Perversion, Porn, and What We Don't Talk About with Dr. Lauren Rosewarne

Dr. Lauren Rosewarne on Perversion, Porn, and What We Won't Talk About Description:Pop culture isn't just entertainment—it's become our default sex educator. Dr. Lauren Rosewarne breaks down how algorithms profit from our sexual confusion and why "perversion" is actually universal human experience. Guest Bio: Dr. Lauren Rosewarne is a media scholar at the University of Melbourne who has built her career studying topics most academics avoid: perversion, masturbation, pornography, and how pop culture becomes our informal sex educator. Author of numerous books including "Part-Time Perverts," "Cheating on the Sisterhood," and research on masturbation in popular culture, she examines how entertainment fills the gaps left by formal education—particularly around sexuality and human behavior. Key Topics: Why pop culture has become our default sex educator How algorithms track sexual curiosity and profit from shame The myth of "perversion" and why sexual interests are universal Media representation of masturbation and female sexuality suppression Pornography consumption patterns revealing hidden curiosities The feedback loop between audience clicks and content creation Violence in entertainment vs. the death of musicals and romance Sexual assault statistics and what they reveal about society Capitalism as the root cause of inequality and social problems TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] Intro: Why We Live in Isolation Instead of Tribes [02:25] Does Media Lead Us or Do We Lead Them? [07:20] The Algorithm Knows What You Click On[11:49] Why Musicals Died and Violence Took Over [15:10] The Problem with Calling Things "Perversion" [22:35] Why We're All Perverted (And That's Normal) [26:21] Masturbation Gets a Bad Rap in Pop Culture [33:57] The Orgasm Gap Mirrors the Economic Gap [37:45] Are 43 Men in California Programming America's Sexual Taste? [44:13] The Novelty Factor in Human Curiosity [46:30] One in Four Women Will Be Raped: What This Says About Us [51:30] Why Capitalism Is the Root of Most Problems [56:52] 20% of Americans Can't Read But They Can Vote [01:02:35] What Lauren Learned Writing "Cheating on the Sisterhood" This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe