Channel 4’s ‘Sex Education Show’ is a very good thing
When the television production company contacted me a few months ago, I was intrigued to hear that the second series of this programme would be titled ‘The Sex Education Show Vs Pornography‘.
After a long discussion of ‘porn addiction’ with the producers, I wondered what stance the show would eventually take. It’s an upbeat advice programme aimed at young people, after all. It was clear that the producers were wondering too.
The new 4-part series goes out this week, and I’ve just seen the second part. The show has clearly opted to focus on the misleading ‘education’ that porn provides to young people, especially in light of their research findings. Their survey claims that a third of teenagers say they learn about sex by viewing porn. So the show’s objective is to address porn-based misconceptions, and give young people a grounding in the realities of sex.
I’m enjoying the show. This approach is so effective in putting pornography into context for young people. For this show, it makes sense not to try to tackle ‘porn addiction’ head on; children and teenagers have more immediate questions about their development, feelings and desires. And by openly answering those questions, the potential for obsession and confusion over porn is pre-empted at the same time.
I’ll confess to getting a bit jumpy when I heard about the Sex Education Show’s porn campaign. Not another ‘porn is bad, watching porn is bad’ lobby, please. But it’s ok. The campaign offers practical, common-sense advice for parents wanting to keep their kids’ exposure to porn in check. And when they do encounter it on their computer, parents are advised to adopt openness and positive perspective.
YES! Hats off the makers of the TV program “sex education verses porn” I thought it succeeded in balancing the realities of internet porn with the myth’s that viewing porn can create. I was especially pleased that it aimed NOT at taking the moral high ground as many previous programs have but at addressing good sex education which itself is all that’s really needed to combat the illusions that so much porn creates.
The more of this type of TV program the better. Porn is finally being talked about here in the UK on main stream television and not before time in my opinion.
Alan
when is this show on
Hi Kim
All four episodes were shown last week on Channel 4, but you can watch them online here (probably UK only):
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-sex-education-show-vs-pornography/catch-up
I don’t think it’s good at all.
It says restrictions on porn should only apply to kids. They say porn is only bad if kids are using it. They don’t ask, if it’s bad for kids, why is that? Do these same principles not apply to adults also.
It also propagates lies, for example, porn has no connection with real life sexual behaviour (e.g. that women prostitute themselves). Their blanket statement is a lie, simple as.
“For this show, it makes sense not to try to tackle ‘porn addiction’ head on”
I disagree profoundly. I mean, why not make “porn addiction” a central focus?
Hi anti
“For this show, it makes sense not to try to tackle ‘porn addiction’ head on”
I think the aim of the show was to put ‘porn sex’ into context for young viewers. In a limited time, it had to avoid sensationalism and provide answers to very basic questions about sex.
The programme certainly wasn’t perfect, but I don’t think a central focus on ‘porn addiction’ would have been congruent with these aims. It did confront the taboo of kids watching hardcore porn, to an extent that was still refreshing and positive.
I take your point about possible assumptions of ‘porn is only bad if kids are using it’ and oversimplification of the connection with real life sexual behaviour.
But from an individual therapist’s point of view, early experiences of porn can significantly influence whether an ongoing, compulsive relationship with it develops. That’s the basis for my highlighting of this TV show.