#(Me)too much? The role of sexualizing online media in adolescents’ resistance towards the metoo-movement and acceptance of rape myths

an article by Chelly Maes and Laura Vandenbosch (KU Leuven, Belgium), Lara Schreurs (KU Leuven, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen), Belgium), Johanna M. F. van Oosten (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands) published in Journal of Adolescence Volume 77 (December 2019)

Highlights

• Study on attitude towards the metoo-movement in 586 Flemish adolescents.
• Sexualizing media use relates to the acceptance of rape myths.
• Sexualizing media use relates to resistance towards the metoo-movement.
• Notions of women as sex objects is a valid mediator.
• No significant differences according to gender or self-esteem.

Abstract

Introduction
The current study addresses how sexualizing online media practices, i.e., exposure to sexually explicit internet material and receiving negative appearance feedback on social media, relate to the acceptance of sexist attitudes among adolescents. Specifically, it extends previous research on the acceptance of rape myths by exploring a construct related to these beliefs, i.e., resistance towards the metoo-movement.

Methods
The study is based on a cross-sectional paper-and-pencil survey among 568 Flemish adolescents (15–18 years old, Mage = 16.4, SD = .98, 58.3% girls) that measured adolescents’ sexualizing online media use, sexist attitudes and objectification processes.

Results
The results showed that exposure to sexually explicit internet material, but not receiving negative appearance feedback on social media, was related to more resistance towards the metoo-movement and the acceptance of rape myths through notions of women as sex objects. Self-objectification did not function as a valid mediator in the examined relations. Gender and self-esteem did not moderate the proposed relations.

Conclusions
The findings underline the role of media use in how adolescents develop sexist beliefs and, more precisely, beliefs about contemporary actions to combat sexism, i.e., the metoo-movement. The present study showed that sexual objectification fueled by sexually explicit internet material may result in less positive attitudes and, thus, more resistance towards this movement.

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The Penalties For Self-Reporting Sexual Harassment

an article by Chloe Grace Hart (Stanford University, USA) published in Gender & Society Volume 33 Issue 4 (August 2019)

Abstract

Although sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal, it often goes unreported.

This study employs causal evidence to evaluate one deterrent to reporting: bias against women known to be sexual harassment targets.

I theorize about the form this bias takes and test the argument with a national survey experiment run in five waves from October 2017 to February 2018, where participants were asked to propose employment outcomes for an employee with one of four harassment experiences.

Participants were less likely to recommend a woman for promotion if she self-reported sexual harassment relative to otherwise identical women who experienced nonsexual harassment or whose sexual harassment was reported by a coworker. The woman who self-reported sexual harassment experienced normative discrimination: that is, the promotion bias was significantly mediated by perceptions that she was less moral, warm, and socially skilled than the woman whose coworker reported her sexual harassment.

These results indicate that women may hesitate to report sexual harassment because they rightly perceive that doing so could cause them to experience bias. Yet they also suggest that bias can be avoided if a bystander reports the harassment.

Finally, exploratory analyses suggest that in the wake of #MeToo this bias may be fading.

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How do they do it? – It is time to modernise the practices of sex education for adults

an article by Anne Tastula published in Elm Magazine (2/2019)


A common misconception about sexuality education is that it is merely the teaching of intercourse and reproduction. However, it is a general term that can be defined as consisting of teaching about human sexuality, intimate relationships, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender identity and so on.
Illustration: Pinja Meretoja

Enough of calling masturbation a sin and sexuality education a subject about reproduction. Both youth and adults are a vital target group when talking about sexuality. Professionals working in education and with human well-being are all needed in the modernisation of sex education in Europe.

When considering the term ‘sexuality education’, what comes to mind is an image of spotty-faced teenagers in a school classroom with a banana stuffed in a condom.

However, under international human rights law everyone, regardless of age, has the right to control and decide freely on matters related to their sexuality. This includes the right to have access to sexual and reproductive health care information, education and services.

“We might think that, after reaching adulthood, we no longer need sexuality education,” says sex educator Katriina Bildjuschkin of the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland.

“But sexuality is part of health and well-being at any age, along with other elements of health such as nutrition, exercise, mental health, sleep and the use of intoxicants.”

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What’s Happening to Men Today?

a post by Linda Sapadin for the World of Psychology blog



Recently I wrote about my experiences growing up with guys who groped, leered, flashed me and more. Since then I’ve received many letters from women who thanked me for writing about “their” experiences. And one letter from a man, expressing regrets that I had to go through all that.

This week I’m writing about the growing tide of #MeToo stories that are toppling powerful men.

Four important questions are haunting me; questions that we need to ask ourselves if we want to fully appreciate the changes that are happening in our culture. Though a book could be written about any one of these topics, I’ll attempt a brief answer to each one.

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