A Modern Virgin Birth and Sexually Active Priest: Catholic Sexuality as Seen on Television
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Authors
Chalk, Iris
Issue Date
2023-11-01
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
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Abstract
Depictions of Catholic sexuality in media and popular culture are abundant and vary significantly in terms of representational tone. Cartoons, horror, and documentaries have predominantly represented Catholic sexuality as parodied, perverse, and/or violent and abusive. In contrast, this paper is interested in the work of comedy-dramas Jane the Virgin and Fleabag in representing the nuanced, individualized, and accurately complex embodiments of Catholic sexuality. These shows explore the constructs, practices, and values of virginity, abortion, autonomy, intimacy, and celibacy through the work of humorous biblical intertext and sincere portrayals of Catholic characters navigating, embracing, and grappling with values guided by both their faith and personal autonomy, needs, and desires. Jane the Virgin and Fleabag and their impact upon consumers of popular culture are henceforth evidence of the significance of situating media and pop culture within religious studies, as they illuminate that stories of complicated religious people serve nuanced understandings of embodied religious traditions and practices.
Description
iv, 47 p.
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