Young people’s perceptions of young women’s engagement in sexting

Abstract

Young women are increasingly engaging with digital sexual media, yet discussion of female desire remains absent or is vilified. This paper examines young women’s online sexual expression, as seen through the eyes of both young men and young women. Based on small friendship group interviews conducted with 106 12-16-year-old young women and men in Aotearoa New Zealand, I analysed perceptions of young women’s sexual expression. Framed through patriarchal ideals and underpinned by competitive masculinity, young women’s sexuality and opportunities for sexual expression were policed and regulated. Young women were expected to be passive yet digitally heterosexy, but not slutty. Perceptions of young women’s sexual expression continue to be framed within silencing and absent pleasure discourses, which ultimately compromises both young men and women’s development of sexual subjectivities.

Keywords:

• sexting
• young women
• postfeminism
• gender

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).