Quiz 18: Sexual Images and Selling Sex

Sex is used as an easy emotion to entice people in commercial advertisements. Several promotional campaigns use sexually inclined themes to attract customers effectively. These ads will sure have an impact on majority of the general public. Predominating presence of ads that use sex to promote products will have adverse effects in a society. Though sections of a society with maturity remain unaffected by such ads, groups of individuals in a gullible age group (children and adolescents) can be adversely affected in their views towards sexuality by such ads.

The media has a great influence on the society and can shape the thought process in a society to a large extent. Hence, a certain amount of discretion and responsibility should be practiced by people in the media, especially in designing advertisements to prevent parading sexual stereotypes.

The type of television shows that most children watch relate to animated movies and those with the themes of superheroes and superwomen. Although such shows have a gender bias, the bias is not one that will affect normal understanding of gender, sexuality, and relationships. These shows currently put both genders and their values in equal perspective.