Promoting social change through edutainment: An analysis of yolo television series
Outcomes: Sexual and Reproductive Health
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways The YOLO TV series illustrates the potential of youth-focused media to challenge entrenched gender and sexual norms in Ghana. By depicting relatable scenarios and modeling respectful, equitable relationships, YOLO disrupts dominant narratives of male sexual entitlement and female silence. It opens space for critical dialogue among young audiences, though structural change is still required to support sustained social norm transformation beyond the screen.
Objectives To analyze how the Ghanaian edutainment series YOLO engages with and influences gender and sexual norms related to young people’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and to assess its potential to support social norms change.
Methods This qualitative study used cyber ethnography and content analysis to examine how gender and sexual norms were communicated and contested through the YOLO series and its social media presence. Researchers purposively selected 20 episodes from Seasons 3 and 4 of the TV series. Data were also extracted from user-generated content on Facebook and YouTube, including viewer comments and discussions. Thematic analysis focused on representations of gender dynamics, sexual agency, consent, and power in relationships.
Intervention Details YOLO (You Only Live Once) is a Ghanaian television series developed as an edutainment initiative aimed at promoting youth SRH through accessible and culturally resonant storytelling. The series features young characters navigating relationships, peer pressure, and health decisions, embedding health and gender equity messages within dramatic narratives. The show is accompanied by a strong digital presence, extending engagement through social media platforms.
Results The analysis found that YOLO portrays and promotes gender-equitable norms through characters who model mutual respect, sexual consent, and empowered decision-making, particularly for young women. The show challenges harmful norms such as male dominance, female submission, and sexual coercion. Viewer responses on Facebook and YouTube revealed active engagement, with many young people expressing support for the themes and identifying with characters, suggesting the show’s resonance and reach.
Conclusions YOLO effectively creates opportunities for young audiences to reflect on and challenge harmful gender norms. While it models positive behaviors and promotes open dialogue, its impact is strongest when paired with broader interventions that address the structural and institutional roots of gender inequality. Media-based norm change should be integrated into multi-level strategies for long-term social transformation.
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