Society, Culture and Technology - Pornography
Pornography or porn is made to sexually excite people. It can be very degrading to men, women and children.
It is about fantasy, especially male fantasies of being strong, dominant, having a large penis and being forceful. Porn does not show real life. For some people, guys especially, real life sex can be a let down after watching porn. Most people don’t have the bodies of porn stars. Not everyone wants to have the type of sex shown in porn. Most of the sex in porn is degrading and disrespectful, especially to woman. It can be physically uncomfortable and not pleasurable. Porn does not address the risks of STIs or unwanted pregnancy.
Some pornography is legal to look at if you are a certain age – this is called “aged restricted”. Other pornography is illegal for anyone to view, especially when it shows sexual violence and the humiliation of a man or woman. Child pornography is illegal to make or watch. This is because the children in pornography are being abused.
Pornography encourages and spreads false ideas and myths. It is important to remember:
- Women and men are not always “up for” sex.
- Women do not have to give men oral sex, nor do they have to swallow the semen.
- It is not okay to force anyone into having sex.
- Women do not like having things “done to them”.
- Men are not always “well hung” – they do not all have very large penises.
- Sex is not always rough, loud and fast.
- Women and girls are not only there for men to look at or have sex with.
- Not all women want to have anal sex.
It can be easy to access porn and it can become addictive.
Looking at pornography can get you into trouble – at home, at school and at work. Your parent or caregiver may not be happy if they find you looking at porn. If you’re on the internet, porn sites often come with pop-ups and advertisements offering services such as penis enlargements. These can send emails which clog up your email system and your viewing history can become accessible to teachers or employers. Many schools and workplaces have policies that detail what can and cannot be accessed using school or work computers. If you breach these policies you could be punished, humiliated or even fired from your job.
It’s normal to be curious about sex. If you do look at porn is it important to remember that pornography does not reflect real life or relationships.
