Academic research tends to focus on the negative aspects and sexual dangers of girls and young people viewing porn. But what do girls themselves say about growing up in a world where porn is so readily available from such a young age? It’s a question Deevia Bhana, a professor in gender and childhood sexuality, sets out to answer in her book Girls Negotiating Porn in South Africa: Power, Play and Sexuality. We asked her five questions.
What’s the book’s central idea?
- In South Africa, these divisions are made deeper by sexual violence and gender inequalities where girls are seen as passive victims of sexuality.
- And girls do engage with it to expand their knowledge – whether teachers and parents like this or not.
- The book advocates for a more open and nonjudgmental approach to understanding teenage girls’ experiences with porn, focusing on their voices, experiences and perspectives.
What research was involved?
The book is based on focus group discussions and individual interviews with 30 teenage girls between 14 and 18. It draws on photo-elicitation methods, drawings and poster making. The girls presented visual images and drawings to describe what porn meant to them.
What did girls tell you about their experiences of viewing porn?
- Like other girls in the study, she spoke about what online porn meant to her.
- The girls in the study did not have to access porn online to see porn.
- The book shows that girls may find themselves pursuing these elusive “ideals”, but may also challenge them.
- Rather than reinforce outdated beauty norms, the girls suggested alternative media and social media platforms that celebrate the real variety of bodies.
Where do power, play and sexuality fit in?
- Play also indicates the fun and pleasure they derive from talking about their online encounters with sexuality.
- So, they play with porn, make jokes about its content, learn about sexual relationships, while they also critically object to the domination of heterosexuality and racialised and gendered patterns of inequalities.
- In fact across the globe young people are denied sexuality education that actually takes heed of pleasure.
What do you hope readers will take away?
The research offers five key insights:
Girls are not passive recipients: The book challenges the prevailing notion that teenage girls are passive victims of sexuality. Instead, it highlights they actively engage with and navigate the complex world of online porn.
Girls’ experiences are complex: The research shows girls have a wide range of thoughts, feelings and reactions to porn, including curiosity, playfulness and critical thinking. This challenges the view that porn is universally harmful.
Context matters: The study highlights the importance of considering the specific social, economic and cultural contexts in which girls are growing up. It recognises that girls from privileged backgrounds may have different experiences and access to online resources that permit ways of learning about porn.
Better sexuality education is crucial: Instead of shunning discussions about sexuality and porn, the book shows that girls do want to have conversations about these topics. It is adults who refuse to do so.
We should listen to girls’ voices: The book underscores the importance of valuing girls’ voices and perspectives. It advocates for an approach that recognises that girls both desire and object to porn’s racialised and sexist messages.
Deevia Bhana receives funding from the National Research Foundation. This work is based on the research supported wholly by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant Number 98407).
