Discourses and practices related to suntanning and solar protection among young Australians

Abstract

For some decades there has been a strong cultural imperative among Australians of European descent to acquire a tanned skin in the summer months. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study that sought to identify some of the discourses and practices around solar protection, skin cancer and tanning among Australian young people, with a particular focus on gender differences. The participants' responses to a government-sponsored solar protection campaign, the ‘Me No Fry’ campaign, were also elicited. Twelve focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 98 students in secondary schools in the state of New South Wales. The findings revealed that the majority of young people remained positive about acquiring a light or medium tan, with negative attitudes expressed both about pale skin and sunburn. The deliberate acquisition of a tan was represented as feminine, while becoming tanned ‘unintentionally’ while playing sport was viewed as masculine. These findings are discussed in the light of the objectives of the ‘Me No Fry’ campaign and in the context of Australian youth culture.