17 or 47

In the study we recently read "Entertainment Television as a Health Sex Educator for Condom-Efficicacy Information in an Episode of Friends" it is clear that a statement is being made to prevent assumptions that condoms work 100% of the time. This type of sexual education is actually common among various forms of media. Movies in particular have mentioned sexual health and pregnancy prevention. Although they may not be very common they do exist. As stated in the Collins' Study, "Television [or movies in this case] is often decried as a negative influence on the sexual attitudes and behavior of America's adolescents. However, television occasionally includes messages about the risks of having sex that may have a positive effect on youth." (1)

Here is a clip from the movie 17 Again. Zac Efron is actually much older, and had a kid when he was still in high school. When he magically becomes 17 again, he has now been forced to reattend high school. With high school comes health class. In his health class, (which conveniently happens to be with his daughter), he explains to the students why stick to abstinence. He wants his daughter and the  rest of the class to be in love with who ever they eventually decide to have sex with. However, the teacher realizes that this is almost never the case with high school seniors and hands out condoms for each student to take. 

At the end of Zac Efron's speech everyone feels genuinely guilty that they are engaging in sexual intercourse with people they are not in love with and definitely people they don't want to have children with. However do the viewers think this is a joke? The scene is supposed to be somewhat comical. My question to the audience is this- does it matter if the media jokes about abstinence, or does it still have a positive effect on its viewers. While this is similar to the scene from Friends, the Friends episode seemed to have more information regarding statistics and rates of success for condoms. This movie only gives a glimpse into one persons opinion on abstaining from sex in high school.

Collins, R. L., M. N. Elliott, S. H. Berry, D. E. Kanouse, and S. B. Hunter. "Entertainment Television as a Healthy Sex Educator: The Impact of Condom-Efficacy Information in an Episode of Friends." Pediatrics112.5 (2003): 1115-121. Web.