Rebecca Mace is a teacher and researcher, specialising in adolescent use of social media and the concept of ‘digital character’. She is studying for her PhD at the UCL Institute of Education, and is Head of Digital Character Development and teacher of philosophy at Cheltenham College. Beki has delivered several workshops and training on digital character, social media and mental health, for Be Her Lead. @beki_mace
Dr Emily Setty is a Lecturer in Criminology at University of Surrey, and is interested in young people's digital, sexual and relational cultures. She has also worked with schools in developing their Personal, Social and Health Education and related support for young people. You can purchase the book reviewed in this blog here. @emilysetty
Illustrations by Emma Callaghan
Rebecca and Emily will discuss youth sexting culture as part of our virtual coffee series on Wednesday 15 July at 11am. To register to attend, email hello@beherlead.com.
Understanding & responding to digital sexual cultures
While it is often implicitly suggested that adults understand the motives and practices of teenagers, teachers and parents are frequently on the back foot when it comes to discussion around new media and technology. Dr Setty’s excellent book, ‘Teen Sexting’, sets out suggestions for how academics, policy makers, teachers, and parents, should understand and respond to young people’s practices within their digital sexual cultures.
While, as Setty points out, the notions of Digital Native and Digital Immigrant have been widely found lacking, the general view has remained in which the use of technology is somehow able to operate as if a gateway drug for young people leading on to more damaging social behaviours.
The use of smartphones to engage in ‘Youth sexting’ is one such example. Setty offers a clear evidence-based approach to this issue, one in which “technological processes are re shaping and re-mediating teen sociality and sexuality - friendship, dating, intimacy and conflict”. She reiterates that while the relationships themselves may be familiar it appears there are new norms and standards of practice that are being played out more visibly.
“Dr Setty raises vitally important questions with regards to gendered approaches to sexting, consent, adolescent sexuality, online privacy, empowerment and teenage sexual agency.”
As well as young people’s perspectives, the book sets out the relevant legal and educational policies, while also consistently requiring the reader to start challenging the pervading cultural dynamics connected to this evocative issue. This book explores the social contexts within which sexting takes place and those practices that need to be tackled if the potential harm that can arise from such practices is to be addressed. Rather than approaching tech as a social problem amplifier, exposing young people to risks that they would not have encountered otherwise, Dr Setty raises vitally important questions with regards to gendered approaches to sexting, consent, adolescent sexuality, online privacy, empowerment and teenage sexual agency.
Sexting as a platform, not a phenomenon
Setty refers to the ways in which a youth sexting culture has been found to reproduce normative standards and expectation surrounding gender and sexuality. Technology makes sexed and gendered bodies and identities which are visible in concrete ways, it throws adolescent sexuality in peoples’ faces. In light of this, she suggests we need to view sexting less as a practice or phenomenon, but rather a platform in which young people are negotiating social meanings and cultural norms, developing a sense of self and gender, bodily and sexual identity.
Legitimising young people as active agents in relation to sexual matters is a challenging task, given the pervading assumptions about what is ‘right’, ‘healthy’ or ‘normal’ for young people. However, Setty suggests ways to address the issues arising from this. Importantly she argues that we need to conceptualise young people as active participants within a youth cultural context that produces meaning and shapes decisions whether or not they have actively participated in sexting or not. She states clearly and consistently throughout that although technology creates opportunities for sexting, sexting itself should only ever be understood as reflective of broader social and cultural practices surrounding gender and sexuality.
“This book is a must read for teachers, parents, those concerned with understanding youth culture and wellbeing.”
Addressing systemic issues - rather than tech itself
This book is a must read for teachers, parents, those concerned with understanding youth culture and wellbeing. The ways in which young people are orientating and articulating themselves is changing. There is no online / offline perspective – the norms and values in both spaces are what is at stake. Paying attention to the tech itself or isolated instances of sexting will not address the wider systemic and cultural issues to hand.
If you’d like to be part of the discussion about this issue, join our virtual coffee on Wednesday 15 July at 11am - To register to attend, email hello@beherlead.com.
If you are interested in inviting Rebecca to your school to deliver a workshop for teachers or students, get in touch with her via Twitter (@beki_mace) or email hello@beherlead.com for an e-intro.