Introduction

Across the political spectrum, scholars and activists have noted the ways in which sex became the ‘big story’ of the twentieth century, and that importance shows no signs of abating into the new millennium. In this companion we explore representations of sex and sexuality in the media, recognising the various mediations of sex and sexuality across various platforms, and how some forms of media are themselves practices of sex. Explorations of sex and sexuality have always been complex, but as we see the spread of new media technologies, so too do we need more nuance and multifaceted understandings.