TEENAGE FEMALE SEXUALITY

Teenage female sexuality, morality and cultural representation; an exploration

Table of Content

CHAPTER ONE3

INTRODUCTION3

CHAPTER TWO9

LITERATURE REVIEW9

METHODLOGY23

School and student sample24

Questionnaire administration26

Ethical considerations27

CHAPTER FOUR29

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS29

Data analysis and interpretation29

Results29

The respondents29

Ethnic background31

Topics respondents wanted to know more about32

CHAPTER FIVE34

CONCLUSION34

Implications for sex and relationships education35

REFERENCES39

Chapter One

Introduction

This dissertation will explore the phenomenon of teenage female sexual desire, cultural representation and morality. I aim to demonstrate that in western cultures women are viewed as objects not agents and through cultural repetition are denied their right to act out their own sexual desire which leaves them open to disease, stigma and possible pregnancy. Using research in teenage female sexual desire and Juno as a cultural representation this dissertation asks how 'morality' in relation to 'desire' should be understood.

There are many aspects that shape teenage female sexuality and how it is played out by the individual. It is not purely media representations which inform teenage women, there are other 'shaping forces' such as 'their unique circumstances; their family structure; the cultural constructions of sexuality specific to their communities, ethnicities, and religious affiliations' to name just a few'. These shape teenage females sexual desires in their private and public life, defining the parameters of what is culturally acceptable and what is not. Teenage sex is not an absolute and naturally occurring entity; it is informed by the culture that it grows from.

It is important to clarify what is meant by teenage female sexual desire. It is the time in an adolescent female's life when they begin to become aware of sexual feelings within themselves and in relation to others. The term desire is used in relation to this to mean; 'how we make meaning out of our bodily, emotional, and relational experiences'. If women deny their sexuality they ignore their desire, and that desire can lead to their empowerment, and ownership of their innermost feelings.

The idea that women in most western societies have to face the choice of being seen as virgins or whores has long been a central feature of feminist analyses of patriarchy, this cultural perspective lays its roots in young females minds from a very young age. The 'Barbie' culture where it is marketed that females need to be sexually dressed but not slutty (need more info and a quote). Outside forces such as these inform and guide us, shaping women's lives from a very young age, 'long before a girl reaches adolescence she hears both directly and indirectly the established story of a good woman'.

Western culture obsesses over the 'dangers', and demonises teenage female sexuality (?). The desires that teenage females may have is encouraged to be ignored, resulting in the 'good girl/bad girl' dichotomy. In these terms the 'good girl' is a female who does not have, or, act upon their bodily desires, versus the 'bad girl' whom is morally corrupt and 'loose'. It is, of course, of great importance to recognize that there can be negative outcomes to becoming sexually active from an early age such as 'unwanted pregnancy, infection and ...