analog

Interesting article. While I agree with some of her opinions in principle, I think her idea of their severity is a little off. While I think there is a change in the overall attitude towards sex and it's impact on our relationships, both long-term and the shorter, purely-sexual ones (casual sex), I disagree that it's merely the widespread availability of porn over the internet that is causing all of it.

The writer seems to think that it can all be blamed on porn, and that porn has given males (notice the whole thing concerns males, hmm) unrealistic expectations of what women should be. Porn is a drop in the bucket. There is advertising- always trying to be edgier, more risqué, to stay competitive- everything from underwear to cologne to simple jeans are now a contest to look “the best” or “the sexiest”.

Additionally, her comments about “the lesbian kiss” and “girls getting naked”, in my opinion, are misguided suppositions that pick porn as a scapegoat for a “problem” society as a whole has created. People always want more- more food (buffets), more power (ridiculous, POINTLESS SUV’s), etc., etc., and are always looking to be more enlightened, more open than their parents. Also, many elements of what have been everyday life for tons of people are now “coming out” into the forefront of the mainstream. Will and Grace, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and other shows centered around the arrangement of gay and lesbian characters or people are now possible because we (meaning society) have begun to finally accept these things as “normal”, and can explore what was once the taboo. Anyone remember the episode of Ellen (TV show) where she came out? Shit, that was hyped like it was a damn world-stopper. A woman who… who… LIKES OTHER WOMEN?? ON TV?!

If the writer wanted to find a reason for the lack of easy shock-value, it would be in the progressive nature of society itself, not an easy feminist* target like porn. Sure, society uses the internet to expand it’s horizons- but by our very nature we are always on the hunt for that which is new or taboo, and eventually we will come to find out that the “taboo” was simply a concept one step beyond what our elders could handle. The average person can only make so large a leap in one lifetime. As a society, it takes an entire generation to pass before the real effects of social change become apparent.

There is a new chic now where straight men are –gasp- getting facials and manicures and pedicures and dressing sharply as ever, going to malls and shopping for clothing and accessories for themselves, and having more and more decorating sense than ever before. Even I, as a very progressive and open-minded person, (while not having any problem with it, I think it’s great) would never have seen that coming- but now that it’s here, it’s stuck. Perhaps (warning: sarcasm ahead) in the future we will see another article from this woman blaming this trend on the readily-available gay porn market.

Thanks for reading, I know it was long. Peace.

*NOTE: I'm not attacking feminists. I'm questioning the suppositions of a writer with a seemingly closed, one-track viewpoint.