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On the Topic of Porn Episode 16 [transcript]

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Welcome back and thank you for joining us for today’s episode of For All Humans.

We’re all familiar with the phrase “sex sells,” and today we’re going to talk about an industry that relies exclusively on that notion: pornography. So, what is it? What is porn?

Pornography is derived from two Greek words: porny, meaning “prostitute,” and graphian, meaning “expression.” The legal term refers to it as “obscenity.” Others define it as “art.” Whatever you may think of it, the topic of this episode has been hotly debated since its inception back in the 1970s.

Second-wave feminism claimed that porn is violence against women. Robin Morgan, an author, activist, and political theorist, even said, “Pornography is the theory; rape is the practice.” The idea is that pornography caters to men’s power fantasies, robbing women of rights and self-actualization and encouraging violence against them.

What’s worse, in the article Pornography and Podcast Culture: Backlash and a Feminism That Is Contrary to Feminism, Carla Mantilla paraphrases the arguments of Dr. Rebecca Whisnant, claiming that a new form of feminism emerged where women say they are empowered by reclaiming their own sexual objectification or exploration. However, Whisnant explains that when people face an oppressive situation, they adapt to want what is available, leading to what is known as “adaptive preferences.” In reality, according to Whisnant, women who embrace a porn culture have simply sold themselves into a new form of ownership. They become submissive to a consumer culture that uses their bodies and convinces them that’s what they wanted all along.

Third-wave feminism, however, questions whether it’s adaptive preferences at all. Tracy Adlis, in her article published in Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, points out that patriarchy defined what was erotic, while feminism told us what wasn’t. To say women who enjoy porn are merely brainwashed is to subjugate them to another power—radical feminism.

Third-wave feminism argues that individual choice and free will cannot be overridden by any group. If a woman chooses to be submissive to her father and husband or to participate in pornography, no one has the right to invalidate that choice. Thus, “feminist porn” came into existence.

However, feminist porn has a fatal flaw: it’s still porn. Porn is known for creating unrealistic expectations of women’s bodies, leading to disillusioned men, broken relationships, and women suffering from self-esteem issues. While some claim porn has positive effects, like stress relief or greater self-awareness, others argue that it’s addictive, ruins relationships, and causes penile desensitivity and erectile dysfunction.

But does it? Dr. David J. Ley, in his article Common Sense About the Effects of Pornography, argues that these negative claims are largely driven by fear and preconceived notions about gender and sex. He also says that greater social access to pornography is associated with a decrease in sex crimes, a finding replicated worldwide.

However, a clinical review by Brian E. Park et al. found a correlation—though not causation—between heavy internet porn use and negative effects, particularly relating to men struggling with ejaculation or losing sexual attraction to their partners. This, unsurprisingly, leads to many women suffering from body image issues.

We’ll dive deeper into the consequences of porn in just a moment, but first, how prevalent is it? According to various reports, the global pornography industry has a net worth of $97 billion—enough to feed more than 4.8 billion people a day. The U.S. is the world’s largest producer, contributing 25% of all content, with 87% of college-aged men and 41% of women viewing pornography. Over half of all internet traffic relates to sex.

These numbers show that pornography is no longer a concern for a subgroup but a phenomenon affecting the entire society. Conversations around pornography have historically focused on religion or morality, often trivializing its impact without considering its social and biological effects.

A Swedish study found that daily porn consumption among adolescent boys increased interest in illegal types of pornography. Some even expressed a desire to actualize what they saw, explaining why research also links pornography with unsafe sex practices. Another study in Italy found a phenomenon called “sexual anorexia” among young porn viewers—a pathological loss of appetite for real-life sexual interactions. Dr. Carlo Foresta, head of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine, called the effects “gradual but devastating.”

Additionally, research by Edward Donnerstein and Neil Malamuth shows that men become desensitized to porn, especially violent porn, and then crave increasingly violent material. Malamuth found that mentally healthy men exposed to hardcore violent pornography significantly said they would rape if they believed they could get away with it.

Porn also perpetuates unrealistic expectations about women’s orgasms and male performance, reinforcing myths of female sexual subservience. Mainstream porn continues to promote these dangerous ideals. In a civilized world, shouldn’t we be more inclined to adopt values of mutual respect, love, and compassion?

We still need to talk about the worst part of pornography: its addictive nature and what it does to our brains. Watching porn triggers the release of dopamine, the same neurotransmitter involved in addiction to substances like cocaine. As porn images become embedded in long-term memory, the brain craves more, reinforcing a cycle of addiction. This phenomenon called the “Coolidge effect,” results in diminished sexual desire for the same partner and an increased interest in novelty.

Research also shows that porn leads to compulsive computer use, and the correlation between viewing child pornography and engaging in child abuse is alarmingly high. Furthermore, porn addiction weakens romantic relationships, leading to infidelity and divorce. It also negatively impacts parent-child relationships.

With all these negative consequences, it’s no wonder most religions condemn pornography. Islam, in particular, forbids anything that leads to wrongdoing, including viewing sexually explicit material. As the Quran states: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts” (Quran 24:30).

Regardless of whether you believe pornography is immoral, the evidence is clear: its consumption harms mental and physical well-being, pulling us away from love, compassion, and respect for one another.

We hope you found this episode insightful. Let us know your thoughts in the comments and share this with your friends. Stay tuned for the next episode!

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