Progressive evolution regarding the representation of female sexuality and pleasure on screen: An analysis of Sex Education and its reception among Gen Z viewers

Details

Supervisors

Culot, Martin

Faculty

Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales, politiques et de communication

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences et technologies de l'information et de la communication, à finalité spécialisée: conception et évaluation de médias éducatifs

Abstract

enFor years, women have been dictated what to wear, how to behave, how to please their husband, but with the feminist waves that happened through the last decades, women have gradually emancipated themselves from men's power, in general and in the relationship, even though this power on the female gender still persists. There is an evolution. With the invention of the television and its content, these patriarchal norms and male-dominated power has increased through the years unconsciouly in the audience's mind. But since the #MeToo movement, producers are now empowering the female characters and working on female questionings and behaviour. These questionings are also concerning female sexuality, that for years has been perceived, as taboo. However, contemporary producers and screenwriters work on these taboos and destigmatize them, and normalize female pleasure and desires. This study analyses whether the destigmatization of female sexual taboos and women's sexuality normalization are present in Sex Education and how the viewers perceive it. This dissertation discusses the representation of female sexuality in contemporary series, particularly in Sex Education, Laurie Nunn's series. This study identifies whether there is a verbal and behavioural shift in the viewers' minds regarding their perceptions of women's sexuality, desires and pleasure. Moreover, this paper discusses the male gaze and patriarchal norms embedded in our society and how Sex Education challenges these patriarchal stereotypes commonly used on screen in older series and movies and how the series moves away from the male gaze.