Penthouse to the “Big House”
Is pornography a problem? Does it impact marriages? Does it degrade women? Is is addictive or not? Does it inspire other crimes like rape or add fuel to human trafficking or sex tourism? Does it impact everyone to include men, women, and children? The Internet explosion has brought the previously underground world of pornography directly to the homes and desktops of millions of Americans. While some of us may see pornography's popularity as a sign of America's profound moral decay, others may believe pornography is harmless -- and even beneficial or educational. What are the answers to the above questions? Is pornography dirty entertainment or good clean fun? I will discuss the factors that contribute to the problem of pornography and include how pornographic and obscene materials affect men, women, and children. In 1980, the question was “Do I buy Penthouse or Playboy?” In 2009, the concern seems to be “If I buy pornography such as Penthouse or Playboy, will it eventually put me in the “Big House?” You be the judge!
Lauer & Lauer (2008) may have said it best when they posed the question “What comes to mind when you see or hear the word pornography?” (p. 47). Women's bodies are the staple of adult pornography but it is important to have a gender neutral definition that encompasses gay pornography, as well as child pornography. Animals have also been known to be targets of pornographic depictions but it is probably safe to say that most pornography is produced for the heterosexual male adult. With that said, what qualifies as pornographic material? Is it sexually arousing images in which women are consistently shown naked while men are clothed? Is it showing a women's genitals but not displaying the male? Or is displaying men in the initiating or dominant role of desire? Pornography is defined “as literature, art, or films that are sexually arousing” (Lauer & Lauer, 2008, p. 47). Not everything falls into...