TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms for teenagers and young adults around the world. With its short videos and catchy music, it is an exciting way to share creativity and connect with others.
There is also another type of video that has been gaining traction on the app - erotic duets. These videos involve two people performing a dance or lip-sync together while dressed suggestively, often with a sexual undertone. While some might see them as harmless fun, they can also be seen as performative rituals reinforcing social belonging, relational roles, and power dynamics.
One of the key functions of erotic duets on TikTok is to reinforce social belonging. By participating in these videos, users are signaling their membership in a particular group or community. This can be especially important for those who feel isolated or marginalized in other parts of their lives. Through these videos, users can showcase their sexuality and intimacy in a safe and controlled environment, providing a sense of validation and acceptance from peers. In addition, they can create a sense of solidarity by engaging in shared experiences such as commenting on each other's posts or reposting similar videos.
Another function of erotic duets is to reinforce relational roles. Participants often take on specific roles within the video, such as dominant or submissive. This allows them to explore and experiment with different types of relationships without risking real-world consequences. It can be a way to explore new identities and desires, or simply a way to spice up an existing relationship.
This can also create power imbalances between participants, which can lead to issues of consent and safety.
Erotic duets can reinforce power dynamics. The person who initiates the video can hold more power than the one who responds, creating a dynamic where one party feels more vulnerable than the other. This can create unequal relationships that may not reflect the true nature of the participants' personalities or preferences. It can also lead to unhealthy patterns of communication and behavior outside of the app, as some users may see the relationship as something more serious than it actually is.
While erotic duets on TikTok can be fun and exciting, they are also complex performances that involve social belonging, relational roles, and power dynamics. By understanding these functions, we can better understand how to navigate them safely and responsibly.
How do TikTok erotic duets function as performative rituals, reinforcing social belonging, relational roles, and power dynamics?
Erotic duets on TikTok are a form of entertainment that involves two people performing together in sexualized ways. They can be seen as performative rituals because they follow specific rules and patterns that create an intimate space where participants can express themselves sexually. These duets function as an important part of social life for many young people who feel isolated due to their lack of physical contact with others during the pandemic.