I read a Her Campus published article titled, “The 6 Sexiest Things to Do That Aren’t Sex” and was amazed to find that the last “tip” was for partners to “watch porn together.” This allows the promotion of an industry that has been linked to drugs, STD’s, destructive mental and emotional health, and abusive employee-employer relationships. For an online journal that claims to believe in “women supporting women,” this article clearly promoted an entertainment genre that in fact, does not support women’s mental, emotional, or physical health.
Her Campus is an online site that believes in “positive female empowerment,” but how can we stick to its mission statement when there are articles that encourage viewers to watch porn? While some can make the argument that porn “brings couples together by allowing them to see and learn new things” or “porn is a way for people to express their sexuality and experiment,” I would like to pose the question, what gives someone the right to take pleasure from another person’s vulnerability? Would you want millions of unknown strangers seeing you completely bare, engaging in a very intimate act? If not, then why do you think you can be on the receiving end? And if you still think porn is not a “big deal,” let me introduce you to Shelley Lubben.
Ex-porn star Shelley Lubben was in the porn industry from 1986-1994 and was employed as a stripper, pornographic performer and escort in Chatsworth, California (CovenantEyes). In her interview she reveals that performers engage in multiple sexual acts with multiple partners over a short period of time, “creating ideal conditions for transmission of HIV and other STD’s,” and while condoms are an effective way to decrease this risk, only 17% of heterosexual film performers use them, while only “2 out of the 200 adult film companies required the use of them” (CovenantEyes).
Dr. Sharon Mitchell, an ex-adult film performer also stated that “66% of porn performers have Herpes, 12-28% have STD’s and 7% have HIV” (CovenantEyes). And even with such high rates, the adult film industry does not provide medical care or financial compensation for employees who must undergo medical treatment.
Lubben claims that another negative effect of the adult industry includes “exposure to drugs and drug addiction” (CovenantEyes). Actress Erin Moore also admits that “the drugs we [other actors] binged on were ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, valium, vicodin, alcohol…” while actress Tanya Burleson, also known as Jersey Jaxi describes how actors can get abusive on sest, “Guys are punching you in the face. You get ripped… It’s never ending. You’re viewed as an object and not as a human with a spirit. People do drugs because they can’t deal with the way they’re being treated” (CovenantEyes).
“You’re viewed as an object and not as a human with a spirit.”
This does not align Her Campus’ mission statement at all.
Lastly, Lubben addresses the physical and verbal abuse that happens on and off set. Lubben states that in her research “100% of the strippers reported some kind of physical or verbal abuse on the job…” they also reported that 88% of strippers have been grabbed by the arm, 73% have been grabbed by their breast, 91% by their buttock, 27% have had their hair pulled, 58% have been pinched, 24% have been slapped and 36% have been bit (CovenantEyes). Alex Devine, a performer shares her violent experience filming, “The guy [I filmed with] had a natural hatred towards women…I have tried to block it [their scene together] out of my memory due to the sever abuse I received during the filming… Steve wore his solid gold ring and continued to punch me with it. I actually stopped the scene because I was in too much pain” (CovenantEyes).
Once again, this behavior is not “empowerment.” This is human degradation, this physical, mental and emotional cruelty, so why would we allow articles to be published that encourage readers to indulge in an industry that is exploitive? If we are really a “feminist” online collection of female writers who want to empower other women, then why would we let our writers drive the demand for this industry? The only way it will stop is if there is no desire for it anymore.
The porn industry is not something for them to “take notes from with their partner for better sex” – IT’S NOT REAL – their sex life will never be like what they see online because those movies take hours to film and perfect and have horrible, life-altering consequences. By watching porn they show the adult film industry that they will allow women and men to be abused, degraded, and alone just for a chance “to try out a new move in the bedroom”.
If you would like to read the HerCampus mission statement you can find it by clicking on the link provided:
http://www.hercampus.com/school/bates/letter-editors
If you would like to read the full interview please follow the link provided.
http://www.covenanteyes.com/2008/10/28/ex-porn-star-tells-the-truth-about-the-porn-industry/
If you would like more information about CovenantEyes, their mission and their services, please click here:
If you think that you are struggling with a porn addiction, or would like to take a stand against the adult film industry please click here:
http://www.fightthenewdrug.org/
http://austinstone.org/resources/sermons/583–fighting-pornography
http://austinstone.org/resources/sermons/582–fighting-pornography