By Megan Cathey, Staff Writer, Emerson College
With the increase of mass communication and new technology, pornography has become more accessible than ever. Now that the internet houses thousands of porn sites, long gone are the days of stealing your dad’s Playboy. Instead, all you have to do in log into a computer and do a simple Google search. Access pornography used to be limited, now it’s only a click away.
In theory, porn is a great way for people to explore and indulge in their sexualities. For people who haven’t have sexual experiences yet, porn can also fulfill their sexual imaginations. There are no risks of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases in watching porn -- yet modern pornography isn’t completely harmless.
Much of mainstream pornography is filled with violent and degrading images. Missionary has made way for scenes of oral and anal penetration by multiple men, women gagging from having a penises thrust down their throats, and ejaculation on women’s faces. As men become bored and desensitized to some porn, they seek more shocking titillating material. The porn industry wants to keep up with the demands of its viewers, so it in turn tries to create harsher, more graphic content.
While boys (as young as 11) channel their new found sexual urges by watching porn, their views on sex and intimacy are shaped by what they see on their computer screens. These boys have not fully developed their sexualities, and often their only exposure to sex is pornography. As Gail Hines, author of Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality says, “We are now bringing up a generation of boys on cruel, violent porn, and given what we know about how images affect people, this is going to have a profound influence on their sexuality, behaviour and attitudes towards women."
What happens when the world of porn leaks into reality? Pornography promotes unrealistic expectations for sex. In a recent study, 80% of men said that they would like to ejaculate on a woman’s face. While women in pornography are submissive to whatever acts are done to them, many real life women will not allow this. For men who habitually watch porn, real life sex can pale in comparison to the graphic sex portrayed in porn. That’s because porn isn’t a realistic depiction of sex -- as Gail Hines says, it’s the “industrialization and commodification” of sex.
Not only does modern day pornography affect men, it also affects the way in which women view themselves and their relationships. Women with partners who frequently watch porn can feel insecure and incompetent compared to the women on screen. They may feel like their bodies aren’t as attractive, or that they need to be hyper-sexualized to please their partners. Much of mainstream porn reduces the woman to merely a sex object. It focuses primarily on the man’s pleasure, and much of this pleasure is stemmed from power and control over a women.
I’m not here imploring you to stop watching porn altogether. In fact, there are ways to be both sex positive and watch porn. Amidst all the violent mainstream porn there are some more empowering options. Feminist pornographer and sex educator Tristan Taormino explains feminist porn:
In theory, porn is a great way for people to explore and indulge in their sexualities. For people who haven’t have sexual experiences yet, porn can also fulfill their sexual imaginations. There are no risks of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases in watching porn -- yet modern pornography isn’t completely harmless.
Much of mainstream pornography is filled with violent and degrading images. Missionary has made way for scenes of oral and anal penetration by multiple men, women gagging from having a penises thrust down their throats, and ejaculation on women’s faces. As men become bored and desensitized to some porn, they seek more shocking titillating material. The porn industry wants to keep up with the demands of its viewers, so it in turn tries to create harsher, more graphic content.
While boys (as young as 11) channel their new found sexual urges by watching porn, their views on sex and intimacy are shaped by what they see on their computer screens. These boys have not fully developed their sexualities, and often their only exposure to sex is pornography. As Gail Hines, author of Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality says, “We are now bringing up a generation of boys on cruel, violent porn, and given what we know about how images affect people, this is going to have a profound influence on their sexuality, behaviour and attitudes towards women."
What happens when the world of porn leaks into reality? Pornography promotes unrealistic expectations for sex. In a recent study, 80% of men said that they would like to ejaculate on a woman’s face. While women in pornography are submissive to whatever acts are done to them, many real life women will not allow this. For men who habitually watch porn, real life sex can pale in comparison to the graphic sex portrayed in porn. That’s because porn isn’t a realistic depiction of sex -- as Gail Hines says, it’s the “industrialization and commodification” of sex.
Not only does modern day pornography affect men, it also affects the way in which women view themselves and their relationships. Women with partners who frequently watch porn can feel insecure and incompetent compared to the women on screen. They may feel like their bodies aren’t as attractive, or that they need to be hyper-sexualized to please their partners. Much of mainstream porn reduces the woman to merely a sex object. It focuses primarily on the man’s pleasure, and much of this pleasure is stemmed from power and control over a women.
I’m not here imploring you to stop watching porn altogether. In fact, there are ways to be both sex positive and watch porn. Amidst all the violent mainstream porn there are some more empowering options. Feminist pornographer and sex educator Tristan Taormino explains feminist porn:
Feminist pornographers are committed to gender equality and social justice. Feminist porn is ethically produced porn, which means that performers are paid a fair wage and they are treated with care and respect; their consent, safety, and well-being are critical, and what they bring to the production is valued. Feminist porn explores ideas about desire, beauty, pleasure, and power through alternative representations, aesthetics, and film making styles. Feminist porn seeks to empower the performers who make it and the people who watch it.
Porn should be pleasurable and safe for all involved. After all, isn’t that what sex is about?
Megan is a freshman Writing, Literature & Publishing major from sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. She enjoys red lipstick, kombucha, cats, and driving her Volkswagen Beetle named Sasha. She also pretends she's Marina & the Diamonds in her spare time. You can contact Megan on her Twitter orFacebook.
Image: dailyelite.com
Megan is a freshman Writing, Literature & Publishing major from sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. She enjoys red lipstick, kombucha, cats, and driving her Volkswagen Beetle named Sasha. She also pretends she's Marina & the Diamonds in her spare time. You can contact Megan on her Twitter orFacebook.
Image: dailyelite.com