Move over, Hannah Montana! “Sexting” is the hot new thing hitting middle schools and high schools around the country.
Sexting is the act of sending “dirty” texts to another, which can, but not necessarily must, include pictures.
According to recent reports in Reader’s Digest and “Good Morning America,” nude prepubescent pictures are being sent at breakneck speed, causing legal problems for all involved. Possession of such sexts could be considered possession of child pornography and could even lead to being a registered sex offender.
Fortunately, most Binghamton students are old enough to strip down, strike a pose and send pictures to whomever they please. However, is this something that happens on campus? Or is this just a teeny-bopper fad?
“I’ve occasionally sent a sext or two,” a senior politics, philosophy and law major said. “It’s fun knowing that they’ll get it in a totally non-sexual place, like in class or something.”
Admittedly, attending lectures can be the single most boring thing to do outside of watching paint dry. Do sexts spice up an otherwise bland time? Or does doodling provide enough nourishment to satisfy for an hour and 25 minutes.
“Sometimes it’s fun when you’re in class. [The sexts] are things I’d say in person, but it’s just more fun in class,” a senior English: general literature and rhetoric major said.
But one has to wonder if all these advances in technology are making us overtly sexual. You can access porn from any iPhone or Blackberry. Pictures can be sent to even the cheapest cell phones. Is sex omnipresent?
“Honestly, I’m thinking about sex most of the time when I’m just walking around on campus,” said a senior human development major. “So it’s nice to get a text from my girlfriend knowing that she’s thinking about sex too.”
Even if sex is always on the brain, is sexting taking the romance out of relationships? Sex has been reduced from the intimate act of making love due to the popularity and availability of it. Some worry that sexting could make it even less special.
“I’ve gotten a ‘You wanna do it tonight?’ text,” said a senior accounting major. “Yeah, I only find the best [guys].”
However, the ease of sexting could help make a long distance relationship seem shorter.
“My girlfriend and I are long distance,” said a junior English and Africana studies major. “We have to get creative when it comes to sex. I think it brings us closer because we know we’re thinking about each other.”
Whether helpful or harmful, sexting happens. Just be smart about it.
If you’re going to send a dirty picture, make sure your face or any identifying marks are not in view. You don’t want a private picture of you circulating — no matter the campus size.
“My buddy got a topless picture of this girl he hooked up with,” said a sophomore chemistry major. “All of our friends have seen it. I’m sure all his friends at home have seen it too. I kinda feel bad for her. But not really.”
Double or even triple check to make sure the sext is being sent to the correct recipient. You’ll have a hell of a time explaining to Dad that the text was meant for Dan.
Be careful that the receiver actually wants the text. A lot of people aren’t as open as you’d think about sex. Perhaps the person wouldn’t appreciate a “let’s fuck” text. Some phones show the text on the screen as soon as it is received, without being prompted to open it, meaning anyone could easily view it.
Due to the nature of this article, anonymity was granted to the sources.