The mediated erotic lover. The role of pornography in the negotiation of gender roles and desire amongst Italian heterosexual couples

ABSTRACT

Considering gender, sexuality and sexual desire are culturally and socially constructed through social learning and interaction and pornography as a cultural practice, this article focuses on how the discourse that young Italian heterosexual couples construct around pornography can illustrate their definition and negotiation of desire, and gender roles. The work is based on 50 e-mail interviews with 21 female and 29 male young Italians aged between 20 and 24 years old. Our interviewees (both male and female) express the idea of heterosexual male desire as implacable, natural and a fundamental expression of masculinity. In the complex plot delineating desire, gender roles and heterosexual scripts in heterosexual couples, we suggest that pornography might be seen as an erotic lover capable of embodying practices and desires that cannot be expressed or shared by the couple.

KEYWORDS:

• Desire
• heterosexual couples
• gender roles
• pornography

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The authors distinguish between three levels: cultural scenarios, intrapsychic scripts, and interpersonal scripts. Pornography is usually placed among the cultural scenarios. Here, the consumption of pornography is seen not as a representation or narration of sexuality, but on a negotiating plane, somewhere in between cultural scenarios and interpersonal scripts.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cosimo Marco Scarcelli

Cosimo Marco Scarcelli has a PhD in Social Sciences. He is Chair of the Gender & Communication section at ECREA. He is a lecturer in Sociology of Digital Media at IUSVE (Venice) and an adjunct professor in Sociology of Media at the University of Padova. His research deals with youth studies, the social construction of gender, sexuality and intimacy, the connection between sexuality, gender and media, internet studies and digital literacy. He is particularly interested in qualitative and participatory research. He works as digital media educator in collaboration with different institutions and NGOs.

Renato Stella

Renato Stella is a full Professor in Sociology of Media and Web and Community at the University of Padova. He is also responsible for the Bachelors Degree in Communication in the Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology.His research deals with media studies, pornography and online sexual activities.