How porn changes the way teens think about sex | Emily F. Rothman

Summary

In this insightful talk, the speaker shares her unexpected discovery that mentioning 'pornography' instantly engages bored teenagers. Initially struggling to inspire youth about public health careers, she pivots to discussing the impact of porn on dating violence. Through her research, she explores the complex relationship between porn and sexual violence, challenging the audience to consider the role of porn in shaping teens' sexual behaviors and attitudes. She advocates for a nonjudgmental, science-based approach to educate teens about the realities of pornography, fostering critical thinking and open dialogue.

Takeaways

• 😯 The speaker discovered that mentioning 'pornography' captures the attention of bored teenagers.
• 🔬 The speaker's research into dating violence unexpectedly found a link between pornography and forced sexual acts.
• 📊 Data indicates that dating violence is more prevalent than bullying, considering suicide, or vaping among high school students.
• 🤔 The speaker explored the impact of pornography on dating violence with an open, scientific, and sex-positive mindset.
• 📚 There is no clear consensus on whether pornography is beneficial or harmful; studies show mixed results.
• 🚫 The speaker acknowledges the industry's exploitation of misogyny and sexual violence in some pornographic content.
• 🛑 The anti-pornography stance has historically been misused to discriminate against certain sexual orientations and preferences.
• 📈 Free online pornography serves as a poor sex education for teenagers but is not necessarily turning them into compulsive users.
• 📉 The internet has not drastically increased the percentage of young adolescents exposed to pornography.
• 🌐 Other media besides pornography, such as sexualized video games and TV shows, may contribute more to sexual violence issues.
• 🏫 There is a lack of comprehensive, medically accurate sex education in many U.S. schools, leading teens to seek information from pornography.
• 🤓 The speaker advocates for 'pornography literacy', teaching teens to be critical thinkers about the content they consume.
• 🌟 The approach to discussing pornography with teenagers should be nonjudgmental, honest, and based on scientific evidence.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial challenge when addressing high school students about public health?

The speaker's initial challenge was capturing the attention of the bored teenagers, which was eventually achieved by mentioning the word 'pornography'.

What surprising finding emerged from the research study that included questions about pornography?

The surprising finding was that 11% of the teen girls in the sample reported being forced or threatened to do sexual things that the perpetrator saw in pornography.

How prevalent is dating violence among high school youth according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?

Dating violence is quite prevalent, affecting one in five high school-attending youth in the US each year.

What is the speaker's professional mission in relation to dating and sexual violence?

The speaker's professional mission is to find solutions to end dating and sexual violence.

What is the speaker's approach to understanding the impact of pornography on youth?

The speaker's approach is to read peer-reviewed literature and conduct her own research to understand what sexually explicit media youth are watching and how it might affect their dating relationships.

What is the speaker's stance on people's right to enjoy their sexuality?

The speaker is sex-positive, fully supporting people's right to enjoy whatever kind of sex life and sexuality they find fulfilling, as long as it includes enthusiastic consent of all parties involved.

What did the speaker find concerning the longitudinal study about teenagers who saw pornography?

The speaker found a longitudinal study concerning because it showed that teenagers who saw pornography were subsequently more likely to perpetrate sexual violence, although the study's design did not allow for definitive causal conclusions.

What percentage of 10-to-13-year-olds reported seeing pornography in a nationally representative study conducted in 2010?

In 2010, 30 percent of 10-to-13-year-olds reported seeing pornography in the past year.

What is the speaker's view on the role of pornography in sexual violence perpetration among adolescents?

The speaker believes that while pornography may play a role, it is not the sole cause of sexual violence perpetration among adolescents and that focusing on it alone may distract from bigger issues.

What percentage of first-year college males and females have seen pornography at least once by the time they are 18?

By the time they are 18, 93 percent of first-year college males and 62 percent of females have seen pornography at least once.

What is the speaker's proposed method for discussing pornography with teenagers?

The speaker proposes a method called 'pornography literacy,' which involves nonjudgmental, science-based discussions that encourage critical thinking about both the research literature on pornography and the pornography itself.

How does the speaker describe the teenagers' engagement in conversations about pornography?

The speaker describes the teenagers as being ready to engage in back-and-forth discussions about pornography, grappling with complexities and showing sophistication in their points.

What is the speaker's conclusion about the teenagers' readiness for adult conversations on complex topics like pornography?

The speaker concludes that teenagers, despite not being adults yet, are living in an adult world and are ready for adult conversations, especially when those conversations are honest and allow them to grapple with complexities.