Through an in-depth analysis of iconic teen movies, this study explores the relationship between sex, censorship, and the shaping of Generation Y's views on desire.
Jade Jontef argues that in light of the recent revival of and nostalgia for popular culture spanning from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, teen films such as Clueless (1995), American Pie (1999), and Cruel Intentions (1999) continue to influence thinking around sex, gender and sexuality. Drawing examples from Western film classification and ratings policies, she argues that these films present a homogenous and exclusionary form of teenhood, providing millennial audiences a limited perspective of youth culture informed by white, middle-class sensibilities and notions of 'proper' sexual behaviour.
Through a comparative analysis of film regulations across the United States, UK and Australia, this book considers the interplay between teen films, classification systems, and societal norms. In doing so, Jontef argues the disproportionate dominance of Anglo-American perspectives and the perpetuation of Western middle-class ideals of adolescent sex, gender, and sexuality.
| Published | 22 Jan 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Extent | 272 |
| ISBN | 9781350442498 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 30 bw illus |
| Series | Library of Gender and Popular Culture |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
