over time. Findings are discussed in terms of the possible effects of exposure on LGB youth relying on media for information about sex and sexuality during sexual socialization.

Notes

Note. A significant difference indicates that the percentage of heterosexual talk was significantly higher than 90%. LGB = lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Note. LGB = lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

*p < .05. ***p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bradley J. Bond

Bradley J. Bond (Ph.D., University of Illinois, 2011) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of San Diego. His research interests include sex in the media, adolescent identity development, and adolescents' relationships with media characters.