• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Login/ Register
  • Editorial Team
  • Get Involved

Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

Exeposé Online
  • Home
  • News
      • Local
      • COVID-19
      • University News
  • Comment
  • Features
      • National
      • Worldwide
      • Politics
      • Interviews
  • Science
      • News
      • Lite Science
      • Common Misconceptions
      • Environment
      • Health
      • Technology
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
      • Fashion and Beauty
      • Features
      • Food
      • Wellbeing
      • Sustainability
  • Music
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Single Reviews
  • Screen
      • Reviews
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Festivals and Awards
  • Arts + Lit
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Reviews
      • Creative Writing
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
  • News
  • Comment
  • Features
  • Science
  • Tech
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • Screen
  • Arts + Lit
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
Home / Lifestyle

Consent on film

Consent on film

Jun 17, 2020 – by Chloe Pumares

Trigger Warning: consent, sexual assault, sexual harrassment, coercive relationships

Print News Editor Chloe Pumares discusses the importance of explicitly showing consent on our TV screens in order to influence our attitudes and beliefs towards sex.

Today, consent has become more relevant than ever, with the MeToo movement bringing to light sexual harassment most prominently in the film industry. For years we have watched films that have uncomfortable scenes painted as romantic but often bordering on sinister. It is a trend that we need to replace with TV shows and films which have crucial conversations about consent. 

Recently, the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s book ‘Normal People’ was released and has been met with high praise, particularly in relation to its explicit showcase of consent. The show follows the main characters Marianne (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell’s (Paul Mescal) relationship, with many sex scenes, yet unlike usual shows, the scenes have a gritty realism to them, and does not forgo the realistic awkwardness of sex. The conversations Marianne and Connell have during sex is more relatable to viewers, and in particular the scene where Marianne loses her virginity to Connell is particularly important. While many shows and movies paint a glossy view of sex, ‘Normal People’ aims to highlight that consent is incredibly necessary, and an open conversation about it ensures that both parties are comfortable and agree on what is about to happen. 

Disney is one company with some of their classic films not only lacking consent but pushing the narrative of damsel in distress

‘Normal People’s’ portrayal of consent is refreshing, after decades of films forgoing consent and in many cases portraying “romantic” or sex scenes that are incredibly coercive and unhealthy. Even as a child there are films which do not teach consent. Disney is one company with some of their classic films not only lacking consent but pushing the narrative of damsel in distress. ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’ are particular offenders, with two unconscious women being “saved” by the kiss of a man who is acknowledged as a hero, despite the women not consenting. 

Many Hollywood cult classics are also offenders. A scene in the James Bond movie ‘Goldfinger’ come to mind, when Bond (played by Sean Connery) forces himself upon Pussy Galore (played by Honor Blackman), despite her fighting off his advancements and attempt to kiss her. This scene completely disregards a woman’s consent, and suggests that no doesn’t mean no, it just means that you have to keep pushing. This ideology borders on sexual harassment, and very much perpetuates rape culture. A popular trope in many films is that of a woman playing hard to get, which is not only incorrect but dangerous. 

Our understanding of consent is thankfully beginning to progress, although perhaps not as quickly as we would like

Consent is so important in films and TV because they can influence our attitudes and beliefs. If from a young age a person sees that consent is not necessary or a character pursuing an uninterested love interest, it can add to their own attitudes towards sex, relationships and romance. On the flip side, seeing some characters being coerced into relationships, and relenting because they should feel lucky to be desired, is also an unhealthy narrative which can cause people to feel their feelings about sexual harassment they may have faced in real life is not valid. 

In society today, our understanding of consent and sex is thankfully beginning to progress, although perhaps not as quickly as we would like. Consent is slowly morphing, gone is the idea that simply ‘no means no’, which although it does, can lead to problems surrounding the inability to say no, such as intoxication, and has been replaced with ‘yes means yes’. This firmly implements the need for verbal confirmation as well as non-verbal communication. 

A popular trope in many films is that of a woman playing hard to get, which is not only incorrect but dangerous. 

As shows like Sex Education and Normal People are normalising the conversation around consent, hopefully we will begin to see these conversations appear on our screens more and more, and fewer sinister scenes painted as romantic. 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Jun 17, 2020 By Chloe Pumares Filed Under: Lifestyle, Wellbeing Tagged With: Television, consent, sexual harassment, Film Industry, normal people

Reader Interactions

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

exeposelstyle

Looking for motivation to start exercising? Read D Looking for motivation to start exercising? Read Danni Darrah's suggestions for easy ways to exercise that everyone can enjoy🏃‍♀️🥊🏋‍♀️
Struggling with the return to normal uni life afte Struggling with the return to normal uni life after lockdown? In our latest article, Milly Earnshaw-White discusses how she has been dealing with the adjustment📖☕
Check out one of our latest articles, where Sienna Check out one of our latest articles, where Sienna White tells us her fashion faves and flops of the Met Gala 2021🧡
‘Sex education should be a safe space to explore ‘Sex education should be a safe space to explore sexual identity, healthy relationship behaviour, reproductive health, bodily anatomy, and so much more’
Check out another one of our latest articles (link Check out another one of our latest articles (link in bio), where Lucy Evans takes us on a tour of the best places to enjoy brunch in Exeter! ☕🍳🥞
As the days get shorter, Zoe Sperry shares her tip As the days get shorter, Zoe Sperry shares her tips on how to make your uni room a home away from home - check it out through the link in our bio!
Nominations are now open for the Exeposé by-elect Nominations are now open for the Exeposé by-elections and there are two print Lifestyle editor positions up for grabs! 
✨
Print editors come up with content calls every other week for students to write, then edit these articles and design the pages for the print edition of Exeposé
✨
Write a 150-200 word manifesto explaining what you would like to do in the role and why you should be elected to it
✨
Upload your manifesto to the Exeposé Guild page by Friday 22nd October
✨
Check the Exeposé Members 2021-22 page on Facebook, or your Exeter email address, for more information
✨
DM us on Insta or message Katie or Sophie (the online Lifestyle editors) on Facebook if you have any questions. Lifestyle is a really fun section to edit and you learn a lot of useful skills from it, so we really recommend you run in the election!
Meet the committee! Here is Sophie, our other onli Meet the committee! Here is Sophie, our other online editor🤩
Meet the committee!! First up is Katie, one of our Meet the committee!! First up is Katie, one of our two online editors🥳
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Tweets by Exeposé Lifestyle

Contact Us: editors@exepose.com

Since 1987, Exeposé has given a voice to Exeter students. Over the years, the determination and political fervour exhibited by students through Exeposé have helped shape the University we study at today. We have received national recognition for our award-winning campaigns, investigations and surveys, and always strive to provide students with high-quality news, comment and features.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in articles and comments do not reflect the views of Exeposé Online or the University of Exeter Student's Guild.

        


© 2022
Website design: Harry Caton and Ellie Cook
Webdesign & development: Harry Caton