Feature Article from EyeOnAdult.com
In Case You Didn?t Know?
One of the things I do daily is wade through a ton of Yahoo! News E-mail alerts. Basically, I set keywords up in Yahoo! News so that anytime the word porn, pornography, etc. pops up in an article, I get a link to that article sent to me.
Obviously, the biggest part of what I receive are articles about child porn busts and related items. To tell the truth, it?s pretty disturbing. The sheer amount of articles I get on this subject is evidence enough that we have a serious problem in this country.
However, that?s not what I?m here to write about today. Instead, I?d like to make mention of the sheer irresponsibility on the part of the mainstream press in the way they report these instances of arrests, convictions, and other such scandals regarding the trafficking of child pornography. All too often, when I?m reading down the list of headlines, I see headlines like the following:
Activist sentenced in porn case ? Asheville Citizen-Times
Cops set porn trap ? Toronto Sun
Former Child Mentor Charged With Making Porn ? CBS 4 Denver
St. Mary porn sentencing ? KATC 3 Lafayette
Doc gets 10 years for coercion, porn ? Billings Gazette
Father of slain North Port girl pleads not guilty to porn charges ? Herald Tribune ? Sarasota, FL
Notice any consistencies? Well, in case you haven?t, I?ll spell it out for you.
First, all of these headlines use the word porn and make no clarification as to what type of charge it is or what type of porn is being addressed. If you?ve clicked on any of these links and read only the first few sentences, you?ll know that all of these articles deal with child pornography charges of some sort.
?So what?s the problem?? you might be asking. Well I?ll be glad to tell you. The problem is that porn, as we know it, is a form of expression protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. In simple terms, it is legal to create, distribute, sell, and consume so long as it is created, performed by, and sold to adults 18 years of age and above. Child pornography, however, is not protected by the Constitution and is not legal by any standard. Now with that in mind, why would any responsible journalist fail to make a differentiation in a headline?
Well, I have a few guesses. At the top of that list of guesses is simple ignorance.
As I would understand it, from personal experience, most people outside of the biz simply do not understand that our industry is absolutely legitimate, at least in generalized terms. As a result, it?s quite easy in the minds of the uneducated to simply use the word porn since I?m guessing that most of these writers know about as much about porn as I do the finer points of preparing Duck Flambé.
Frankly, as someone who makes a living as a writer and as someone who makes a living in the adult industry, I find it absolutely embarrassing and offensive that these alleged news writers or journalists can?t figure out that there is a need for clarification.
Fuckwads.
But I can?t help but wonder if this isn?t all our fault. During my brief 5 years in the porn game, I?ve seen very little effort from the adult entertainment establishment at large or from organizations like FSC to put a legitimate face on the adult industry. Instead, we sit back in our little offices and try to rake in as much cash as possible with little thought towards the future.
Ultimately, isn?t it our job to change the paradigm? Should we really rest on our laurels and allow the press to portray us however they wish? At present, that portrayal isn?t so different than the way they represent those who commit the crime of child abuse and the exploitation of that abuse. How does that make you feel?
Look, it?s up to you. The press loves dirty laundry and as long as you allow porn to be as such, it will be. Maybe it?s time for all of you people who blindly hand over your cash to organizations like FSC and ASACP to put some pressure on these people to actually do something other than collect dues from you and send out press releases that are only printed by adult oriented websites and magazines. After all, they aren?t going to just start working for a change because they want to. No my fine feathered friends, only you can make that happen.
Remember, that little banner on your website that says you?re a sponsor of either of those organizations doesn?t mean a goddamned thing if no one outside of the industry knows who the fuck they are.
Right?
All said and done, it?s this syndrome of laziness and lack of foresight that has always ultimately bothered me most about this business.
Who?s gonna prove me wrong?
Consider that a challenge.
Scott McGowan
EyeOnAdult.com
Feature Article from EyeOnAdult.com