Saturday, September 28, 2013

Week 4: Group Project

As there were no required readings in the course outline for this week, I have decided to take the time to discuss the subject for my group presentation that we will be doing near the end of the semester.

Our group has chosen the topic "Gender and Sexuality" from week 11. The point of this presentation is to select a YouTube video that relates to the week's themes and present it to the class. In addition, we are to link the video to one of the readings that were required during that week.

The video we have chosen is the trailer for the documentary "After Porn Ends." The trailer can be accessed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV5lSmDWk24

My group found this video interesting because it shows various perspectives of both men and women in the pornography industry, and how their lives were impacted afterwards. This video also showcased many women who were involved with porn, along with their reasons for turning to the sex industry in the first place.

One of the most outrageous statements made by a man from the porn industry was that he had no regrets at all. He claimed he had a great experience being in porn because he got to travel around the world and meet many interesting people. This is an extremely different perspective in comparison to how the majority of women felt after leaving the industry. Many women felt ashamed, embarrassed, and some were even depressed that they had been associated with pornography.

Everyone in the documentary had a different reason for entering the porn business initially. Some did it for financial reasons, as a last resort, while others had more unique reasonings behind their actions. For example, one woman, began doing porn in order to "prove" to society that porn is not full of dirty women. She claimed that filthy women were involved with porn, and she wanted to make a difference in regards to how individuals viewed the women in pornography.

Although everyone holds a different opinion in terms of the sex industry, it is important to remember not to judge a person based on their past experiences. As this is not a choice I have made personally, I cannot critique the women or men that are involved with pornography. It would be unfair to say I understand their life, when I do not know their family, history, nor their financial situation that often leads individuals to porn.

In sum, everyone has the ability to make a choice they feel is right for their lifestyle and it should not matter to society if someone's decision does not directly reflect the values and norms of the contemporary world.

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