If a girl's photo gets sent around, that's a way bigger deal than if a guy's photo gets sent around

Gender, Sexting, and the Teenage Years

Bibliographic Data

ID3655488
AuthorsRosemary Ricciardelli (0000-0002-0905-8968, Memorial University of Newfoundland, corresponding author), Michael Adorjan (0000-0002-1900-2087, University of Calgary)
Year2019
Volume28
Issue5
Pages563-577
Publication date2019-07-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Gender Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0958-9236 • E-ISSN: 1465-3869
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09589236.2018.1560245
OpenAlexW2908263183
LanguageEN
Citations received62
References cited33

Youth, particularly female teens, are encouraged to self-monitor and be responsible for their actions online in order to avoid harm from cyberbullying, ‘sexting,’ and other forms of cyber-risk. Highlighting findings from 35 focus groups with Canadian teens regarding sexting, we show the continued saliency of a gendered double standard applied to the online distribution of nudes. Our sample of male and female teens (n = 115) from urban and rural regions, aged 13–19, underscores the relatively lower ‘stakes’ involved with sexting for male teens. We explore this trend with specific reference to the salience of hegemonic masculinities and the gendered aspects of public and private spaces, both online and offline. Public exposure of nudes has potentially serious stigmatizing consequences for youth. We highlight teen experiences sending and receiving images of male penises (‘dick pics’), which is an under-researched aspect of sexting. We show the relative ubiquity of receiving ‘dick pics’ among female teens, exploring various reactions, and male motivations for doing so from male and female standpoints. Policy implications are discussed with specific reference to school-based cyber-safety programs, which our participants indicate remain highly gendered, neglecting epistemological questions around male experiences and responsibility

Girl · Telecommunications · Computer Science · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology