Dominance and Inequality in X-Rated Videocassettes

Abstract

Feminists have been concerned about the debasement of women in sexually explicit material. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of domination and sexual inequality in x‐rated videocassettes through a content analysis of 45 widely available x‐rated videocassettes. The sample was randomly drawn from a list of 121 adult movie titles widely available in family videocassette rental stores in southern California. Over half of the explicitly sexual scenes were coded as predominantly concerned with domination or exploitation. Most of the domination and exploitation was directed by men toward women. Specific indicators of domination and sexual inequality, including physical violence, occurred frequently. The growth of the videocassette rental industry and the popularity of x‐rated films, coupled with the messages these films convey, is a cause for concern.

Adolescents’ Exposure to a Sexualized Media Environment and Their Notions of Women as Sex Objects

“…Our findings are in line with two different strands of research. First, the fact that we found sexually explicit on-line movies to be related with notions of women as sex objects concurs with content analyses that have demonstrated that women are objectified in sexually explicit material (e.g., Brosius et al, 1993;Cowan et al, 1988;Ertel, 1990). This objectification may partly result from men's derogatory sexual comments about women (Cowan et al, 1988;Ertel, 1990).…”

“…First, the fact that we found sexually explicit on-line movies to be related with notions of women as sex objects concurs with content analyses that have demonstrated that women are objectified in sexually explicit material (e.g., Brosius et al, 1993;Cowan et al, 1988;Ertel, 1990). This objectification may partly result from men's derogatory sexual comments about women (Cowan et al, 1988;Ertel, 1990). Second, our result that exposure to audiovisual sexually explicit content on the internet rather than exposure to such content on video or DVD was associated with beliefs that women are sex objects tentatively supports researchers who have argued that, due to its easy accessibility, sexual content on the internet may play a crucial role in the sexual socialization of adolescents (Donnerstein & Smith, 2001;Greenfield, 2004;Thornburgh & Lin, 2002).…”

“…Content analyses have shown that, in sexually explicit audiovisual material, men sometimes speak to women in a derogatory, abusive way (e.g., Cowan et al, 1988, Ertel, 1990. In prime-time programming, sexual comments that focus on women's bodies and body parts occur frequently (Grauerholz & King, 1997).…”

“…Content analyses of sexually explicit content have suggested a sexual objectification of women through, for example, frequent fullscreen genitalia shots (Cowan et al, 1988), male ejaculation on the body, the face, or in the mouth of a woman (Brosius et al, 1993), and the depiction of women in a passive role (Ertel, 1990). At least in its frequency and intensity, the sexual objectification of women in sexually explicit content may thus be more distinct than sexual objectification of women in sexually non-explicit or sexually semi-explicit material.…”

“…In sexually semi-explicit movies, examples of female nudity outnumber males nudity in a ratio of 4:1 (Greenberg et al, 1993). Finally, sexually explicit material in videos, DVD's, magazines, and on the internet primarily treats women as sexual playthings and subordinates, whose bodies and genitals are the center of attention (e.g., Brosius, Weaver, & Staab, 1993;Cowan, Lee, Levy, & Snyder, 1988;Ertel, 1990). Cowan et al (1988), for example, reported that 69% of sexually objectifying genitalia full-screen exposures were shots of women, and 31% were shots of men.…”