#Popsexed: What We Learn About Sex From Pop Culture

June 18, 2014 4:56 PM EDT

Not every school has sex education, and many parents feel uncomfortable talking with their children about the birds and the bees. For girls, who mature earlier than boys, the lack of information can be especially confusing.

So many kids seek out information from other sources, namely popular culture. To find out what they’re learning, Bitch Media started a conversation via the hashtag #popsexed about what women found out about sex from pop culture. The response they got suggests that girls discover the facts of life from movies, TV shows and books ranging from Sex and the City to Dirty Dancing to author Judy Blume.

The other thing the submissions reveal is that pop culture isn’t always the best sex ed source. Women shared their experiences on Twitter about how what they saw in entertainment and other media made them feel ashamed of their bodies or confused about how to engage sexually with a boy.

Here are the best #popsexed responses:

What did you learn about #reprorights from pop culture? What TV, books, & movies dealt w/ birth control, abortion, & politics? #popsexed
— Bitch Media (@BitchMedia) June 18, 2014

"The Red Tent" was one of the first books I read that painted #menstruation as something with a complex history. #Popsexed
— Dr Aliénor (Lili) LC (@alienorlc) June 18, 2014

Madonna's videos taught me every I need to know RT @BitchMedia What role did pop culture play in your sex education? #popsexed
— Libby Alicia (@lerumelt) June 18, 2014

TV taught me that I should have years of unresolved sexual tension with someone before finally speaking up. #popsexed #irony
— Madeline Ashby (@MadelineAshby) June 18, 2014

Still wondering why teen sex is depicted as going from 'closed mouth kissing' to 'adios virginity' in books, TV and movies #popsexed
— Em Loring (@emloringg) June 18, 2014

First (and only for a long time) reference to abortion that I remember was Dirty Dancing--we all know how that ended for Penny. #popsexed
— Allison Quantz (@AllisonQuantz) June 18, 2014

#popsexed The Porky's movies taught me my black body wasn't valued or worthy for sex & to be white was big boobs was desired. @BitchMedia
— TrapQueen of Sheba👑 (@jurZeegurrrl) June 18, 2014

watching SexInTheCity under the blankets was the 1st time I saw what sex "suppose to look like" via Samantha! 10 yrs old #popsexed
— Think Critically (@activethinkerr) June 18, 2014

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