Watch with Caution

For many, the media is a source of sexual information for adolescents. Whether the media relays true or false information, teenagers consume these messages. According to Stacey Hust, Jane Brown, and Kelly L’Engle, “The infrequent content about sexual health topics was often ambiguous and inaccurate, reinforced traditional gender stereotypes, and used humor to undermine sexually responsible behavior” (Hust et. al 19). Despite the fact that it is important to inform teenagers of safe sexual procedures, the media is not always a reliable source. The ultimate goal of a television series is to engage and increase the number of viewers, which comes from interesting plots rather than educational information. If adolescents always trust the media, they will not be educated with the correct facts.  

In the popular series Glee, Quinn Fabray cheats on her boyfriend, Finn Hudson, with football player Noah ‘Puck’ Puckerman. Unsure of how to handle the situation, Quinn tells Finn that the child is his (even though they have never had sex). As seen in the video below, she tells him that his sperm traveled when they were together in the hot tub, and caused her to get pregnant. Finn believes her.

This storyline is problematic for multiple reasons. First, Finn is clearly uneducated, as he believes Quinn. Furthermore, the show uses this storyline to mock the fact that Finn has not had proper sexual education. According to Hust et. al, “sexual health is a funny and/or embarrassing aspect of adolescents’ exploration of sexuality and rarely a natural part of a romantic relationship” (Hust et. al 12). Despite the severity of the situation, Glee uses the consequences of Quinn sleeping with Puck as comic relief regarding her relationship with Finn. Even though this is a major aspect of their relationship and will change the rest of their lives, it comes off to viewers as a slightly funny and embarrassing situation. This is also problematic because Quinn takes all of the pressure off of Finn, letting him know that he can be as involved with the child as he wants to. As Hust et. al states, “girls are responsible for teen pregnancy, contraception, and STD prevention” (Hust et. al 14). The situation may have been different if Finn was actually the father, but Quinn puts minimal amounts of pressure on Finn to feel responsible for the child. Even though the child is equally the father’s as the mother’s, Glee depicts the situation as one that Quinn must be the most responsible for.

Glee’s depiction of Quinn’s pregnancy is eye-opening but also troublesome. This shows that adolescents need to receive proper sexual health information in order to ensure that they know the facts as well as risks. It also reveals that those watching cannot count on the media to teach factual information, as the media has storylines that will simply engage the viewers. Students need to be aware that they are not always getting the correct information from television shows, and that it is important to watch with caution.  

Hust, S. J. T., Brown, J. D., & L’Engle, K. L. (2008). Boys Will Be Boys and Girls Better Be Prepared: An Analysis of the Rare Sexual Health Messages in Young Adolescents’ Media. Mass Communication and Society, 11(November), 3–23. http://doi.org/10.1080/15205430701668139