Book Description

Sexting: Gender and Teens provides a close-up look into the intimate and gendered world of teens and those who live with and work with them. The author draws upon interviews with teens, parents and caregivers, and many others who work with teens from teachers and youth workers to principals and police, we learn how the new digital world is still permeated by beliefs and patterns of earlier patriarchal structures. This three state study reveals there are significant gendered differences among teens in their perspectives on sexting, and these differences have implications for how to respond to the issue of teen sexting. Adults, too, demonstrate gendered differences in their views on teen sexting, and these differences have an important impact on the shaping of youth views about gender and sexuality. As one mother said, “Girls set the pace, and boys notch the bedpost.” Some key findings include: • The human curriculum of sexuality is both conserving and adapting, and these two impulses are always interacting. • We are in the midst of social and technological changes that have vast implications for all of our cultural notions, including sexuality. • Regarding sexting: Adults are pointing fingers in many directions and leaving adolescents to fend for themselves. This compelling account—presented through the words of participants—provides a vivid introduction to hands-on social research that will be of interest to those in gender and women’s studies as well as the broader disciplines that touch upon these concerns, such as sociology, education, psychology, media studies, criminal justice, and other fields. Sure to spark strong opinions and discussion, the book offers opportunities for sustained engagement with topics of critical interest to today’s digital world. Judith Davidson, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Graduate School of Education at University of Massachusetts–Lowell, where she teaches qualitative research methods. As a methodologist, she is particularly interested in the use of digital tools in qualitative research and working with research design for complex projects. She is a co-founder of the cross-campus Qualitative Research Network and has overseen numerous qualitative research dissertations, both activities that allow her to enjoy coaching qualitative research. She has consulted and worked on qualitative research projects in diverse areas from sexting to technology integration in K-12 schools.