High Life: A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Sex on TV--Who’s Holding the Remote?

This controversy has been smoldering ever since the first TV set was turned on and the first movie projector plugged in.

Sex. Can there ever be too much of a good thing, or has our society reached the saturation point?

Hot Topics wonders, “Do you think there is too much sex on TV and in the movies? Is it acceptable?”

“Yes, especially in the movies. It sends the wrong message to youth when two people meet at a bar and go off somewhere and have unprotected sex. If our entertainment world is as AIDS-conscious as they say, they would be more responsible.”

Kris Bergeron, 18,

senior, Ocean View

“It seems that within the last five years there have been more sex scenes than I remember growing up with. It is scary knowing that my little cousins are watching this, because their innocence is being taken away.”

Mona Jhawar, 17,

senior, Connelly

“Sex on TV and in the movies is sexist toward the pleasure of the male population. Breasts are everywhere!”

Alice Lee, 17,

junior, Sonora

“There is not too much sex on TV and in the movies. There is just enough for kids to understand what’s right and wrong.”

Liz Gaez, 16,

junior, Southern California Christian

“Sex is shown too openly in movies and TV. It’s everywhere you turn. We should understand that the world is heavily influenced by the screen, if not controlled by it. And, if that’s all there’s to see, what’s the future attitude of sex going to be?”

Ken Won, 17,

senior, Villa Park

“There’s definitely too much sex depicted on TV and in the movies. Some people are offended, but hey, it’s there and you don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to.”

Janell Shun, 15,

freshman, Kennedy

“It just depends on what you watch. I think it’s acceptable if it’s dealt with in the right way.”

Leiana Beasley, 17,

senior, Dana Hills

“There is a lot of sex on TV. One is not made to watch. It’s a personal choice, not a mandate. The only way the government can censor TV would be if everyone was made to watch it. Since we have a choice, we cannot complain about sex on TV. If you don’t like it, turn it off.”

Maggie Brown, 18,

senior, Rosary

“Yes, there is too much sex and violence. A lot of children are being exposed to graphic scenes at an early age.”

Jennifer Seidman, 17,

senior, Valencia

“There’s not enough sex on TV because we need sex education in America and TV is a great safe way to see sex for the first time and learn.”

Arden Lee, 16,

junior, Servite

“There’s way too much of it. It wrecks movies that could be seen by a lot more viewers if it wasn’t there. In some films it’s OK, but in others it’s like, ‘OK, get on with the movie.’ ”

Rory Ralston, 15,

sophomore, Los Alamitos

“No, there is not too much. Yes, it is acceptable. The rating system in the movies is there. It’s up to the parents to decide what their children should see. Censorship is a denial of our right as American citizens.”

Matt Pence, 17,

junior, Newport Beach

“Yes, they overdo it. On some shows it’s not realistic. Some of the violence is inappropriate for little kids.”

Aaron Garisek, 14,

freshman, Fullerton

“I don’t know why the media feel compelled to exploit the act of sex on television and in the movies. It’s obvious that the decline of morals has increased steadily as has the amount of promiscuity that is displayed in the media.”

Richa Varma, 17,

senior, El Toro

“It’s not that there is too much sex, it is the context in which it takes place. Producers should be more responsible and take into consideration the message they are conveying to their audience.”

Melinda Moran, 17,

senior, Connelly

“TV and movies are becoming really liberal and more open about sex, and everybody is making a big deal about it because of our culture. If our society didn’t put such a restriction on it, it wouldn’t be a big deal.”

Leila Tabatabaee, 17,

senior, Sonora

“There’s too much sex on soap operas, but kids never watch those anyway.”

Vianne Townsend, 16,

senior, Southern California Christian

“It’s OK in the movies because it is rated, but it shouldn’t be shown on TV because my little sister watches TV all the time.”

Christina Vanderelst, 14,

freshman, Villa Park

“There is way too much sex out there. Remember--garbage in, garbage out.”

Jezelle Trudeau, 18,

senior, Ocean View

“There is too much sex on TV and in the movies. This is promoting sex and encouraging people to have sex. There should be some sex, but if they want to go a little further maybe it should be restricted to older people.”

Grace Kim, 15,

freshman, Kennedy

“There’s too much sex on TV, and it’s too explicit for children to watch. Our society has made a large emphasis on having sex.”

Paula Jamison, 17,

senior, Rosary

“Yes. It has polluted the public’s mind. They exaggerate too much and present things too ideally.”

Cindy Wu, 16,

junior, Dana Hills

“Yes. Even on PBS the producers seem to think that the only way to achieve high ratings is through sex.”

Thomas Ahn, 17,

junior, Servite

“No, there isn’t a lot of sex because the movies are getting cornier and cornier.”

Donny Lin, 17,

senior, Valencia

“It’s not acceptable, especially for little kids who can go to see it.”

Jason Dufresne, 15,

freshman, Newport Beach

“On normal TV, no. On cable TV, yes. But it’s your choice to see it because if you get cable TV, you pay for it.”

Erica Clark, 16,

sophomore, Fullerton

“These mediums are not the place to learn about sex; parents should teach their children about this.”

Jenny Ford, 17,

senior, El Toro

“It’s OK because that’s what people want to see. It’s acceptable because that’s the way it’s always been since I’ve been alive. It’s not like you have to watch it or anything.”

Stephanie Kurkgian, 17,

senior, Los Alamitos

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

What would you and your boyfriend or girlfriend do on a “dream” date?