Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CULTURAL STUDIES
Volume 26, Issue 6, Pages 863-879Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/13675494221136616
Keywords
Heteronormativity; LGBTQ; representation; sexual identity formation; SKAM; teen drama
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This essay explores how "SKAM" and its Western European remakes represent the formation of same-sex desire and sexual identity. The study found that the remakes remained faithful to the representation politics of the Norwegian original. Emphasizing authenticity and everyday realism, they situated teenagers in a Western context that prompts reflection on attitudes towards sexual identity and same-sex desire.
SKAM (NRK, 2015-2017), a popular Norwegian teen drama series, was praised for its season revolving around a nonheterosexual cis-male teenager coming to terms with his sexual desires and identity. Broadcasting companies from predominantly Western European countries bought the format and created local versions. The essay explores how SKAM and three Western European remakes represent same-sex desire and sexual identity formation. We found that the remakes were rather faithful to the politics of representation of the Norwegian source text. Emphasizing authenticity and everyday realism, they situate the teenagers in a Western context that may feature less blatant heterosexism and homophobia but where heteronormativity still co-constructs the process of sexual identity formation and general attitudes towards same-sex desire and LGBTQ culture. We postulate that SKAM and its remakes encourage LGBTQ and heterosexual teens to deconstruct their homonegative prejudices and become aware of the pervasiveness of heteronormativity.
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