Contextual Studies : Representation

Contextual Studies: Representation

This week for our contextual studies lecture we are looking at the representation of sexuality in TV. When looking at representation of sexuality we must look at the definition of certain terms.

Eroticism: aesthetic depiction of sexuality; may not involve nudity.

Pornography: explicit depiction of sexuality; usually via nudity and graphic sexual activity. 

Depictions of sex and sexuality in the mediaa are traditionaly mediated by externol censors. In the UK this is Ofcom. In the US it's FCC. Theese companies decide what is acceptable to be shown on TV, but the level of acceptance has changed over time. The first majour changes happened durign the 70's liberation. 

Durign this period we witnissed the first portrayal of nudity and openly gay characters on TV. 

There are four main sexual stereotypes that we see represented on TV, those being: The Libertine, The Camp, The Butch, and The Asexual.

There is always iconography that we can look at no matter what topic we disscuss. In relation to sexuality and homosexuality, one of the first and most well known characters to be prominant on our TV screens was Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen came out at a very similar time to her character in her sitcom. At first there was a considerable back lash from right wing christian groups. but this only triggered an overwellming and much greater mass of support for Ellen and more veiwers and publicity for the show. This also helped pave the way for things like Will and Grace and other shows.

However this also generated theorists to over analyse theese events and created "The Queer Theory". Theorists such as Judith butler argue that things like sexuality are social constructs informed by media and representations.

Freud alos had a number of sexual thories which were much more grounded and aplicable. Such as the idea of unconciouse sexual desires being expressed through subtext. Ploymorphism, Scopophillia/Voyerism and more.