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4 | In the media, sex is often portrayed as "cool". If you're not having sex, then you're a sniveling misfit and a loser. |
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6 | [[SexSells Sex is guaranteed to sell a product]], or to bump up the ratings and views on a movie or a television show. |
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8 | A sure-fire way for a singer or an actor to market themselves is to "sex themselves up" with makeup, styled hair, a fit body (or plastic surgery to make their faces and bodies seem more "attractive"), and scant clothing. Whether this [[InformedAttractiveness works]] is dubious, but common wisdom insists it does. |
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10 | Sex is an innermost desire for most ([[UsefulNotes/{{Asexuality}} though not all]]) human beings. Enjoying it and wanting to have it are perfectly normal. But this is one thing that the media may have [[ExaggeratedTrope taken a little far]]. |
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12 | Characters who are portrayed as popular & well-liked are almost always hinted to be or described as sexually active, and vice-versa -- especially if they're the lead. Even their [[AllegedlyDateless supposed "dry spells"]] would represent a perfect respectable dating record in real life. |
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14 | A relative lack of ''interest'' in sex is often used to suggest immaturity, piousness, or intellectualism, or a character [[ClosetGay in denial of their sexual orientation]]. Meanwhile, [[CasanovaWannabe desire without success]] is usually a signifier of unattractiveness or, again, immaturity. |
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16 | TheCasanova as a sympathetic protagonist depends on this trope. So does the FemmeFatale. |
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18 | Often this projects a false message to impressionable young people and leads them to believe that [[YouNeedToGetLaid having sex will make you happy and solve all your problems in life]] (and of course, that [[AllMenArePerverts not having sex is a problem in itself]]), or it will [[SexAsRiteOfPassage make you more mature]], or will gain you friends. Unfortunately, {{Real Life}} generally does not work that way, and people have a tendency to find out about that the hard way ([[AccidentalInnuendo heh]]). |
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20 | It doesn't help that the media often project this message alongside [[SexIsEvil its exact counter]], leading to more confusion, and a particularly cruel {{double standard}} for young women who run the risk of being labelled as [[MyGirlIsNotASlut "slutty"]] if they ''do'' have sex. |
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22 | Sadly, there are [[TruthInTelevision people who behave as though this trope is true in the real world]]. Lots of them. |
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24 | Related to OfCourseImNotAVirgin and EverybodyHasLotsOfSex. |
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