Sexualizing The Childhood: An Analysis Of Gender Based Obscenity In Children Cartoon Shows

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the different  categories of Obscenity that have become commonplace within children’s cartoons today. For the sake of variety, said content analysis spanned over 150 differing programs that aired upon contemporary child television: Nickelodeon, Disney, and Cartoon Network specifically. To further categorize sub-genres of Obscenity, three niches were established: Sexual Content, Nudity, Implied Indecency. A total of 745 obscene themes were recorded in 34 hours of viewing time. Overall, 40% sexual activities occurred, almost 8 activities per hour and 2 activities per episode. Implied indecency was at 33% ,7 instances per hour and 2 incidents per episode. followed by nudity at 27% with an average of 6 incidents per hour and 1 occurrence per episode. Male characters were more active at exhibiting nudity and implied indecency.

. The most common act of sexuality in these cartoons was kissing, with multiple underage children engaging in the act. Premature dating was a fairly common theme as well, and a majority of characters worried obsessively over their love interests. The most typical subtypes of nudity were characters depicted as being half or fully naked, wearing bikinis, exposing their underwear or wearing provocative dresses. Depictions of LGBTQ+ themes within foreign cartoon programs are steadily increasing in frequency, and this is the most disturbing aspect of the study so far. Female characters often only exist as sexual gratification for the males.