By Anjali G, Volunteer

A workshop led by youth activists from Integrate UK explored how explicit online content shapes young people’s understanding of relationships and how communities can support safer digital spaces. 

Young activists from Integrate UK led an engaging workshop at Bristol Women’s Voice’s International Women’s Day event 2026, opening an important conversation about how explicit online content affects young people. 

Integrate UK is a youth-led organisation campaigning for gender and racial equality and stronger community cohesion. Through peer education and activism, they work with young people to tackle issues such as sexual harassment, gender stereotyping, gender inequality, racism and honour-based abuse. Their workshop focused on one of the growing challenges facing young people today: exposure to pornography online. 

At the centre of this interactive session was Butt Naked, Integrate UK’s award-winning music video. The video highlights how online pornography can shape young people’s expectations of relationships and intimacy. Using humour and creativity, it draws attention to the ways explicit online content can distort reality, expose young people to extreme material and influence how they understand power and behaviour within intimate relationships. 

After watching the video, participants were invited to reflect on the issues it raised. The discussion explored how exposure to explicit content at a young age can affect mental health, reinforce toxic masculinity and blur the lines around healthy relationships. Speakers and participants also reflected on how certain forms of online pornography can normalise sexual violence, promote unrealistic expectations and contribute to shame and confusion around intimacy. 

The session encouraged the audience to think about what action could be taken to better support young people. Suggestions included stronger online safety measures and improved age verification checks on websites. Speakers emphasised that these checks should be repeated rather than “one and done”. Participants also discussed the importance of relevant education within the curriculum for both parents and young people, helping families better understand the realities of growing up in digital spaces. Another point raised during the session was that fines imposed on companies that fail to protect young users online could be redirected to youth services across the UK. One participant also highlighted the importance of equipping parents and carers with the knowledge and confidence to guide young people through online spaces, as technology evolves quickly and many parents can feel unsure about how to navigate it alongside their children. 

There was also discussion about whether certain categories of explicit content that promote violence or extreme domination should be more strictly regulated or banned. At the same time, one audience member raised the idea that conversations about online sexual content should also consider how media could portray women in more empowering and respectful ways. 

Workshops like this create space for open conversations about issues that can often feel difficult to discuss. By using creativity, such as the Butt Naked music video, Integrate UK helps make these conversations more accessible while still addressing a serious issue.