Pornography
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Pictures, movies and writing about sex are sometimes called pornography. Pornography is a picture, movie or writing that is created to make people get sexually excited. Pornography is about sex in a way that makes it more important than other things [1] (such as love, or caring or making good relationships). Pornography often shows a person who is being treated in a sexual manner without respect or love. Some pornography shows sexual acts that are violent, such as rape. Works of art, movies or writing that show loving people acting in a sexual manner to each other are called erotica. [2][3] Pornography is made to entertain adults. However, not all adults enjoy pornography. There are many adults with strong moral or religious views, who are stongly against it. Many people who own computers have filters which block pornography websites, particularly in families where there are children.
Contents |
[change] Definition
The word "pornography" comes from the Greek words meaning "prostitute" and "writing". A "prostitute" is a person who has sex for money. The word was first used for stories that were written about sex.
The word pornography is now used for photographs and other pictures, movies, and writing that is about sex, in a way that is often disrespectful of one or more of the people who are shown. In pornography, sex is the most important thing. It is also called "porn" or "porno" for short. Pornography is thought by some people to be harmful as it can be linked to sexual abuse.
[change] What is not pornography
Some people believe that anything that shows sex or a naked body is a type of pornography. Most psychologists disagree.
- Nakedness is not pornography. Showing nakedness in a picture or movie is not pornography. There can be all sorts of reasons for showing a naked or partly undressed body, for example an art work, a medical diagram or a photo of a person from a community where people do not wear many clothes.
- "Erotica" is not pornography. The word "erotica" is often used for pictures, movies or stories that focus on the beauty of sexuality, or seek to bring art into the world of sex. There is not often a clear difference between "erotica" and "pornography," and the argument over what is or is not pornography can even go to the courts.
- The words "sexually explicit" are sometimes used, particularly for movies. However, a "sexually explicit" movie is not necessarily pornography.
[change] Kinds of pornography
There are different kinds of pornography.
The term "soft porn" is sometimes used for pictures that show people who may or may not be naked, but who are posed in a sexy manner. Pictures of women like this are sometimes called "cheesecake", and pictures of men are called "Beefcake".
Pornographic pictures or movies which show people having sex are sometimes called "hard porn". Most pornography is intended for men. Some scientists think that men are more likely to be sexually turned on by pictures than women are. However, some women also enjoy pornographic pictures or movies.
Some pornography is very disrespectful to the women (and sometimes men). Some pornography shows sexual acts which are violent. Some pornography show sexual acts which most women would not wish to do. This type of pornography is called "hardcore porn".
Another type of pornography is "child pornography". In most countries there is a legal age under which people are considered children by the law. Any film or photo that shows children being used for a sexual act is considered pornography. There are laws to protect children against people who "exploit" them in this way.
[change] The business of pornography
From the earliest years of the invention of the camera and motion pictures, there have been companies making pornography. However, until the 1970s, companies making pornography were small, because there were many laws against making pornography. In the 1970s, pornographic magazines such as Penthouse became a huge and successful business. As well, in the 1970s, pornographic films became more mainstream. In the 1980s, the development of the video cassette recorder caused a huge boom in the pornography industry. A number of companies began producing hardcore pornographic sex videotapes in the US and distributing the tapes to home viewers. In the 1990s, as more people began using of the Internet, and as computers became more powerful, companies began selling pornographic pictures on the Internet. In the 2000s, the increased speed of computers allowed pornography companies to sell porn videos over the Internet that are sent electronically to the purchasers computer.
There are many different kinds of businesses that make and sell pornography. There are magazines such as Playboy and Hustler; movie production companies such as Vivid Video which hire pornography actors and produce porn videos; and also many thousands of Web sites that produce and sell porn. Businesses that make pornography call themselves adult entertainment businesses. This is because most people think only adults should see pornography, and that it is not good for children to see it. In some countries it is a crime to sell or show pornography to children.
[change] Pornography and the law
In many countries, it is serious crime to make pornographic photographs of children. This is called "child porn". In the United States, for instance, there are laws that say that anyone who takes pornographic photos must keep records that prove the ages of the people in the pictures are over 18.
In many countries, such as India, Indonesia Iran, or Pakistan making or owning pornography is a crime. However, in some cultures, such as Western European nations and the US, making or owning pornography is legal, as long as all of the participants are older than a certain age, and as long the pornographic material is not sold or shown to people below that age. Very often this age is 18 years.The Netherlands have very liberal laws regarding pornography. Many cities or towns have restrictions on where pornographic videos or magazines can be sold, and on how these videos or magazines can be displayed. For example, some towns in Canada require pornographic video packages to be kept out of sight of children.
[change] Criticism of pornography
Since the 1970s, many women's groups and feminist writers have criticized pornography, especially hardcore pornography. Women's groups and feminist writers have argued that hardcore pornography shows women in degrading or humiliating positions. Some psychologists who have talked with many people who are in jail for violent sex crimes, believe that pornography that shows violent sex often makes people less caring about the feelings of other people, and more likely to commit rape and other sex crimes. Many pedophiles, who sexually assault children, also have collections of child pornography.[1][4]
Pornography is also often criticised by those who believe that it is ungodly.
In some famous novels, like Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, pornography has been described as a tool that is secretly pushed by some evil governments, because they believe it is a force that makes the public less likely to rebel, or even to care about injustice. In fact, Orwell got this idea from what some countries such as Nazi Germany had really done.[needs proving] A short time after Adolf Hitler came to power, Germany was flooded with tax-funded pornography like never before.[needs proving]
[change] See also
[change] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kerby Anderson, Pornography.
- ↑ Erotica is Not Pornography., William J. Gehrke, The Tech, December 10, 1996
- ↑ Don't confuse erotica with porn., Jug Suraiya, The Times of India, August 15, 2004.
- ↑ Jay Rogers, The Documented Effects of Pornography.
