Citation

Herbenick D, Guerra-Reyes L, Patterson C, Wilson J, Rosenstock Gonzalez YR, Voorheis E, Whitcomb M, Kump R, Theis E, Rothman EF, Nelson KM, Maas MK. Arch. Sex. Behav. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10508-022-02502-5

PMID

36526942

Abstract

Recent research indicates that some young people initially learn about sexual choking through Internet memes. Thus, a qualitative content analysis was performed on 316 visual and textual memes collected from various social media websites and online searches to assess salient categories related to choking during sex. We identified nine main categories: communication, gendered dynamics, choking as dangerous, choking as sexy, sexualization of the nonsexual, shame and worry, romance/rough sex juxtaposition, choking and religious references, instructional/informational. Given that memes, through their humor, can make difficult topics more palatable and minimize potential harm in the phenomenon they depict, more concerted, synergistic effort that integrates media literacy into sexuality education programming on the potential risks that may ensue for those engaging in sexual choking is warranted.

Language: en

Keywords

Asphyxiation; Choking during sex; Manual strangulation; Meme analysis; Non-fatal strangulation