The problematic glorification of porn

Content warning: mentions of pornography, sexual assault, child abuse and violence against women

The internet has made pornography more accessible than ever, but at what cost?

There are positive aspects to this development, such as the growing cultural acceptance of sexuality and self-pleasure. But another reality is that porn often depicts a sensationalized and distorted version of sex that promotes unrealistic beauty standards and fetishizing control over women. 

Pornography is “the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Porn often depicts the subordination and dehumanization of feminine-presenting individuals, or others often taking on a submissive role, in a sexually explicit manner, writer and activist Andrea Dworkin stated in her 1989 novel Pornography: Men Possessing Women.

In addition, research has begun to uncover the concerning psychological and physiological effects of regular digital pornography use. Because of the constant convenience and variety of digital pornography, it has been found to be especially addictive, according to The Reward Foundation.

Pornography can have a mixed psychological impact on women. Women make up only about one-third of online porn users and typically report less frequent use than men, according to an Oct. 12, 2020 article in Psychology Today. 

During sex, women who watched porn reported high recollection of pornographic images and scripts, which led to higher rates of insecurity and less enjoyment in the act, according to a June 12, 2019 research review by Dr. Anaya Mandal. 

Since the effects of pornography are so largely hinged upon the patriarchal control of our culture, most of the discussion surrounding porn tends to be bound to the gender binary.

This is in part due to the way pornography reinforces and perpetuates the cultural ideals of the gender binary. Still, in pornography depicting queer relationships, the dichotomy between “masculine” and “feminine” is ever-present. 

Queer women in particular are especially fetishized in pornography and are often seen as hypersexual. “Lesbian” has continuously been one of the most popular porn categories, according to a Sept. 11, 2019 Men’s Health article. 

The search for “transgender” has also risen in recent years, according to PornHub’s 2021 Year in Review. 

Porn doesn’t simply exist on our cell phones. The industry has a material effect on women—both the sex workers directly involved and other women and femme-presenting people who are indirectly impacted.

The accessibility of pornography also leads to the spread of child porn, as the industry experiences little regulation. In late 2020, PornHub deleted millions of videos after investigations found evidence that videos of child abuse were circulating on the website, according to a Dec. 15, 2020 CNN article.

Subscription websites like OnlyFans offer an alternative to traditional porn that is more supportive of sex workers because they are allowed to choose the content they upload and the individual creator receives most of the profits generated from their videos. 

But these kinds of websites aren’t perfect, either.

The highest-earning OnlyFans creators make $100,000 a month by posting pictures and videos of themselves online, according to an Aug. 15 article from the blog website SpendMeNot.

When teenage girls see those numbers, they’re likely more motivated to create an account as soon as they turn 18, hopeful about their odds at seeing similar rates of monetary success.

Services like OnlyFans have been grooming teenage girls en masse, working more like a pyramid scheme than a center for sexual liberation, according to a Sept. 6, 2021 New York Times opinion column titled “OnlyFans Is Not a Safe Platform for ‘Sex Work.’ It’s a Pimp.”

In addition, the need for clicks and views on these websites often encourages women to act childlike, playing into pedophilic fantasies, according to a 2020 Women’s Republic article.

One such content creator is Belle Delphine, best known for selling her bathwater, who often wears fake braces, imitating a child, according to an Oct. 8, 2019 Insider article.

In addition, social media platforms such as TikTok, Tumblr and Twitter aid in the societal acceptance of non-consensual and non-enjoyable violence as a normal and necessary part of sex and foreplay without researching the proper safety techniques and aftercare typically practiced in BDSM or other kink communities. 

Sex is a fun, natural and healthy part of life. 

Open communication is essential to foster healthy sexual relationships. Both partners should feel comfortable expressing their turn-ons and turn-offs in the bedroom. 

It’s important to recognize that even if someone gives their enthusiastic consent to something, they may still experience uneasiness during it.

Self pleasure and satisfaction should be valued.

The consumption of porn isn’t inherently negative, but it’s crucial to be aware of what one is consuming and to stay mindful of the possible harmful ideas and effects explicit content can create.