Porn and social reform: Two things that to some may appear to be as far apart as the religious right and gay marriage. But are they?
As I spend more time in this business, I've come to understand—to my growing disappointment—that the majority of webmasters view their chosen careers as nothing more than a business move. That is to say, for at least three-quarters of the people who are building and marketing adult-themed websites, porn is simply an avenue through which they are able to make money; it is of no socially redeeming value at all. I can't help thinking that—apart from this being one of the most depressing aspects of this business—these webmasters are missing out on an opportunity to take their businesses to the next level.
There seems to be a debate in adult entertainment about the validity of porn as an "art form." Many webmasters bristle at the thought they might be held accountable for any message gleaned from the content they produce. To them, the notion that porn—which they feel was created for nothing more than the sole purpose of quick, meaningless stroke sessions—could be viewed as anything other than simple masturbatory fodder is a completely alien thought.
Like all products of pop culture, porn's entertainment value intrinsically is linked to the ability of viewers to relate to it on a human level. People usually seek out forms of entertainment in which their own lives are reflected back to them. This is particularly true in the gay community, in which sexuality is central to its makeup.
As a young gay man with virtually no way to accept my attraction to other men as being anything less than transgressive or (worse) shameful, the act of watching two consenting adults of the same sex having hot, unbridled sex on film was a life-changing experience. Porn gave me a brand new context in which to view my own sexuality as something that could be accepted and even celebrated. As such, it also shaped my early views about sexuality in general. To my way of thinking, if watching adult content could have such a profound impact on me, then is it not logical to assume that others are having similar experiences? Or, indeed, that those who participate in gay porn have a certain responsibility to their viewers to portray sexuality in a more respectful, responsible, and liberated manner?
Gay men are particularly susceptible to a bevy of issues that still plague our community: Insecurities about body image, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, masculinity issues, and internalized homophobia still cause many problems in our lives. These issues are exacerbated by the ongoing proliferation of websites and porn companies that continue to market extreme muscle, barebacking, and straight-guy sites to the gay community. By exploiting the community's continued struggle with these problems, these sites may effectively hinder the potential for the emergence of a fully liberated, safe, and confident gay sexuality.
Of course, this is blasphemy in the adult entertainment industry. To place accountability upon webmasters or porn producers in any way is seen as placing blame on them for the ills of the world. Yet the intention is not to place blame, but to encourage the industry to think about—and yes, take a certain amount of responsibility for—the possible societal ramifications that might result from their content. If bar owners can lose their liquor licenses for not cutting off customers who have had too much to drink, why can't porn producers be held accountable for serving up content that might affect the mature evolution of the gay community?
Obviously, the market will continue to dictate what webmasters produce. This will not change. There will always be gay men who want to watch bareback content, or who fawn over steroid-enhanced muscle guys and/or straight men who must be coerced by the promise of money to engage in sex with another man. The purpose of this column is not to put an end to such content—nor do I have an effective solution to the dilemma. I suppose the best outcome I can hope for is that the industry becomes more aware of how its content does indeed influence those who watch it. Because, whether we like it or not, there's a lot more to porn than just getting off. Or, in fact, just making money.
