Title: Gilmore Girls

Date: 2003

Media type: Television

Format: Episode

TV Season-Episode: Season 3, Episode 14 “Swan Song”

Category: Parenting, Human Sexuality, Human Growth and Development

Keywords: parent-child relationships, adolescence, sexual relationship

Audience(s): High School Age, College Age, Adults, Parents

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Lorelai goes away for the weekend with her new boyfriend and leaves her 16 year old daughter, Rory, at home alone. She worries about the possibility of Rory and her boyfriend Jess staying home alone. Lorelai had Rory when she was only 16 herself. Rory talks to her mother Lorelai about how she is thinking about having sex with her boyfriend, Jess.  It is clear that this has been an ongoing conversation. While Lorelai is seemingly concerned about this and uncomfortable using sex terminology, she emphasizes that she wants Rory to talk to her openly about it. This is an example of how the conversation of sex is quite challenging, regardless of how close a parent and child may be.

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: How does this relate to your own family/cultural experience in having a talk about sex education? How do you think this family’s background shapes this short conversation? What do you think Lorelai and Rory’s reactions after speaking about Rory’s thoughts reflect? Imagine that you are a parent educator: What advice would you give Rory and Lorelai to improve this scenario?

Places to view: Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, Itunes, Netflix, Hulu

Contributor: Jessica Shankman