Thinking About Love and Sex

Synopsis

 Using letters A–J, the first programme focuses on a series of issues about love and sex which young people need to consider if they are to make informed decisions about relationships and sexual health.

A - Attraction/Asking out
Young people openly state what they find attractive about the opposite sex. Boys then talk about feelings they’ve experienced when asking someone out. Both sexes describe good chat-up lines and bad ones. An extract from the film ‘American Pie’ reinforces the importance of two-way communication and boys being attentive and sensitive, and ‘toning it down’.

B - Body Image
Raises the issue of how advertisements and other media images can result in unrealistic or false perceptions of body image among girls and boys. The importance of coming to terms with your own body, being yourself and acting confidently, is the advice given by the young people in the film.

C - Condoms
Young people discuss carrying condoms, the importance of using them if sexually active and finding the brand which suits your needs. A youth worker from the Brook describes how condoms can protect from the consequences of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. A sexually active male teenager explains that you may lose a little sensation when using condoms, but this is more than made up for by being relaxed knowing you are reducing the risks to yourself and your partner.

D - Dating
Teenagers of both sexes compare their initial expectations about a first date with the reality, aided by a series of sketches featuring Mel and Josh. The key messages are: being able to talk to each other, eye contact, appearing interested and ‘not overdoing it’. The importance of not doing something you haven’t the skills to handle is emphasised – for example, going out to a restaurant. On a first date, Josh pulls out a hanky and a condom drops onto the restaurant floor.

D - Drinking
While a balanced view of alcohol use is presented, the sexual and other risks associated with drinking too much are vividly shown. A teenage girl talks honestly about her feelings after a drunken one-night stand and about the importance of friends who can help keep you out of trouble.

E - Erections
Using animation and vox pops, this is a light-hearted approach to understanding ‘the ups and downs’ of erections. Penises don’t always do what you want. Erections can be unreliable and are not always caused by sexual feelings. Teenage boys give advice on coping with embarrassing moments. One boy describes how he got an erection when being examined by a male doctor and was worried that the doctor thought he was gay.

F - Frigid
Teenage girls complain that some boys try to pressure them into having sex by telling them they are frigid if they won’t comply. Key messages from other teenage girls are about being in control, having sex when you want it and not having it imposed on you.

G - Gay
A member of the London gay football team, ‘Stonewall’ explains that just because you are gay doesn’t mean you fancy every man you meet. One gay man finds it insulting that many ‘straight’ men worry that gay men fancy them. A lesbian teenager explains she’s proud to be gay and among people who love her for the person she is.

H - Hype
Society gives out a whole series of conflicting messages about sexual behaviour. Official advice on sexual matters from government and other bodies often appears to be at odds with the reality young people experience through advertising and other media images. The vox pops on this topic represent a key issue in relation to how young people construct ideas about sexual behaviour.

I - Intimacy
Animation and vox pops explain the importance of touch, smell and kissing in an intimate relationship and the need for good communication about what is pleasurable. Being intimate doesn’t have to end in intercourse. You can still enjoy the feelings without all the issues which surround penetration.

J - Jealousy
Young people discuss the importance of not becoming obsessive about one person. Individuals need space and therefore it is important to find the right balance in a relationship and not to lose contact with other friends.