Over the past few years pornography has been integrating itself into our everyday culture more so than ever before. First it was the “50 Shades Of Grey” trilogy that made its way onto the bookshelves of bored housewives and then onto the best-selling list. Then popular male pornstar James Deen brought attention to himself and his industry by filming a legitimate movie with troubled actress Lindsay Lohan and filming a porno with reality TV-star Farrah Abraham of “Teen Mom” fame. As the sex industry makes itself more and more prevalent to pop culture, maybe we should take a look at just why pornography has such a bad rep.
One of the most popular complaints against pornography is that it is degrading to women. I think successful female porn star Sasha Grey says it best when she explains, “What one person sees as degrading and disgusting and bad for women might make some women feel empowered and beautiful and strong.” Grey describes herself as a feminist, which rubs some people the wrong way. An image macro mocking Grey was shared online that reads “FEMINISM — Sasha explains the subtle differences between absurdism and existentialism licking a toilet seat” over an image of Grey with a collar around her neck eagerly licking the inside of a toilet bowl. This instance was actually brought up on her visit to “The Tyra Show” when a guest asked her, “You say you’re in a business that is sexually positive … What is sexually positive about licking a toilet seat?” to which Grey responded, “Those are things I chose to do, that’s something I created actually.”
When the topic of pornography’s effects on relationships come up, images come to mind of a crying wife, feeling neglected and not good enough because her husband is constantly looking at porn instead of paying attention to her. Actually, porn can have some pretty great benefits for people in relationships. Watching porn with a partner is a good way to show them what turns you on and can bring you closer as a couple. Viewing porn could even potentially curb cheating — monogamy can be monotonous, but if you watch porn you can get variety in your love life and get a taste of what else is out there without stepping out on your partner.
Another big criticism of the porn industry is that it sets unrealistic expectations for women’s bodies, but how is that any different than Hollywood? We are already bombarded with images of how women should or need to look; getting rid of porn won’t magically make girls start accepting their bodies. Actually there are a wider variety of body types in porn than in the movies, so watching porn might make someone feel more normal and beautiful than a trip to the movies.
Many people who are anti-porn claim that some of the violent acts depicted in pornography, such as BDSM and NonConsent scenes, could trigger unwell individuals to go out and repeat the acts they have just watched, but I think it achieves the opposite. Plenty of people have taboo sexual fantasies, and trust me when I say it isn’t just limited to ones of force. But ignoring your sexual fantasies is a surefire way for them to consume you, so if someone gets off to one of these taboo subjects it’s better that they release their urges in the privacy of their own homes in a fantasy environment rather than going out and acting on these fantasies.
Porn can be beneficial by teaching you what turns you on and by making you more sexually confident after learning a few new techniques. So I encourage all of you to utilize that private browsing function, grab some popcorn or some lube, and enjoy a nice porno ‘cause contrary to what some people believe, you won’t be hurting anyone.
