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Girls on Film

Lena Dunham: 'I think most depictions of sex are destructive.'
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In the above Fresh Air interview with Girls creator Lena Dunham, Dunham says that search for sex in college is “this sort of sad, sad hunt for validation.” Terry Gross asked Dunham how she thinks movies and the accessibility of Internet pornography affects sexual relations today. Gross said in movies today, there’s almost no foreplay, just ripping clothes off, unlike in the past.

“I do think that kids have been miseducated about what sex is by films,” Dunham said.

“I think that films have whitewashed sex in many ways, and sort of have tried to hide what is messy and what is challenging about it. And I feel like there are a couple of brands, ‘I’m so angry and I hate you so much and we need to have sex right now!’, which isn’t particularly healthy. Or I’m so in love with you that the minute we get in I’m going to shed my negligee and we’re going to do it.’ I think that most depictions of sex are destructive.”

Dunham says she’s not against pornography, but that the proliferation of online porn is “insane, because that’s how many boys are learning about sex. … That is female pleasure that has been designed for men to pleasure themselves to. And so it should not be a guidebook for anybody’s sexual relations. … I do think we are in an age when young kids are getting a totally unrealistic sexual education way before it’s needed.”

This part of the interview comes just past the 19-minute mark.

I was talking to someone today who told me that their kid recently started first grade, and is already having to deal with concepts that used to be first confronted by kids when they hit seventh grade.

[H/T: Sam M.]

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