Both parties contribute equally and have equal stakes in the outcome. Sexting is a turn-taking, co-authoring process. It is exactly this power which, from a cyberfeminist theoretical point of view, makes sexting so appealing – especially to young women.
All of this can happen in the safety and comfort of their own rooms with the power to stop the interaction at any time. This explains why high school pupils who still identify as virgins would sext: to them, it’s a way to bridge the gap of distance between two interested, consenting partners who wish to be intimate, experiment or are just curious and wish to explore their sexuality. Sexting is likely to happen before sex, as a way to get to know one’s partner sexually and to build intimacy. These experiences were discussed in the focus groups, where students could elaborate on the answers they’d given in the survey. I found that it is most prevalent among couples, people in long-distance relationships and, interestingly, virgin teens. Part of my research focused on why millennials sext. For inexperienced sexters, this could create negative pressure. If you receive a photo of your partner’s naked torso, for instance, a text or photo of your face is not considered an appropriate response. Some were also concerned about the turn-taking repertoire of sexting, which means that when one receives a sext it creates the expectation of returning a similar contribution. This is an especially common complaint among young women, and leaves the receiver feeling violated, but also with the expectation to respond. Participants said that the most common risk associated with sexting, apart from leaked photos, is receiving an unsolicited and unexpected sext, especially one of a graphic, sexual nature. They also understood how it could be potentially harmful, but most said that the benefits outweighed the risks. Importantly, millennials were highly aware of the risks posed by sexting. So much so, that 72% expressed the fear of someone else seeing their picture as a serious concern or hindrance to sexting. It is not necessarily a private activity – 57% of male and 44% of female student respondents have seen someone else’s private naked or semi-naked picture(s). They use it to get positive feedback and boost their self-esteem.ĥ5% of the respondents said they had friends who sext with nude or semi-nude pictures 53% have done so themselves and 59% have received such content. Millennials consider sexting fun and flirty. I also conducted a number of focus groups. I collected the data from 579 students aged between 18 and 30 in an online survey at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. My own research, too, has focused on millennials’ attitudes to and practice of sexting. This is important, as much of the literature currently circulating does not employ appropriate research methods or is biased towards finding the harm in this new moral panic that’s “corrupting our youth”. Young women felt comfortable with sexting because it diminished their risk of being overpowered or pressured into non-consensual sex.Ī recent study has started steering sexting research in a new direction that has millennials’ experiences and opinions as its base. And, importantly, my research has revealed that it is primarily a feminist space: when used correctly it offers both partners equal power to start, stop and direct the interaction. Firstly, sexting is often a safer alternative to physical sex, without the risks of STIs and pregnancy.
Sexting – exchanging texts, photos and videos of a sexual nature – has become so commonplace that many millennials consider it a normal and even healthy part of a relationship.īut some people are horrified by the idea of sexting. Social media applications like WhatsApp have created a new avenue for curious young people to explore, express and develop their sexuality.
SEXTING CONVERSATIONS NUDE PROFESSIONAL
So it should be no wonder that, in addition to social and professional online existence, they also express their sexuality via technology. They’ve grown up in an “always-on” digital era: the online world is their platform for communication and expression They were born between 19, and are regarded by researchers as an open-minded, responsive and liberal generation who believe that “useful is the new cool”. They exist far beyond biology and through a variety of technological devices which don’t function as external entities but as a platform and backdrop to their daily lives.
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