The Children’s Media Foundation (CMF)

CGMS – Research: Showing Puberty

Gabrielle Smith (CMF Newsletter Editor) reports on a session at the Children's Global Media Summit 2017 in Manchester

Research – Showing Puberty: Overcoming the Taboo in Children’s Television

Wednesday 6th December 2017

Dr Yuval Gozansky, Sapir College presented his research

"Let’s talk about sex, puberty and how best we might be able to break the taboo of screening this on children’s television."

Dr Yuval Gozansky presented current research discussing the (let’s face it, often tricky) issues that producers are challenged by: how to show the changing body and aspects of sexuality to and for the children’s audience.

Gozansky screened Prix Jeunesse archival material to highlight the way countries all over the world have tried to tackle the typical questions young people might have. From everything from menstruation to masturbation, sex and sexuality and just plain growing up. Is there an educational responsibility to our children to present ideas about sex and puberty from another perspective that isn’t solely biological? What are the visual solutions to breaking the taboo?

This research panel started a much needed conversation.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Children’s Media Foundation (CMF)