So I was sleeping in a deep, comforting sleep this morning when my cat decided she wanted attention and woke me up. Unable to go back into my slumber, I got up and went on the computer. Rather than immediately go online, I decided to clean up my hard drive and throw away unused items, some included some porn I've downloaded. My mind works in weird ways and I got to processing the whole notion of the nude form. Is it art or is it pornography? What is the distinction between between nudity being a form of art and being porn?
Certainly, anything demonstrating any type of sexual contact in my book would be considered porn, but is just the nude body porn? It depends on the subject. With female nudity, the line becomes blurred. Men and women view porn differently. Most of my female friends believe anytime a woman is photographed without her clothes, immediately its porn. They see it as the objectification of women, continuing to place women on a substance level lesser than a man.
My straight male friends may beg to differ. To men who appreciate a woman's body as a work of art, which it is, I believe the consensus maybe a nude woman's body is not pornographic if she is just photographed nude, with no type of sexual stimulation occurring (meaning she isn't touching or grinding on herself). With so many periodicals and publications catering to "the art" of female nudes, the belief maybe a little suspect. I mean how many straight male magazine have you seen where the woman isn't stimulating herself or made to appear she isn't aroused? Straight porn, in my humble opinion, really has nothing to do with sexuality, but the illusion of it.
Perhaps when the image project is used to stimulate and cause sexual arousal, then its pornography? By definition, yes. But another man's porn is another man's art. Some would argue there is no such thing as pornography, that its all art! I'm not sure how they explain that rationale. I've seen some nasty shit in my time that has no resemblance to art. Being a man of alternative sexual tastes, my view points on nudity of course diverge from my straight brothers' attitudes. While I appreciate the beauty of a woman's body, I've very little desire to see it unclothed that often. (I've been liberated from the stereotypical misogynist ways when I joined the Other Sexual Team. I likes beef now and wants to sees whenevah I can, dammit!)
Can a distinction can be made insofar as male nudity? Again, is an image of a nude male considered porn? Sometimes. It depends on what's going on in the image. Does he have an erection? Is there a licentious nature to the image? Men get erections at the drop of the hat and it doesn't always involve sexual thinking. After all, what is an erection? Its the natural flow of blood to a particular region of the body. Male babies get erections and that has nothing to do with sexuality at all.
Let's look at the definition of pornography and and art....
According to Webster's Dictionary, pornography is defined as the depiction of erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement. There are many definitions available on art, so I took the most relevant to this post. Art is defined as the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
Further still, do an online search on both of this words to get a clearer definition (Interesting enough, I went to dictionary dot com this morning to check if Webster's definitions were correct and was surprised on their expanded view. I won't expound on this further because it's deviating from my original topic, but I suggest if this blog post interests and motivates you to do your own research, check it out).
There's an old saying "I may not know what pornography looks like, but I'll know it when I see it!" I think to give a further definition to porn, one also has to look at their own values. I don't view the male or female form nude is pornography, unless it is used to degrade the person to a subhuman standard. I'm not sure how to argue my point without this post becoming tremendously long.
Personally,I won't deliberate over the imbalance in male nude images for my straight sisters out there. Unfortunately, most male nudity/pornography is geared towards gay and bisexual men. Even Playgirl. Everyone KNOWS Playgirl is an underground publication catering to gay men still in the closet. Moreover, how many of those same models will be found in the pages of established gay magazines performing nondescript acts on another man? I won't go into the expostulation pf the whole "gay for pay" theory simply because it may invalidate my own argument I'm bisexual (basically, I don't subscribe to the notion "Gay for Pay." Guys F*ck other guys because they are GAY. Period). Sexuality is supposed to be fluid according to Kinsey, Masters & Johnson, et al. Yadda Yadda Yadda.
When it comes to men and women, porn takes on different aspects. Men I don't think are violated or objectified in the same manner as women. The porn industry has capitalized on women and nudity and used it in immoral, offensive, and corrupting ways. People are often involved in conduct surrounding abusive situations on the physical, spiritual, and emotional levels, leading into other self-destructing pathways.
I'm not here to preach, just clearly my head from the morning thoughts. Lawd knows I enjoy seeing a hot body or two every now and then, both male and female, but rarely do I stop to think of the ramifications. What lead this person to take off their clothes, performs acts reserved for the private, and earn this way of living? Is there a difference between gay porn and straight porn? To be honest, I used to believe yes, there was a difference. Men involved in gay porn have choices. A man doesn't have the limitations women often STILL have to face. A man can choose a lucrative career and still be considered respectable. Sometimes women are boxed into situations where that feel they have no other choice but to use their bodies to earn a living. It's sad.
Yet, I've heard of situations where young men, especially young gay men, were forced into the Industry. Some were on the streets because they were rejected by their parents for being homosexual. Many get involved in prostitution to earn money, which eventually leads to drug usage, and the porn industry gives these young men/ the marketability to support their habits/lifestyle.
This sample situation was never made more clear until I met a male friend, who's gay, who has tricked and posed nude to earn cash to support his drug habit. It surprised the hell out of me when he confessed this. (NB: to those of you who know me in real life, don't ask, I won't tell. It's not Napoleon though. I'll say that much). In his 20s, he graduated college, having been Out during that time, and went home expecting to live his life. His parent thought otherwise. He left home by choice and did spend time living as a "transient person" (I hate the word homeless, it sounds very apolitically correct). His story isn't as bad as it may seem. I know his drug of choice, something affordable that he didn't have to trick himself out, and believe he had other opportunities at his disposal.
So over all, what's the verdict on nudity images vs pornography? Are either good or bad for the modern society? Yes. No. Maybe so. Mind you I'm discussing nudity when it involves a legal consenting adult. Child pornography is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! That's another subject for another blogger. As far as adults, I think one has to know what their heart and mind dictates, then act and respond accordingly.
That's my thought bright and early this Sunday morning. Whoa, Nelly!
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