Running Head: Censoring Controversy

Censoring Controversy
Jessica Bolanos
RWS 1301

Censoring Controversy

Why is controversy made when censoring is either challenged or accepted?

Present day media has expanded their limit of whats considered appropriate to a point
where it is almost impossible to control. The general audience includes teenagers: from
the ages 13-18 years old, live in the United States, part of middle to lower class social
status, have general knowledge on how to use the modern day technology, and have and
or havent participated in a sex education class. The audience censoring affects are those
who have grown up through the year 2000 to present day, those familiar with social
media, live in a secure household environment, and who spend up to 6-7 hours interacting
with media. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the different partys arguments
regarding censoring.
Media has established power over television and advertisement which can cause
offence to viewers when handled insensitively. Royal Van Horn is a professor of
education at the University of North Florida who wrote the article, Sex, Potato Chips,
and Media Literacy. Horn questions, What on earth does sex have to do with potato
chips? Simple answer, sex is often used to sell things(Horn 10). Horn is referring to a
television commercial with a model that is advertising a bag of potato chips. Horn later
appoints thats commercial using heavy sexualized images and words is inappropriate to
younger viewers. Horn focuses around the media literacy and how it needs to be
accounted for during present day media.
Society is to believe that women being sexualized through media are the blame
for inappropriate content throughout mass media. Feminist activists believe that women
should not be negatively blamed for exposing sexual content. Claire R. Snyder-Hall is an
Associate Professor of Political Theory and Director of Interdisciplinary studies at

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George Mason University. Snyder-Hall states the choice feminism responds to women
who choose to engage in sex work, turn themselves into sexual objects, or eroticize male
dominance (Snyder-Hall 256). Snyder-Hall explains how modern day media focuses on
choice feminism, a topic that stirs debates about women objectifying themselves versus
successful women unlocking their own sexual liberation. Snyder-Hall also feels that,
feminism requires expanding the options available to women, so they can be truly selfdetermining, and the rhetoric of choice obscures that point (Snyder-Hall 256). SnyderHall explains that women shouldnt be limited to what society and cultures claims
acceptable.
It seems that censoring only has a black or white battle field, but what about
those who fall in the grey? Jane D. Brown, the James L. Knight Professor at the School of
Journalism and Mass Communication at UNC-CH addresses that, The media may be
especially important for young people as they are developing their own sexual beliefs and
patterns of behavior, and as parents and schools remain reluctant to discuss sexual topics
Brown establishes that modern day media exposes all sort of sexual talk, topics and
visual content. As much society may see this as a negative progression, Brown feels that
the outcome may have positive effects. By targeting young teens they become more
knowledgeable when approaching these situations throughout their lives.
Not only can media be inappropriate for younger viewers, it can also be harmful.
Karen Ross, editor and a member of the International Association of Media and
Communication Research, states that, as sex has become more easy to separate from
procreation and older romantic ideals of binding love, a new view has emerged of a sex
life composed of a series of encounters that are relatively easy to begin and end and that

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are based on the desire for individual fulfillment (Ross 458). In other words, sex is no
longer a cultural taboo but a satisfaction determination. Ross refers to the modern
development of aggressive pornography, and how sex is an act for immediate
gratification.
Fisher D. Randy a member of the Department of Psychology at the University of
Central Florida concludes that, The distinction between sexually explicit media a
sexually violent media has emerged as central in the literature on the effects of exposure
to sexually explicit media(Fisher 229). Fisher means that sexual and sexually violent
media now identifies as one sexual media, when both effects are completely different
from one another. He believes that the different types of sexual media are what affects the
audiences and that certain media should be censored due to safety reasons.
Campbell Leaper and Brown, S Christia are both members of the Department of
Psychology at the University of California, wrote the book, Child Development and
explains, To assess exposure to feminism, girls were asked if they had learned about
feminism through sources such as the media or personal relationships (Leaper, Brown
687). By exposing young girls to media topics such as feminism outcome was more
helpful by allowing them to make more aware decisions when searching through different
sorts of media.
Jane Brown and Sarah Keller, authors of the journal entry, Can the Mass Media
Be Healthy Sex Educators? explain that, the clash between the media's depiction of
sexual relations and the real-life experiences of youth contributes to their difficulties in
making healthy sexual decisions. They address that even though teenagers can learn

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about sex through the media, they still have unanswered questions that only an educated
adult can answer.
Censoring is indeed a controversial topic and that no matter what stand society
may take, no party will satisfy. When discussing sexual content within the media, Royal
Van Horns argument created a pathetic appeal by connecting sexual advertisement to a
bag of potato chips, a snack that can be seen in almost every American home. However
Claire R. Snyder-Halls argument may not have had a strong pathetic appeal, but due to
her various professional titles she creates trust using credible appeal. When establishing
helpful and harmful ways certain kinds of media affects young adults, Karen Ross and
Fisher D. Randy although have opposing viewpoints, cannot strongly execute their
arguments because of their lack of credibility. Ross and Randy do not have the
professional authority in result readers may not develop a sense of assurance. Although
Campbell Leaper and Christia S. Brown are authors who show that they have experience
when handling publications, which establishes their credibility. Overall Jane Brown and
Sarah Kellers arguments are neither for nor against censoring rather how adults can
educate teenagers about the different diversities of censoring.

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References

Brown, Jane D. and Keller, Sarah N. (2000). Can the Mass Media Be Healthy Sex
Educators? Family Planning Perspectives, 32, 255-256.
Brown, Jane D. (2002). Mass Media Influences on Sexuality. The Journal of Sex
Research, 39, 42-45.
Horn, Royal V. (2002). Sex, Potato Chips, and Media Literacy. The Phi Delta Kappan.
84, 10-11.
Kelly, Deirdre M. (2006). Frame Work: Helping Youth Counter Their Misrepresentations
in Media. Canadian Journal of Education, 29, 27-48.
Leaper Campbell and Brown, S Christia. (2008). Child Development, 79, 685-704
Ross, Karen (Ed.). (2012). The handbook of gender,sex and media. Retrieved from
http://www.utep.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=818760&echo=1&userid=8
0529536&tst
Randy D. Fisher. (1994). Correlates of Support for Censorship of Sexual, Sexually
Violent, and Violent Media. The Journal of Sex Research, 31, 229-240
Snyder-Hall, Claire R. (2010). Third-Wave Feminism and the Defense of "Choice".
Perspectives On Politics, 8, 255-261.