“Do you think the production and/or distribution of pornography, for personal and/or commercial use, should be illegal?”

RussellsParadox, a visitor to our AntiPornographyBlog YouTube channel, asked the above question. The space to reply at YouTube was limited, so we are posting the full response here. The simple version of it is as follows:

1) If you are referring to the United States, regardless of what anyone think, most pornography is actually technically already illegal. It just isn’t prosecuted.

2) We believe that there are legal measures that can and should be put into place that can significantly reduce the harm done to individuals during the production of pornography. (And as a result of what happened during that production.) These measures can also reduce the harm done to women, children, and society in general from the existence of, consumption of, and influence of violent, degrading, and sexist pornography. Such measures would include: restricting access of Internet pornography and other types of pornography to those who are 18 and over, raising the age of participation in pornography to 21 years old, and improving the health and safety standards of pornography production in a variety of ways, including implementing mandatory condom use.

So that’s the short answer. For a longer and more detailed response with references included, please continue reading. (But be forewarned: there is very graphic, disturbing, and likely triggering content ahead!)

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Pornography and Erotica Defined

It is very important if one is taking a stand against something to clearly define exactly what one is against. (So that one’s intentions are not misunderstood.) It seems that the word “pornography” means many different things to many different people. For some people it is interpreted as any depiction of nudity or sexuality. That is not what is meant by pornography on this blog. This blog is not anti-sex, anti-nudity or anti-erotica. It is pro-healthy, respectful, egalitarian sexuality. (Which is why it is anti-pornography, as pornography is the polar opposite of egalitarian or respectful. Additionally pornography is often not very healthy for the participants, either physically or emotionally. Just ask Dr. Sharon Mitchell of the Adult Industry Medical Foundation, AIM, who regularly has to treat all the injuries, diseases and traumas of pornography performers. See a list of what performers are subjected to and at risk of in this AIM publication “Types of Porn and Their Occupational Safety Risks”.)

In any case, for the time being and for the purpose of this blog, pornography and erotica are defined as follows:

PORNOGRAPHY: Material that combines sex and/or the exposure of genitals with abuse or degradation in a manner that appears to endorse, condone, or encourage such behavior.

EROTICA: Sexually suggestive or arousing material that is free of sexism, racism, and homophobia, and respectful of all human beings and animals portrayed.

The above definitions are from “Pornography As a Cause of Rape”, by Dr. Diana Russell, PhD, which is a book excerpt from “Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm”. Read excerpt here.

So because by definition pornography (as it is used here) has to include abuse or degradation, if you are against abuse and degradation in regards to sexuality, then you are against pornography. So assuming that you are… welcome to the team! :^)

Note: this blog is also pro-comprehensive sex education being freely available to everyone. (Age appropriate when it is for young children.)

AntiPornography.org

P.S. If the above description of pornography isn’t clear enough, anyone who wants to could check out the Internet pornography website G a g f a c t o r (dot) c o m, which is a perfect example of pornography per the above definition. (The webmaster Jeff gleefully proclaims on the home page “NEW WHORES DEGRADED EVERY WEDNESDAY!”, and once on that site it was honestly admitted that: “Porn destroys women, that’s why we love it!”) But be forewarned if you do go to there. It is likely to be extremely triggering and disturbing for many people, especially women. However, if you are wondering why anybody would be against pornography, if you think that perhaps this blog may be an overreaction, and you want to know what all the fuss is about, it may prove to be a useful and informative visit for you.

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