This is an interruption in my series, which I will continue, but I felt the need to rant a bit, for the sake of fucking everywhere.
Porn Harms National Awareness Campaign
http://www.iphc.org/news/join-porn-harms-national-awareness-campaign
Apparently porn is harmful to our national awareness? So watching porn means you're less nationally aware. Regardless of the poor choice of words here, what the fuck?
"Pornography is destroying society. It is destroying the lives of those around us -and the church is not immune to the effects of pornography. It's time to take a stand. Join us in the fight to end pornography. "
I pasted that to my husband and then immediately afterward felt I needed to wash out my clipboard. With BLEACH.
So consenting adults performing sex acts for cameras is destroying society?
Let's see what their points are.
The program aims to spread awareness about four specific areas:
Pornography Addiction - So anything that can be addictive must be ended? Painkillers, alcohol, gambling? Sex? Right, all those, into the bin, on with it!
Harm to Children - I'm sorry, what? 'cause you're straight up linking standard porn with child-porn, or...what are you doing here? Parents watching porn isn't going to cause harm to children.
Links to Sex Trafficking - Some people in porn are in nonsensual situations. I get that. But porn isn't the problem. Removing porn won't remove the people from the situations. In fact, if it comes to court, removing the porn removes the evidence, yesno?
Violence Against Women - ..... I don't get this. Are we talking BDSM-themed porn now, perhaps, that somehow... promotes violence against women? Oh, you mean like my blog? 'cause when I say I like this stuff, I fucking mean it. Or are no-photo sex blogs even considered pornography? I'm unsure, but with these folks probably anything vaguely referencing sex is porn. Porn promotes violence against women less than your standard horror flicks do, because at least the woman in the porn are probably liking it.
I don't generally like watching porn for myself, but I certainly do appreciate reading it, and since being in/watching/reading porn is a choice made by consenting adults, it's not anyone's business to take that away.
Then there's this:
http://www.neatorama.com/2012/04/18/what-is-gateway-sexual-activity/
I despair. Hand holding is a gateway sexual activity now? WTF, people? These kids are going to figure out how their parts work. I was figuring this stuff out at 12-13, thankfully with books and not with another kid who could make me pregnant, since I knew enough to know that could happen, thanks to my mom's frank discussion with me.
Oddly she's FOR abstinence-only education in schools and now I wish I hadn't opened that can of worms at all.
What's your opinion on these topics?
I agree with your points. I do prefer to read erotic stories rather than watch films which I find boring.
ReplyDeleteHug,
Joey
I can never key in to the excitement of a porn film either. I don't like to watch sports either, for that matter, so it's probably some inherent inability to enjoy watching strangers do stuff.
DeleteOh, I could soooo get on a soap box here, but I won't. I am very frustrated with the governments need to legislate away everything THEY think is wrong or harmful. It's no wonder things like personal responsibility have gone right out the window.
ReplyDeleteI invite anyone to hop on a soap box if they so desire! :)
DeleteIt does seem that the more you tighten the grip on things, the more things slip through your fingers. It's a wonder government hasn't clued in to that.
I think it is worse that they teach kids in the "side classes" up here to give each other oral sex instead of having sex. That way, they can't get pregnant.
ReplyDeleteThe History and Mystery of our Human Sexuality is frankly shocking. Especially when you consider that all the Super Bowl ads this year were wound around the objectification of women and not in a good way.
I like porn and I like oral sex and I like being able to do the things I do, but there was a decade there when I allowed my guilt about having sex at all overcome any common sense and I treated myself very badly (and dangerously). It would have been better if I had been more informed and less lectured.
IMO.
As open and frank as my discussions with my mom were, I was very aware that she was the outlier in our social circles and I had my own share of guilt when I became sexually active - even though my initial sexual activity was netsex! I knew I'd best keep all that stuff to myself and it became a burden.
DeleteSo happy to have shed all that... most of my guilt is gone now, though I'm not sure if that's because I've grown out of the expectations or because I've been "made an honest woman."
I am 100% for educating the hell out of them. No one wants to view their pubescent kids as sexual beings and that leads to a lot of stuff that would be so unnecessary if people would just open their eyes. (Like 'the choking game,' for one)
Oh and P.S. It must be social issue day - the more prudish we allow our society to become (and I speak about America here) the worse other things seem to get.
ReplyDeleteDamn straight.
DeleteAn articles i read recently that might help make you feel better:
ReplyDeleteWhy Porn Can Be Good For You (And Society)
http://www.alternet.org/story/154266/
That's really interesting! I'm sure we could make our own collection of similar articles. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteI'd heard of people making this argument...seriously? This is what they choose to focus on? First of all, their claims are ludicrous, on many levels. I won't go into it because you so clearly did in your post. I'm not a huge porn-watcher, but it annoys me that people make these claims, it's so untrue and hurtful to some. It bothers me that there are such meddlers. Second of all, there are many other issues in the world, I'd hardly call this newsworthy. I have yet to see a study where people were harmed due to porn. Agh!
ReplyDeleteOkay this comment was filled with negativity, sorry about that! But all to say, I agree with you. :)
Yeah, some of the writings on that site were calling porn consumers "sex buyers," and I was like, huh?
DeleteSometimes certain things provoke negativity, but since your negativity is aimed at something negative, I'd call that a positive. :)
My favorite porno be called: Two Buckets of Chicken, One Lady. LOL. For real though, have you ever seen Two Licks and Narry a Stick?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen anything at all honestly - well, except for random clips. Video isn't my thing honestly.
DeleteOK, so I am definitely not anti-porn (ha!) but I think there is *some* cause for concern when it comes to children - I read somewhere that the average age for a boy to see his first internet porn now is 12.
ReplyDeleteNow, I don't have a problem with kids that age seeing porn - it's developmentally appropriate for pre-teens to be curious about sex - but a lot of the language on porn sites is pretty questionable, and could give kids some pretty sex-negative ideas. For instance, all the "dirty anal sluts ruined" type language - adults can look at that, roll their eyes, and understand that it's a sensationalistic marketing ploy, but a 12 year-old probably isn't equipped with that kind of nuance yet.
I agree with you on that, and that's the stuff you see before you even get to the paid content. I think that's a little too fuzzy a line for people to "fight," though. I mean, "Stop sex-negative language in porn!" isn't exactly the most rallying cry, even if that's one that might be able to change something for the better.
DeleteUltimately the whole "stop porn" makes no sense anyway, because it's never gonna happen. The futile protests of a flea biting a dog, as Fern Michaels wrote once or twice...
I TOTALLY agree with you....absolutely rediculous!...SMH
ReplyDeleteThanks. :) Though I may just be preaching to the choir here, at least it's out in the open.
Delete