Pornography

Hello and welcome back to Youth Convo where we talk about the things that affect the youth in this day and age. Our goal is to educate and along the way eradicate the stigma that surrounds some of the things we talk about. This week’s article focuses on a topic that we suppose at some point in a young person’s life, they have been curious about or indulged in the activity.

What is pornography?

Pornography or porn usually refers to representations designed to arouse and give sexual pleasure to those who read, see, hear, or handle them. It is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Although sexual stimulation would seem to be a splendid goal, it is not always so regarded in a society still characterized as displaying a very strict or censorious moral attitude towards self-indulgence or sex.

Pornography has been around since before our time, since before the time of the camera and the time of the internet in many shapes and forms dating back to prehistoric times. However, it is often distinguished from erotica which is basically any literally or artistic work that deals greatly with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing but is not generally considered to be pornographic.

Types of pornography

There are two terms that engulf all types of pornography and these terms give a general idea of basically what one can expect under each. Out of all the types of pornography, we would be in remiss if we did not mention that there are two types that receive no First Amendment protection which are 1. Obscenity and 2. Child pornography. This just means you could end up behind bars for partaking in these two types.

Hardcore pornography

It is pornography that features detailed and quite graphic depictions of sexual organs or sexual acts such as vaginal, anal or oral intercourse, fingering, anilingus, ejaculation, and fetish play. Hardcore pornography may contain graphic sexual activity and visible penetration, including unsimulated sex scenes. It is usually in the form of photographs, films and animations. Hardcore pornography has absolutely no literally merit. With the invention of the internet, this kind of pornography has become widely available and easily accessible.

Softcore pornography

Softcore pornography generally contains nudity or partial nudity in sexually suggestive situations, but without explicit sexual activity, sexual penetration or extreme fetishism. Softcore pornography is commercial still photography or film that has a pornographic or erotic component but is less sexually graphic and intrusive than hardcore pornography, defined by a lack of sexual penetration. Softcore pornography includes stripteases, simulated sex and emphasis on the sensual appreciation of the female or male form. It typically contains nude or semi-nude actors involved in love scenes and is intended to be sexually arousing and aesthetically beautiful. The distinction between softcore pornography and erotica is largely a matter of taste.

Effects of pornography

In anything that a human embarks in there are bound to be some positive and some negative effects of investing time into that activity. We know what you’re thinking. How can pornography have any sort of positive effect? Well, it does. Here at Youth Convo, we leave no crevice unexplored. In public debates about the effects of pornography on individual consumers, and on society more generally, the main voices heard are those of church leaders, politicians, and opinion columnists. In these debates it is rare to hear the insights of those people who regularly consume pornography. We hope that this will be the first step in changing that.

Positive effects

After numerous years of research perused through, we discovered that not much has been said about the positive effects of pornography. This is the result of the stigma that surrounds the topic itself as well as many other factors. However, pornography definitely can have benefits.

• Can help people become comfortable with particular fantasies they may have.

• Help make consumers less repressive about sex.

• Helps sustain sexual interest in long-term relationships.

• Provides ideas and helps one get in touch with what turns them on.

• Can reboot a couple’s sex life.

• Provides educational insights.

• Allows open-mindedness about sex.

• Helps increase tolerance of other people’s sexualities.

• Provides pleasure to consumers.

It is quite clear that there are many positive effects of watching pornography. Pornography is something that a large population of the human species indulges in yet an even larger population still sees it as disgusting and shuns it and they view those that openly talk about it or work in the industry as harlots. Anything being used the right way has a positive effect even if a large group of people disagree.

Negative effects

Pornography is also associated with unsafe sexual health practices. There are people who probably should not indulge in porn, like those with poor body image or those who have been sexually victimized. Depending on your choice in viewing, you can develop unrealistic expectations about sex or what people like or how you’ll be expected to perform.

• Can produce sexual uncertainty.

• Can cause erectile dysfunction. (ED)

• Encourages self-gratification.

• Can become a psychological conditioning which creates performance anxiety.

• Can destroy a consumer’s value.

• Encourages social isolation.

• Does not inspire goal setting.

• Can aid people in lowering their standards sexually.

• Can create unrealistic expectations of what sex is like.

The opposite is true for the negative effects of consuming pornography. An uncontrolled indulgence in pornography is both unhealthy and bad. In everything that we do, if it becomes something that one uses as a crutch to go through life then it becomes unhealthy. There needs to be a balance. This balance must be something that you can control consciously so that it doesn’t get to a point where it controls you.

We’ve had this topic take us through the ringer and we hope that we’ve shed light on what pornography is as well as its effect on those who consume it whether mentally or physically. We hope that you share with your friends so they too can be educated. See you next week and godspeed.