Abstract
In this article, we explore young New Zealanders’ use of sexual scripts in talk about
Internet pornography (IP) to perform ‘smart’ sexual selves. Using sexual scripting theory,
as developed by feminist discursive psychologists, our analysis of interview data generated
with 10 youth (aged 16–18 years) highlights two commonly constructed sexual identities
across youth talk; (i) the proficient Internet pornography user, and (ii) the astute Internet
pornography viewer. The way these young people talk about portrayals of sexuality and
gender in IP – and their ability to discern its artifice – suggests they are savvy consumers
who are capable of using IP as a cultural resource (e.g. for learning, entertainment) while
at the same time acknowledging it as a flawed representation of sex and sexuality. We
discuss the implications of our findings for strengths-based sexuality education that
supports sexual agency, proposing a justice-orientated approach grounded in the notion
of ethical sexual citizenship.
Citation
Sexualities, 2023
Date
2023-01-23
Publisher
Sage
Description
CAUL read and publish agreement 2023