In the early 1990s, the Internet became public, and with that, the perception and treatment of sex in society changed. The pornography industry formed and changed with technological advancements, like the creation of the Internet.
According to the US Code, published by the US House of Representatives, generally, people can still access and purchase pornography legally in the United States. However, the conscious distribution of pornographic materials to individuals under 18 is illegal. Still, the average age of first exposure to pornography is 12 for American youth, as reported in a 2022 Common Sense Media report. The first exposure to pornography for any young child can be confusing and raise many questions.
Pornography is so infrequently discussed in society due to many reasons, like embarrassment, stigma, and a lack of understanding. It is considered a great “taboo” topic in American culture. Yet its influence on the culture of dating and sex is strong. The narratives perpetuated by the pornography industry are often unrealistic and can be harmful to young people navigating conversations about sex and their sexualities for the first time.
It brings us to this question: If viewing pornography is complicated and unrealistic, why do adolescents turn to it?
“I feel like some people consider it like [a] therapy,” an anonymous sophomore said. One study published in The Psychology of Addictive Behaviors suggests that stress reduction, sexual pleasure, and emotional distraction are the main motives for viewing pornography. For some teens, there may also be an educational aspect to it. In the Common Sense Media Report, 79% of teens who have ever viewed pornography said that it has helped them learn how to have sex.
Pornography isn’t just viewed by teenagers, either. According to Psychology Today, approximately 80% of adult men and 20% of adult women say they view it. Pornography is so embedded into our culture that it has shaped what sex means to both adults and young persons.
The sex portrayed in pornography often leads adolescents to have certain expectations of what sex is, when in reality, the sex industry can create harmful stereotypes and patterns. Psychologist Ana J Bridges found that over 88 percent of the industry’s top-selling videos involved physical aggression, most of the time against women.
This sexualization of aggression in pornography comes at a cost. Professor of Sociology Dr. Mathew Ezzell, writes, “ [The scenes] can be particularly powerful in shaping boys and young men’s sense of self and others.” Ezzell found that viewers of pornography are more likely to ask their partners to act out the scenes they have witnessed, which may come at the expense of their partner’s comfort.
So, when taking into consideration that pornography affects how people want to have sex, open conversations between youth and their parents about sexuality must take place. Not only may teenagers be practicing violent sexual acts and putting themselves in danger, but there is also an association between viewing pornography and practicing unsafe sex in teenagers, according to the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Currently, California legislation requires school districts to provide comprehensive sexual health education at least once in middle school and once in high school. At Arcata High, students are required to take a semester of health class their freshmen year. Although the curriculum of the health class covers sexually transmitted diseases, nutrition, and birth control methods, the absence of conversations about sex in the media is apparent.
There are few places students can turn to to have realistic conversations about healthy sex.
Instead of leaving pornography out of the picture, it’s important to acknowledge the hold the industry has on American youth. It’s time for America to learn how to have more open and honest communication when it comes to exploring sexuality.
