Cheyenne Dorsagno, Managing Editor
Pornography has become so normalized in American culture that it is practically a rite of passage for those coming of age.
That’s partly because porn has been around for a long time. Nude drawings have been dated as far back at 10,000 BC and pornographic videos began in the 1920s with short films called “smokers.”
Thirty percent of all data transferred across the internet is porn, according to the Huffington Post. Porn sites get more visitation than Twitter, Amazon, and Netflix combined. Even though the average person rarely discusses porn, they are likely a consumer of porn. An infographic appropriately entitled “Everyone You Know Watches Porn” estimates that 70 percent of men and 30 percent of women watch this explicit material.
Parents, feminists, supporters, and opponents have often argued over the benefits or dangers of porn. Like with any media, people are concerned about how it portrays and influences them.
Some of the most problematic aspects of X-rated movies are the ways in which they defy and pretend to represent reality. Many people perceive porn as actuality or, at least, as realistic. However, these films are largely targeted towards heterosexual men and appeal to their fantasies. The imagery is mostly of the woman and the action is typically in the interest of the man’s pleasure, which is why some women find porn to be so exploitative. The female orgasm is featured far less often and, since December 2014, porn scenes featuring female ejaculation on camera were banned in the UK, while male ejaculation is still permitted.
These fantasies sometimes feature rape scenes, thereby portraying sexual assault as acceptable and even desirable to victims, which confuses the very definition of rape: unwanted, nonconsensual contact. The behavior in porn is often staged and may not even show the sexual desires of the participants; numerous men in the homosexual porn industry identify as straight and are only, as the saying goes, “gay for pay.” However, many turn to porn to gauge what a potential partner would want in bed.
Viewers get false impressions about what an average sexual experience entails. Typically, people do not resemble the critically chosen, physically augmented, virtually enhanced XXX stars. Just as with any other visual media, this can warp people’s internal body image and external body standards. Unbeknownst to many, sex lasts an average of six minutes, according to the Medical Daily. This is a stark contrast to the innumerable hour-long features on porn websites.
People should not set expectations for sex, themselves, or their sexual partners based off of what they see in movies; they should instead explore the dynamic through open communication between those involved.
Some possible repercussions of porn are that it can be addictive, set unrealistic expectations, expose people to criminally perverse imagery, cause dissatisfaction in real life sexual experiences, and cause internal shame due to societal stigma. In 2004, Dr. Jill Manning shared her research before the United States Senate, claiming that 56 percent of divorce cases named obsessive porn usage as one of the reasons for the couple’s separation. For these reasons, some people are skeptical about porn, but by the same logic, others argue that this material can be beneficial.
Although a minority, there are feminist porn directors, such as Pandora Blake, who strive to give equal visual and physical importance to all of the participants. What is viewed as damaging and oppressive by some is perceived as sexually liberating and empowering to others. Some adult film advocates believe that porn can be used to show examples of realistic sex and change people’s gendered views of sex. These flicks can serve as an educational experience and as an outlet for those with sexual interests that are rarely openly discussed, such as for homosexual individuals who have little resources to learn about same-sex relations in this heteronormative society.
It’s estimated that 45 percent of couples watch porn together, according to a study cited on Your Tango. Some couples use X-rated content as foreplay, as a way to communicate their desires, and as a way to spice up the relationship.
Like most forms of entertainment, individuals should tread carefully, understand the possible risks and rewards, and engage with porn to the extent that it is healthy for their own life.
Leave a Reply