What is your attitude towards porn? (This is legit, guys, keep it clean)

[Modem Butterfly]

The Ron Jeremy thread got me thinking- pornography is so pervasive, yet it's difficult to have a clear-eyed, unemotional conversation about it. It seems like people either work themselves up into a towering, Jesus-based rage or they start giggling like pre-adolescents. I would like to know your personal feelings on pornography, and I'd like to know a bit about why you feel that way.

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. Just the guys? Or are moms allowed to answer?

[Modem Butterfly]

3. Moms, daughters, brothers, sisters, Fathers-in-law, family pets...

All are welcome!

[The Backlash Cometh]

26. Okay, here goes.

Personally, have no desire for it. In my liberal days, when they use to say, "don't knock it until you've tried it," I did take a look at a Playboy, Penthouse and a Hustler. (My boyfriend had three older brothers.) Admittedly, I didn't read the articles. I just glanced at the photos. Playboy was bearable. Penthouse was too graphic for me and only a few pages into the Hustler I asked my boyfriend to take me home.

Since then, I have a very negative view towards pornography for other reasons. For example, strip joints which lure young girls into the business often see them go through a process of innocent stiptease to more serious activities -- and generally it's a process that starts when patrons tip them with drugs or alcohol, and eventually, they get hooked. It's a long-term process. Certainly nothing that happens over night.

Now, as a mom, I have no problem deciding for my family that porn & kids don't mix. Here's a real example of what happened to someone I know and I sincerely believe is more prevalent than most people realize:

A divorced parent has a sleep over for his very young kids. Allows the daughter to invite a friend, and the son to invite a friend. The kids are so young that you would never in the world assume that they were interested in those kind of things. Besides, the father goes out of his way to say that he's a conservative. Years later, it was discovered that this parent hid pornography magazines in the sofa. People will say, he was a single man, so what? But then you learn that the kids waited until he fell asleep before playing Truth or Dare and guess where they get the inspiration for their dares?

This is certainly a big world, men should be entitled to their pornographic pictures, but we need to do a better job of making sure that people make responsible decisions.

[underpants]

2. Bad sex and an unusual interest in a-sex

I swear it would almost be refreshing to see a porn movie without the butt sex.

[Modem Butterfly]

5. On that, we're agreed

I just don't get that, personally.

[Phillycat]

12. Heh. I agree.

NOTHING IN THE BUTT!

[Endangered Specie]

28. Yeah, that is definetly not my taste...

I usually stick to the softcore stuff, frankily, having men gets in the way.

[JVS]

64. refreshing like a glass of sand

[UdoKier]

68. One more vote against Butt stuff.

Just plain nasty.

Doesn't look pleasurable. I don't know who popularized it, but yuk.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

74. who popularized it?

folks have been doing it since recorded time...

[UdoKier]

76. But it wasn't so prevalent in porn until the last 10 or 15 years or so.

I don't know that most people do it all that often. It's not something one would talk to friends about.

My wife would be pissed if I even suggested it, and I wouldn't anyway. No interest whatsoever.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

77. I'm Not An Advocate Or Critic

but if you looked at surveys of both heterosexuals and homosexuals and across different nations you would find that act isn't as rare as you think...

[UdoKier]

81. I sort of agree.

I would imagine that a significant number of people have TRIED it, but as for doing it on a regular basis?

Hmmm...

[RivetJoint]

87. You'd be surprised I'm willing to wager

I've know women who LOVED it.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

82. Nope, it's sure not.

It's been rumored for a long time that Shakespeare quite enjoyed doing that with his wife.

Also, it was a form of birth control. Wrong place for conception and all that. Humans been knowin about that probably since there have been humans.

[DemWitch]

4. If you don't like it... don't watch it...

No one is forcing you to buy the tapes or DVD's. No one is twisting your arms to go into an Adult Bookstore to buy them. ABC isn't showing them uncut during sweeps week. If you're offended by it, them don't buy it or watch it.

And shut up already about the "porn is degrading to women" bullshit. News flash sparky... MY porn has NEVER had a woman in it.

[Modem Butterfly]

7. I'm a straight woman who likes the gay stuff

The boys are so attractive.

Does that make me heterosexist?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

84. I'll confess

the gay porn is a bit of a turn on.

Did I just say that? I can't understand what I get out of it, except that the guys are all buff and oily! LOL!

[UncleSepp]

100. I like it. I write it. I'd produce it if I could.

I would probably like porn with women in it, too, if the women were shown to be real people who enjoy sex and not just something to stick it in. Real lesbian porn with real lesbians in it would be great, but I've never seen any. I guess I prefer stories with pornographic scenes and elements to just plain porn. It's more interesting to me to see characters I feel I know get it on - to me that makes it sexy, and not just mechanical.

[ronnykmarshall]

85. I'll second that.

Good ol' gay porn. It's been my 'date' many a night when I was single.

[Endangered Specie]

6. Perfectly legal, as long as all parties involved are consenting.

(and able to give consent)

There, now Im probably on some FBI porn watch list.

[crispini]

8. Hahahahaha!

Ok, I can't not answer this. First of all, I'm a girl. I must say, when I was younger, I thought porn was gross and guys who watch porn were gross. Now that I'm a bit older, I realize that 98% of guys, watch porn. So it doesn't bother me anymore. I also realized that some of the things I like to read *cough*slash fanfic*cough* are equally porn-y, just in a different way. In other words, pot, meet kettle. So -- shrug -- doesn't bother me.

Wonder how long it'll take THIS thread to get locked. :evilgrin:

[VelmaD]

9. I have lots of feelings about porn

I find porn that degrades women offensive. Anything that looks non-consensual I have a problem with. However, I find porn that degrades the human spirit even more offensive. One of my biggest peeves is porn where none of the actors look like they're enjoying what they're doing at all. Sex is supposed to be fun dammit. :) And I certainly think a lot of the cliches of porn are ridiculous.

That said, I'm generally a big fan of well done porn. Hell, I webhost smut. Nothing wrong with nekkid people gettin' it on. As long as everyone is there voluntarily and is having a good time.

[short bus president]

45. and now, please share with the class

your views on clown makeup.

:P

[VelmaD]

48. Remember THE Rules

NO CLOWN MAKEUP!
NO ICE CUBE ENEMAS!
NO SCAT!

[DemWitch]

10. On this subject I do have a question for all the str8 guys...

In a porn video, there is an obviously attractive woman who may or may not be very acrobatic and pliable in her activities... Why is she butt neked except for a pair of 5 inch heels? No matter what she does she has a pair of heels on. Standing up I know that heels make legs look very attractive by slimming them out, but what exactly is the turn on when they'e tucked behind her ears?

[Endangered Specie]

27. I dunno, I prefer them with socks on or barefoot.

High Heels have never been my thing.

[NewJeffCT]

75. I'm not exactly sure, but I'll venture a guess

OK, a few guesses:

1) Some men have shoe fetishes. Could be for them.

2) The woman is supposed to be so enthusiastic about getting into bed that she doesn't bother to take the shoes off.

3) It has been such a long-established staple of porn that its origin is lost to the 60s or 70s origin of porn as a big business.

4) Looks hot?

[sendero]

110. I looked into that once...

... and the story I found is that producers/directors (usually one and the same) think that women's naked feet detract from the overall aesthetic, so they wear shoes.

Since this is porn, sneakers wouldn't do. :)

[Cerridwen]

11. I have had a theory for many years about porn

As long as people repress and are repressed about sexuality in our lives and how we feel about it; porn will have a market, marketers will continue to use sex to sell, and people will continue to feel guilty should we connect, even for a moment, with our sexual self.

Until we have a sane and healthy attitude about sex, discussing porn is like discussing the type of band-aid to use on a gaping wound that hasn't yet been inflicted. Cart before the birth of the horse, if you get what I'm saying.

My 0.02.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

86. I totally agree with your theory

my husband grew up mostly in Europe and said it just wasn't as big of a deal there....sexuality OR porn. People didn't get all puckered up about it.

[Cerridwen]

104. I love your choice of words. ;-)

One of the reasons I keep thinking of leaving the U.S. is because we have such unhealthy attitudes about so many things involving the human body. I'd like to find a place that figures a human body regardless of its "permutations" is God(dess)'s work. Period.

Aw well, I ain't made it out yet, but I'ma gonna keep on tryin'.

:)

[Lerkfish]

13. men are visually stimulated, women are tactilely stimulated, both are

mentally stimulated by fantasy and reality. These are overgeneralizations, but I think good ones. This is why nearly all men are turned on by a provacative image, and why many women like romance novels or soap operas...for the men, an image is enough, and a storyline is less important, for women, the opposite values hold true. A good story can stimulate in the absense of an image for women, but with men, an image alone is sufficient.

That having been said, this is all IMHO.

That is why I think 99.9% of men have viewed some level of pornography in their lifetimes, whether they admit it or not. I think its a necessary aid for those without partners, or with curious partners. So, I'm generally tolerant of the concept of pornography.

Unfortunately, the downside is that the makers of porn often lead and manipulate others into a very tawdry and messed up lifestyle, involving massive drugs and emotional abuse, which make the INDUSTRY of pornography difficult to defend.

[jdots]

14. i think people deserve better jobs

It seems to be a way to deal with need but is created by greed
sex to me shouldn't be a competitive sport but a part of love.

[RivetJoint]

15. So if everyone had a good job, we'd have no porn?

Thank God for The Nordic and Eastern European countries is all I can say to that!

[Inland]

25. Just the contrary. More disposable income means more porn. nt

[On the Road]

16. Personally, I Like Porn IF

it's well-photographed and has beautiful actresses. Playboy photographers do their job very well. A certain amount of hardcore is attractive, but the majority is just ugly.

I do not like porn that degrades or disrespects women or has an aggressive, condescending, or bullying attitude. It really turns me off.

But not all of it does. And a lot of young women seem to do it voluntarily and enjoy it.

[rurallib]

17. Simple answers

Porn has been around forever, so it must fill some purpose. I've always thought that it provides an outlet that,if closed, would result in many more rapes and such. Side note-what state is tops in per capita purchase of porn over the cable or dish? Yes you're right - Utah. Porn, a Morman value.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. Exactly

Simple answers"
Posted by rurallib
Porn has been around forever

I remember doing a report on pornography for my Socilogy 101 class...

It started "Pornography is as old as the walls of Pompei."

[MADem]

50. AND THE STREETS, too!

Seriously...the directions to the whorehouse can be found in the very streets of that city...little penises, carved into the stones, point the way to the houses of ill repute.

The guides get a real kick out of showing that to their tour groups...

[arwalden]

18. I'm Highly In Favor Of It

[miss_kitty]

19. me no likey

but what 1, 2 or more consenting adults get up to in a place called 'Private'-not my business.

[nicedream815]

20. imo

porn is to sex
as...
goddamn, i cant think of a good analogy.
all porn should be free!

[Fleurs du Mal]

21. The actual content

is fine but I dislike the often trashy distribution of porn. The neon lights and secluded barn/roadhouse thing is so tacky.

[RivetJoint]

One word - Internet

[Beware the Beast Man]

22. It's very relative.

Many women these days have been empowered by the porn industry, but for every Jenna Jameson, there are a thousand no-namers that have been exploited and abused. Like any form of entertainment, porn has its success stories and its slime buckets.

[ckramer]

23. If there's no-porn-for-life political party, I wonder

how many people would join...

[ladjf]

24. For those who have enjoyed it over a long period of times,

it could be considered as beneficial. For others, it can be addictive to a negative degree. Although some have attempted to blame certain sex crimes of the use of pron, i.e. Bundy, the connection seems more coincidental than direct.

Pornography does allow the users to explore elements of their sexuality in a virtual environment free of victims, disease, physical violence and other real by products of sexual experiences gone to extreme. So far as the accusation that it degrades the performers,
one should bear in mind that they are well paid for their services
and have voluntarily participated in the performances.

However, pornography must not be viewed by any persons who haven't fully formed their adult sexual attitudes based on real life experience otherwise some extremely damaging emotional and psychological events are likely to occur. In that case, the healthy
sequence of development is short circuited, damaging the individual's ability to fully mature in a healthy manner.

[thedailyshow]

30. I don't like the kind of fake porn they put out there

and that kind of porn tends to objectify women. I prefer intimate erotic photography. There's a sense of realness in that kind of photography as opposed to overly made up girls with fake boobs in porn magazines. I've been in a few erotic photography shoots myself with my ex-girlfriend. I still look at those photos from time to time when I need release, and it brings back good memories.

I'm just weird that way.

[Q3JR4]

31. I think that

no matter what happens, there will always be a market for pornography. If we somehow lived in a perfect Utopian society in which couples loved each other absolutely and everyone excepted their sexuality, I think the amount of porn would increase. I say that because right now there's such a stigma attached to it. If that were removed, individuals can (and will) find relief from pressures that have (and are currently) plaguing them. The demand may decrease (everyone can do anyone else without the stigma attached to that following them), but porn could serve as an extra stimulant for that as well.

This coming from a guy that thinks prostitution (if the individuals involved are doing it for themselves without outside interference pushing them to) should be legal and watched and controlled by the government.

[Swede]

32. I like it.

It's like anything in life it can be abused,and addictive.

[Beer Snob-50]

33. I have looked at porn both by myself and with my wife

a few months ago however, I saw a story on one of the network news shows that depicted the degradation that many had experienced (including double anal peneration). Is that prevalent? I don't know.

[auburngrad82]

34. It's got Clarence Thomas' fingerprints all over it! eom

[SarahB]

35. Sex is fine, nudity is fine.

(Consenting adults of course.)
My only issues are 1. worker's rights issues for the actors (where's the health insurance and worker's comp?- they don't have it as they are considered "independent contractors"), and 2. there's not enough women-centered stuff. It tends to be all about eye-candy for the men with fake looking people Maybe we want to get turned on too and for this strait women in her 30's (which after all, we are peaking), seeing some 20 year old chickie with fake boobs having sex in some contorted position faking an orgasm without much foreplay isn't going to do it for me. Please. :eyes:
I have seen some higher quality stuff that's better in this regard. Even amateur stuff isn't so bad. Just the glossy, phony stuff can leave something to be desired.

[yellerpup]

36. I don't like it.

I'm a writer so I believe in freedom of speech, but pornography (to me) is pathetic. I've been married three times, and anecdotally, men who do not use porn make far better husbands than men who do.

[RivetJoint]

37. Three times..hmmmm?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

38. Here's An Interesting Link

I got it from another DUer


http://www.improvisation.ws/mb/tpcs4.php

[azoth]

39. My dh is a porn fiend.

He loves it and now that it's available on the net he doesn't have to trudge to the local pornparlor to find a Club or whatnot.

I love erotic literature and dig the hard-core stories but the visuals are lost on me. Pink bits just aren't my thing - apparently that is a mostly male taste, or at least it is chez moi. And that noise the women make - there are no moaners or appreciative encouragers, kwim? They freakin all practically *bark* - anyway, it bugs me and I'm digressing. And don't even get me started on the music...*chicka chicka bow chicka chicka bow bow...* Yikes.

Consenting adults are consenting adults. Who am I to say you can't film it, eh? I think as long as porn has a market, it will thrive. And given the amount of collective repression that would have to happen to surpress the gigantic porn market, I don't see it happening any time soon. Let the fundies holler - I bet their dreams are filled with the same things my dh's are lol.

As for relationships - fortunately for us, I don't mind his obsession with college girl snatch. I know that is not the case in all relationships. *shrug* Isn't that what it's all about, though - diversity. <grin>

[Modem Butterfly]

46. I've been exploited most of my adult life

Interesting comments, folks. Keep 'em coming!

Er, no pun intended.

I personally have no problem with porn, though I'm not (personally) a real afficianado. My attitude is that it's fine, as long as everyone involved is a consenting adult. As a woman, and a feminist, I've always felt that women can and should be empowered by sex work. For millenia, we've been told how to conduct our sex lives, even if to conduct them at all. It seems to me that a woman who takes charge of her sex life by, well, charging for her sex life is the ultimate feminist statement. Capitalist, too.

A word to the folks who feel women are exploited by sex work: Personally, I've been exploited for most of my adult life. Anyone who's ever had to work a humiliating job, been on the losing end of the profit margin, or been pressured to engage in sleazy business practices has been exploited. Anyone who's ever worked a 60+ hour week with little recognition and no overtime knows what I'm talking about. Anyone who's ever had a job where they wear a stupid hat knows what I'm talking about. Anyone who's ever had to explain to someone with a house full of kids that his job has been outsourced knows what I'm talking about. Compared to that, letting someone film you giving a blow job sure seems like a winning bargain.

[Modem Butterfly]

47. Delete: DUPE

[short bus president]

40. Yay! Porn!

I'm unapologetic. That's my attitude.

[skygazer]

41. For the most part, it doesn't bother me

More than anything else, it amuses me. The story lines are SO lame and the acting is SO bad and the dialogue is SO stupid and even the music is usually at odds with whatever action is going on in the film.

I know I'm not supposed to watch them like a film critic but I can't help it and seriously, it's almost impossible for me to get turned on by something that's so horribly done. I get more turned on by a good love scene in a mainstream movie than I ever have with porn. I prefer imagination to in your face graphic sex.

That said, I don't really have an objection to it, just no real interest.

edited to add - silly me, I wasn't even thinking of still photography, some of which can be very erotic. I do prefer it to the films but more the softer stuff than the hard core.

[hyphenate]

42. My view:

If the pornography is of women and men old enough (over 21) to be consensual in the sexual acts in which they participate, and if there are no minors involved in any way, I don't see anything wrong with it.

However, I do have to wonder how many of the women and men involved in hard core sexual acts being videotaped or filmed are actually doing it with full knowledge and consent. Often times, it's not an actual choice--often times, the participants are invariably doped up to be more pliable, and often times, I am sure more often than not, the women, especially, are exploited far beyond the point of their consent to be photographed or taped or filmed in certain acts and positions. I am also fairly certain that desperation drives many of them to participate in dubious projects simply because they don't have any alternatives.

[Runcible Spoon]

43. I have an ongoing argument about porn with my "old-guard feminist" friend.

she grew up in the 60's and marched for women's rights. A lot of older feminists think porn is degrading. Now, me being a "new guard" feminist, I think the porn industry is a great opportunity for women's empowerment. I know that there is filth out there such as "bang Bus", etc., but I firmly believe that if people like Jenna jameson and others are creating tasteful, sensitive erotica, and there does seem to be a huge market for it, we can shift societal attitudes. That said, I realize that there will always be a demand for demeaning porn. But hopefully as couples and women, not just single frat boys, get into tastefully done erotica, this demand will diminish to obscurity.

[Champ]

44. Doesn't turn me on if that is what you mean

It's all fake to me, it is in pictures and videos and not in front of me. If the person agrees to be taped nude, I have no reason to be against it. Everyone in the porn industry knows what product they're selling and the kind of people they're selling it too, if they are ok with it then I have no problem. It's *I think* a free country.

[MADem]

53. In the odd examples of the genre I have seen

...they all look rather....REPUBLICAN...like Faux news anchors, sort of...

I wonder how many big money pornographers are GOP types?

[Modem Butterfly]

49. I've been exploited most of my adult life

Interesting comments, folks. Keep 'em coming!

Er, no pun intended.

I personally have no problem with porn, though I'm not (personally) a real afficianado. My attitude is that it's fine, as long as everyone involved is a consenting adult. As a woman, and a feminist, I've always felt that women can and should be empowered by sex work. For millenia, we've been told how to conduct our sex lives, even if to conduct them at all. It seems to me that a woman who takes charge of her sex life by, well, charging for her sex life is the ultimate feminist statement. Capitalist, too.

A word to the folks who feel women are exploited by sex work: Personally, I've been exploited for most of my adult life. Anyone who's ever had to work a humiliating job, been on the losing end of the profit margin, or been pressured to engage in sleazy business practices has been exploited. Anyone who's ever worked a 60+ hour week with little recognition and no overtime knows what I'm talking about. Anyone who's ever had a job where they wear a stupid hat knows what I'm talking about. Anyone who's ever had to explain to someone with a house full of kids that his job has been outsourced knows what I'm talking about. Compared to that, letting someone film you giving a blow job sure seems like a winning bargain.

[achtung_circus]

51. Moistly incredibly boring.

There is a sad resemblence to a gynecology textbook in the printed stuff. The video stuff is more concerned with weird photo angles that it forgets that there are two people doing whatever it is they're doing.

Some of the stuff by female directors pays more attention to foreplay, to "documenting" the experience rather than the mechanics.

I find a camera on a woman's face intrinsically more exciting that the "money shots".

Most of it is crap, it's formulaic, boy meets girl, boy bangs girl. Thgere are the obligatory oral sex moments, no reality, IMHO.

It's like watching farm animals.

[short bus president]

52. *snarf*

you said "moistly."

Paging Dr. Freud...

:P

[MADem]

55. I saw that, and thought, it HAD to be deliberate!!! n/t

[achtung_circus]

88. Semi-deliberate

I typed it in by accident, picked it up on proofread and decided to leave it.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

54. As Kleeb tried to convince me last night...

...PORN IS GOOD FOR YOU!!
Kleeb is turning into quite the well rounded young man, don't you think?
Duckie

[JohnKleeb]

70. aww

duckie that was too kind.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

72. Well, you used to freak out when we'd mention porn..

Now you roll with it. I'm so glad I've been such a bad influence on you. :evilgrin:
Duckie

[JohnKleeb]

79. no I used to freak out during plms

because I wanted the plws, porn has never bothered me.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

56. Porn is fine by me

Except for the porn I don't like, WHICH SHOULD BE BANNED.

;)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

57. I Don't Like Chubby Porn

lol

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

59. It's not the people, it's the activities

Most of them are so boring. I prefer mindfucks over real fucks, and one person just pumping another (or multiples thereof) is so zzzzzzzzzzzz.

I prefer written porn to filmed, illustrated porn to photos, and in that I'm consistent with other women who like porn. But I part with my gender over romantic softcore stuff. I hate it. It's schlock.

[TrogL]

58. It's keeping the Russian army from invading China

I'll explain later if nobody else does.

[UpsideDownFlag]

61. ...explain. nt

[NamVetsWeeLass]

60. Either you like it or you don't, it's that simple.

Porn? Sure. Why not? Look at what we see on TV these days......Dead bodies, murder, Corrupt government, People lying about someone else's Military records, 9/11... the desensitization of the country as a whole bothers me more than some people on screen having sex....
so I guess what I am saying is

I am NamVetsWeeLass and I approve Porn. (would't said Vet be so proud of his Daughter?? ROFL)

[Modem Butterfly]

63. That's a good point. People are more upset by live boobies

than by dead bodies.

[catmandu57]

94. Right what kind of porn are we talking about

If we're talking about consenting adults engaging in sexual acts get over it. There are much worse things to be called porn, violence against another human being is more of an act of porn, humiliating another human, disrespecting another human, that is the real obscenity we live with daily.

[NamVetsWeeLass]

96. This is True, too.

Yeah, there are certain lines you can't cross. I agree with that wholeheartedly.

[catmandu57]

97. I need to add

Poverty is degrading, homelessness is degrading, having to defecate in public is degrading. Lot's of things we see daily push porn right on down the list.

[dr.strangelove]

62. My attitude toward porn is GREAT

I love porn. I think it is a healthy outlet for sexual energy when my wife is not around, or not in the mood. I am sure she feels the same way (though it would be unusual for me to be the one not in the mood). It also is great to watch together.

Porn is entertainment for adults. Judge not lest, and all that crap.

[ibegurpard]

65. I like it but

I recognize that it sets people up to view others as nothing but meat for their sexual appetites. It creates unrealistic and unhealthy attitudes about sex.

[Book Lover]

66. There are far worse things in the world -

like hungry children, or our failed American democratic experiment. Full disclosure - for 3 years, I was the Art Director for a weekly sex "newsmagazine" (that was on the masthead). I learned a tremendous amount, and some of it was actually about making a newspaper.

[Baldsicle]

67. I got the Playboy channel on cable

Then my provider dropped Playboy. I called to complain. The woman told me they received many complaint calls and in fact half of their subscribers we getting Playboy. I think many more people are viewing porn than admit to it.

[Redleg]

69. Watching bad porn is still better than watching Bush give a speech.

LOL

[Chovexani]

71. I'm a woman, and a feminist, and I love porn.

Not all porn, mind you. But I do enjoy porn and I'm not ashamed at all to admit it. There's no shame in my game.

I hate 90% of straight porn because the participants are usually 50 shades of fake, plastic FUG. I'm mostly about the gay porn, because the boys are so pretty, but really, as long as the people are attractive and really look like they're into it and enjoying themselves then I don't care at all about the gender configurations involved (then again I'm bi so that probably has something to do with it).

I'm a slash & yaoi writer and I've written some pretty dirty stories...hell one of my friends tells me my name is synonymous with Dirty Anime Boysex (tm). Which I consider just about the highest compliment anyone's ever paid me. :evilgrin: For me, it's all about context. Even though I am turned on by the visual stuff, despite the "hey, nice shoes, wanna fuck?" attitude, I like to read and write stories because I think it's way hotter when there is context to the fucking. I enjoy my share of PWP stories as much as the next slash fan, and I have written my share, but when there is buildup and angst and everything it just makes the payoff even more hotter. That doesn't mean I necessarily like the "softcore" romance, flowers and handholding stuff. I really don't, actually. Hell, people who have read my Livejournal have told me I have an almost frightening ability to describe a guy's reactions during the buggery, to the point where some of them really don't believe that I'm a woman. :crazy:

Of course slash/yaoi is a whole other discussion...esp. when you consider like 90% of the fandom are women (a huge chunk of which seem to be bi, in my experience). If I had a dime for every academic project I've been asked to participate in, I'd be rich enough to make my own Alexander the Great movie and not cut out the hot mansex.

[Squeegee]

73. Porn is to sex

... what WWF is to professional wrestling, in general that is. The difference between Porn and the WWF, most porn don't take itself too seriously and can be very humorous.

[mondo joe]

78. I like it fine. Like anything else, it can be done well or poorly.

As long as everyone is a consenting adult I like it just fine.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

80. Meh.

I'll fess up to having viewed it, etc.

The intellectual side of me feels rather sorry for the men AND women involved. No matter how much money they are making, they are still selling their body.

BUT, the liberal in me says, they are adults, who cares?

And of course, the physical says "That's HOT!"

Plus I'd be a great big hypocrite if I railed against it while having a few videotapes up in the closet.

And I'm not a republican, thus I strive not to be a hypocrite.

I don't giggle, nor do I go into moral outrage.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

91. Oh something else

I do get a bit annoyed at how.....unattractive the guys tend to be in straight porn. It's like the women have to be beatiful or something and for the guys, the director just says "Yeah, YOU'LL DO!"

The more poorly done stuff does nada for me. Zip. It's too fake, you can even figure out that the actors came up with a signal (kissing) for when to switch positions and stuff. Ug. Cheesy music, horrible sets, etc.

The better done stuff is more to my taste, but honestly it's not something I think about much and it's not something my husband and I view much. Sort of a once in a blue moon kind of thing.

So again, meh.

[NewJeffCT]

83. my attitude is that it's no big deal

As long as the actors are in the business voluntarily...

I think it's at least keeping some people in the house and out from attacking the nearest female out of sexual frustration.

Other than that, porn gets boring after you see more than 2 or 3 movies, as it all seems to be the same.

[realisticphish]

89. personally

i think it can be perfectly healthy to look at porn. I have, and I don't hold any stereotypes of women based on it. however, some people can be altered by what they read, so i think it is a very individual thing


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[bicentennial_baby]

90. Woman who loves porn here

Straight, Lesbian, Gay, Trannies, I love it all! Why? Because it's good for it's purpose, which is stimulation and arousal.

[plcdude]

93. I'm with you

some stimulates and some is just boring but when it stimulates it is a nice addition to both masturbation and love making with your SO.

[politicat]

92. Good porn is great, bad porn is awful.

I'm a film snob, I admit it. Porn shot on video is usually crap, but if they've gone to the trouble to make it with film, it's generally a lot better. Production values are everything.

In a lot of the video porn, the actresses and actors look like they're chopping lettuce down at the local Burger Barn - they're that into it. Bored, sometimes in pain, usually faking it and looking like their next dental cleaning is on their mind, not what they're doing.

But for stuff that's beautiful, well scripted, intelligent... I can get my panties in a twist over that.

One of my favorite "in the mood" films isn't even technically porn - Quills. That one works for me. Give me a lusty costume drama over chicka-chicka-bow-bow any day.

My other issue with porn is the corporate mentality that goes into making it. The fact that porn performers have a terrible time getting into the union, that most shots are non-union shots, that profit uber alles is the mantra, that basic safety and dignity policies don't exist (i.e. use a condom, every time; if it's not fun, stop; no blood, no pain, no danger...) those piss me off and make it an exploitative industry.

I don't think that the women who act in porn are any more exploited than the men; after all the men get reduced to the size of their equipment and their "stamina" while the women get reduced to the size of their boobs and their willingness to look submissive. It's not a great environment for anyone, IMNSHO.

Exotic dancing doesn't bother me; I've known many, many women who have paid their way through university taking 2 and 3 dollar tips from ugly men. Prostitution doesn't even bother me, as long as there's no pimp involved.

Pimps, on the other hand... oh, the sentences aren't strong enough for pimps. Pillorying in the public square might work. I have no sympathy for any able-bodied man who takes the greater percentage of a woman's earnings just because she's too dumb to tell him to go #$^& himself or to turn him in. At least selling drugs is somewhat honest. Selling someone else's flesh? That's slavery, and slave owners deserve no mercy.

Pcat

[LeftyMom]

95. I'm cool with it.

Except when it's bad. Nothing worse than paying good money to find that some idiot tried to shoehorn a plot in between scenes, or that the performers are ugly or the production values are bad. Ick. Not that that's ever happened to me. ;)

[ProfessorGAC]

98. I Don't Get It

Yes. I've seen it. I don't get it. I just don't find other people having sex to be appealing viewing. I simply don't understand why other people find it so.

Just me.
The Professor

[furrylitldevil]

99. I think it might have as much to do with the viewers

as the producers. Consider the economics of the industry. If there weren't a demand for certain types of porn (i.e. porn that looks forced on one person or another, anal sex, other fetishes that are considered 'taboo') then no one would make it. Quite on the contrary, there is a substantial demand for such material and will continue to be for as long as people keep buying it. That being said, the larger issue is the interpretation of the viewer. I see nothing wrong with the occasional watcher of porn, someone who can separate reality from fiction/fantasy even if they prefer the harder or more bizarre types of porn. Where I think the problem lies are those who are addicted, those who take a porn movie at face value and think that it depicts "reality", and those who are not responsible with it with children or other impressionable people.

Long story short, just be responsible with it and there'd be no problems related to it. Just my opinion.

[leftofthedial]

101. as long as it involves no children

no criminal coercion

in other words, legal, consenting adult porn

it whould be totally legal.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

102. Consenting adults can do as they like.

It's not my place to tell people how to feel about it. Personally, I just don't find porn erotic at all.

[Wallflower_Liberal]

103. I don't mind porn.

I don't mind when my dh watches/downloades porn. There is a line however. No children and no animals. I'm sure there are other things that would cross the line as well, but my mind won't go there. I'm just glad that dh is just into the tamer stuff. I've been known to peek as well. We were just watching Pornicopia on HBO the other night. It was very interesting. What other profession has women making over 5 times more than the men?

[NoSheep]

105. No problem with it as long as it is mutually respectful of all parties

involved.

[plcdude]

106. I am pleasantly

surprised at all the female responses to this issue. I thought it would be dominated by males but I guess I am in need of bringing myself into the 21st century

[VelmaD]

107. Heeeeee...yup, us liberal gals...

are all sluts. ;)

[plcdude]

108. you know that is

not what I meant but you are such a tease

[Biased Liberal Media]

109. Well, I'm female and I don't see what the big hubbaloo over porn is

Who cares?? I like watching it...hubby likes it. Honestly?? Those who are so anti-porn need to take their closet-perverted morals and shove them where the sun don't shine. When I say anti-porn I mean the ones pushing legislation to ban it. Ever hear of Freedom of Speech?? Expression?? Get over it.

It's so messed up that America is so freaked out by sex. We need to adopt the European line of thinking with regards to sex. Open but educated.

[Nikia]

111. I suppose that I have mixed feelings about it

My husband and I watch it togther. Unfortunately, a lot of what we've been getting lately at our local video store is really bad. They either have no story line or a messed up story line involving violence (not S&M sorts of things either) or really degrading stuff. While good porn is a turn on for me, I am not turned on by this bad porn and worry about those who are. I think that some people's unhealthy attitudes about sex and women are reinforced by frequent porn viewing. I do also think that porn videos and most pornographic pictures are not appropriate for children and may contribute to some messed up views about sex and relationships.