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Slut-shaming of porn stars--the REAL problem

posted 9 years ago by lazarillo
7 replies | jump to latest

Linda Lovelace is a pitiable person, but there is a good reason not to swallow her fictitious story of being forced into porn. If porn is "evil" as opposed to just unhealthy or morally dubious, what does that say about all the women over the years who have done it willingly (pretty much everyone BUT Lovelace--by HER account at least)?

What is really a shame is not how women are forced into porn since that hardly--if ever--happens, but how women who have done porn are treated. Check out what people on the IMDB say about Sasha Grey, who willingly did porn and has been trying to go legit. The fact that she has been filmed down on all fours with a whole bunch of dicks in her somehow means she can't possibly have any acting talent and should just slink off the edge of the earth like the shameless slut she is. The outright lies or dubious stories of Lovelace feed this Puritan mentality.

And while Sasha Grey. et. al. may have to wear the scarlet letter, how do these male a-holes calling her out happen to KNOW she's been down on all fours with multiple dicks in her? Well, ironically the morally righteous probably watch a lot more porn than I do. It isn't hypocritical to admit you're a sinner and denounce sin, but it's very hypocritical to throw stones at a harlot from the safety of your glass house. You can't condemn someone for doing what YOU basically paid them to do.

My favorite argument is: "Well, do you want YOUR daughter/sister/wife to do porn?" Well, of course not. But say she did. Do I then want her cast out of society, excluded for life from legitimate employment, and driven to suicide? The harm done by porn is not nearly as bad as the harm done by society's attitude toward people who have done porn. I can understand why Lovelace chose to disingenuously portray herself as a porn victim, but she has made things that much harder for countless women (and probably a few men) who have found themselves in the same position.

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[–] cshak4 9 years ago

We as a society have allowed pornography to be turned into an entire "industry." We have allowed deeply sick and nefarious individuals to do this.

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[–] hodie 9 years ago

I've read quite a few memoirs by former female porn stars. It sounds to me that drug use often kept them in the industry much longer than they wanted or planned to be. At first it was easy money, but increased drug use meant they had to do things other girls couldn't or wouldn't do. At the end they had very little to show for their work.

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[–] cookiela2001 8 years ago

I've read quite a few memoirs by former female porn stars. It sounds to me that drug use often kept them in the industry much longer than they wanted or planned to be. At first it was easy money, but increased drug use meant they had to do things other girls couldn't or wouldn't do. At the end they had very little to show for their work.

I think the same applies to many prostitutes. I'm all for legalizing prostitution and there are some workers out there who seem to be able to survive in a healthy way...but whether it's the way we're mostly raised or it's a unified human desire for sustained emotional intimacy (not sure I'm saying this right), becoming a professional sex object long term can take a toll on someone's psyche.

I think that's why so many turn to drugs, just to bring some pleasure back to their lives (?)

Also, I read one interview with a career prostitute who said she and her coworkers turned to (harder and harder) drugs because their days were just BORING. You mostly work at night and there's only so many hours a day you can give to washing your hair and doing your nails. So drugs gave you a glow that lasted through the day until you started work (a work that might be making you feel a little hollow, anyway.) The work itself is draining and not very involving: It's listening to other people's problems (a lot of clients want to talk) and focusing exclusively on other people's pleasure.

This was in Studs Turkel's excellent book Working.
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[–] augustbrender 8 years ago

I agree, as a supposed "Christian nation" we've shown very little forgiveness. I say this because even I, being a Christian, my first instinct was to shout slut. Great post.

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[–] The-Last-Prydonian 8 years ago

I agree, as a supposed "Christian nation" we've shown very little forgiveness. I say this because even I, being a Christian, my first instinct was to shout slut. Great post.

And the irony is it's not as if Christianity and many of it's followers/representatives is whiter than white. If we haven't had the covering up of the child sex abuse by the Catholic Church then there's the immoral teachings contained within [The Good Book. Are just among other things. Christianity certainly doesn't have a monopoly when it comes to morality.

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[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] zharth 7 years ago

Well said. Criminal enterprises attract criminals. Pornography may not be strictly illegal, but it straddles the line. The irony of the public shaming the "victims" of the porn trade is that it makes it easier for them to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals. If, as a porn actress, you're damned if you do, then there's no chance of making a sophisticated run of it. People like to express "sympathy" because it makes them look good, but they don't really give a damn for anyone in the sex trade. They're only interested in spreading their sense of shame. I just wish the rest of us could see that for what it is. An excuse for prejudice.

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