Consent in "Bridgerton" Sex Scenes Is Getting Better, But Experts Still Point to Flaws
As you might have noticed, Bridgerton is not necessarily concerned with historical accuracy. That, as many have noted on social media since the season three premiere, particularly translates to the Bridgerton sex scenes. sexy masks UK
Stella Harris, a certified intimacy educator, coach, and author, says this creates a complicated dynamic. “Bridgerton mixes things up by bringing a very modern viewpoint to their imagined past. Because of this, I think it's fair to consider Bridgerton's handling of sex by more modern standards,” Harris says. That's one reason why many have criticized how the show handles consent.
Spoilers for season three episode five ahead.
Throughout the show's three seasons, we see a blurry line between historical accuracy and modern twists when it comes to sex and gender. “The gender expectations are vastly different. A young lady is shamed if she is in a garden unchaperoned, while the men are often seen going to brothels,” says Catherine Polan Orzech, M.A. LMFT, instructor of psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University. Additionally, in all seasons, the women in the show don’t know anything about sex, which is played as a joke throughout the show. This, Harris says, while perhaps more historically appropriate, doesn’t “play with a modern audience,” particularly since the show doesn’t stick to accurate portrayals in other arenas.
But, given the show’s modern flair, the portrayals around consent are perhaps the most concerning.
In the first season, we watch a newly married Daphne force the Duke to ejaculate inside her. fetish kits UK As a result of Daphne’s actions, the Duke says their marriage is over in everything except name, and the two briefly separate. It’s clear from the show that the Duke is upset, but there’s little discussion around Daphne’s actions actually being a form of assault. This, Harris says, is part of a larger pattern of portraying sexual violence against men as less serious than violence against women. It's the most egregious example, but many of Bridgerton's sex scenes are without consent, and almost entirely without informed consent.
“I don't think Bridgerton handles consent well, which is a real shame,” Harris says. “Because if you're going to create a romantic fantasy world, good consent practice should be the foundation.”
But, season three may be an indication that things are changing in the Ton. This season, we follow the love story of Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, two beloved characters from previous seasons who finally declare their feelings for each other. After their admission, the pair share a passionate scene in the carriage, before which Colin pauses before putting his hand up Penelope's skirt, waiting for her nod of approval. The scene was steamy, and there was a form of consent present. But it's the sex scene in episode five that has everyone talking.
In the first episode of the second half of the season, Penelope and Colin are engaged, not married, and have penetrative sex for the first time. In the encounter (which was endlessly teased ahead of its release), it's not just the sex that's notable: the pair practice communication and check-ins, two consent best practices. At one point, Colin says no to being touched and Penelope stops. Before going forward, Colin asks, “May I?” and Penelope consents. glass butt plugs Afterward, they have a discussion about it.
Intimacy coordinator Jessica Steinrock, CEO of Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, did not work on Bridgerton, but regarding consent says, “I love to see when there’s actually dialogue or communication that supports a scene where it’s the first time. I love it when there’s explicit consent, when we’re really getting the verbal communication especially in something that can be as confusing as the first time you’re having sex.” Lizzy Talbot, Bridgerton's intimacy coach, was unavailable for comment. She did address the scene in an Instagram post shortly after it premiered, calling it “a scene I won’t ever forget,” noting that she “couldn’t be more proud of everyone involved.”
Colin and Penelope’s first time isn’t a perfect scene; the power dynamics around gender remain. The man is both socially advanced and more sexually experienced than his partner. She does not know what is going to happen during the interaction, and he only minimally explains. “For informed consent to take place, the less experienced partner must understand exactly what they're agreeing to. They must know what the acts they're signing up for involve, and all the possible consequences,” says Harris. Penelope does not, or, at least, it is not discussed. The risk of pregnancy is not addressed.
This is where the muddling of historical accuracy and modern consent come in. On a show like Bridgerton, can there ever really be informed consent? Because ladies of the time like Penelope “had absolutely no idea about their own reproductive organs, or understanding about how reproduction works, let alone the acts of a sexual encounter,” says Orzach, “their profound ignorance, or lack of knowledge about these matters, make it difficult for them to be able to say yes and no to what they might want or not want.”
Why TV sex matters
Since everything in Bridgerton is somewhat divorced from historical accuracy while still blending in elements of the time, it does make sense that Bridgerton sex scenes would be the same. But for intimacy coordinators like Steinrock, there’s still stake in how sex is portrayed on screen. “I get so nervous about intimate scenes needing to take the place of actual good, substantive sex education,” she says. Bridgerton is watched by many people across a large age range, including people like Penelope, who are sexually inexperienced. Seasons one and two are still among Netflix's top ten shows, despite it being nearly four and two years since they each came out. And in a world with wildly inconsistent and often incomplete sexual education, many people may get more information from a fictional television show than in school.
Still, Steinrock gives showrunners some grace regarding realistic portrayals of sex on screen. She says, “you only have maybe 45 seconds really to tell that story. There’s a theatrical time warping that has to happen.” silicone premium However, Laurie Mintz, Ph.D, licensed psychologist, certified sex therapist, and author says many shows could do a better job of what they show in that short time. For example, while Bridgerton has had numerous portrayals of female pleasure, it often centers the male orgasm, perpetuating the orgasm gap, a term Mintz coined, that exists both in real life and onscreen.
With such a large audience, what Bridgerton chooses to say and do matters. “It's easy to say that Bridgerton is ‘just a tv show’ and people are taking it too seriously,” says Harris. However, due to the show’s immense popularity, Bridgerton is now a cultural touch point, and people could base real-life relationships or romantic fantasies on what they see on the show.
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