Sex On Screen is realistic? What do you think

Sex On Screen is common factor in hollywood movies. How realistic do you think are the sensual scenes showcased in movies? Well, if you think that they aren’t realistic, then you aren’t alone.

A new study conducted by online doctor service Zava examined sex on screen from 50 films, including Fifty Shades of Grey and Dirty Dancing, and gathered opinions from over 2,000 women. The results revealed that just 4% of Brits think sex on screen is realistic.

From Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s mid-shootout action – involving so much wall bashing it’s astounding no one is whisked off on a stretcher – to Skyfall’s shower scene, surely impossible IRL without an anti-slip mat and a pair of goggles, Hollywood’s not interested in real sex. But why?

Movies have always been successful in altering reality for the viewers and this modification of the truth, has even increased the expectations of normal people with regard to sex on screen. The study conducted by the online doctor service has picked up several mistakes that have been glorified extensively.

Some of them include the characters on screen not practicing safe sex and only 2% of the films have shown the use of contraception on screen. And 39% of the time women reach orgasm on screen, however, only 24% of women studied said they have an orgasm while having sex with their partner. This shows a significant difference between movies and reality.

The study’s largest discrepancies included “practically non-existent” safe sex, with a laughable 2% of films implying their characters used a condom, compared to 20% of real life respondents who said they always did, while 32% used other forms of contraception.

Thirty-nine percent of women climax on screen, against 24% of women who said they had never reached orgasm during sex – a substantial difference. Foreplay, meanwhile, is heavily downplayed, with only 27% of characters engaging in it before sex on screen. Back in the real world, 69% of respondents said they did.

When it comes to foreplay, 69% of the respondents admitted that this was necessary and they engaged in it before going any further. Nevertheless, what is shown in films is highly unrealistic with only 27% of the characters involving in foreplay sex on screen .

Watching movies with sex on screen does affect men and women to a great extent. It sets unrealistic expectations and creates immense pressure for individuals to perform well.

However, there are few shows that have aimed to change the perception and focus on showing reality to the audience. For instance, the show “Sex Education” that airs on Netflix.

The show has focused on real life problems like ‘vaginismus’ which is definitely a rarity in this industry. Having to see a show dedicated to concepts that are realistic, is surely a progress.

Design assistant Lotte Morrison takes exception to the very famous sex on screen between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic. “If you’re that sweaty, it ain’t romantic,” she says.

“Car sex isn’t like that. Leather seats plus sweat = squeaky, slippery and burns. That was the first sex scene I ever saw, at 9 years old – I thought every boy would be that romantic and ‘take me to the stars’. But in reality, if you are shagging in a car, it’s probably not going to be like that.”

Lotte Morrison

While heavily stylised scenes can be comical, the gulf between expectation and reality can make women feel inadequate, as Lotte experienced.

“Films make the woman being on top the sexual highlight, but I don’t get much out of it. I used to feel bad that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I felt I should. It’s not until I got older that I could accept it doesn’t work for me. We’re all built differently – it doesn’t affect how sexually able or desirable I am.”

Lotte Morrison

A study published in The Journal of Sex Research, in which men were asked to imagine sex on screen in which an attractive woman with whom they were having sex either did or did not climax, revealed that their ‘sexual esteem’ was higher when the woman reached orgasm, highlighting the pressure on men to please their partners.

Psychiatrist Ravi Shah told Heathline that “low self-esteem” and “what sex is like in porn and movies versus in real life” feed into both men’s and women’s sexual performance anxiety. The 60% of students who turn to porn to learn more about sex – despite 75% admitting it creates unrealistic expectations – demonstrate the extent of the problem.

Lots of films and TV shows are made by men who may not consider or understand a feminist portrayal of sex. The more women producers and directors are hired means greater potential for realistic depictions of sex.

Our society often focuses on the problems of sex, rarely do we see nonjudgmental conversations about nuanced forms of pleasure. Life is too short for unsatisfactory sex, so let’s start and continue those conversations now.

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