I ask the question but I already know the answer.
I’ve been following for a while on the web and social networks the whole John Stagliano trial story and I have to say I have trouble realizing they could lock someone up for making porn movies.
“Hardcore porn”, “bondage”, “multiple penetration”… some people like it, others don’t, but how is it possible that old right-wing men decide it for us? Or anyone else in fact!
Porn has been here for a long time, and a decision of the court is not going to change anything.
They say it hurts values like family, morals… but some people get mixed up from the ruling of oppressive ways of thinking and get confused about sex: sexuality is inherent to human beings and we have the absolute right to enjoy it in any way we want. Sexuality is not rape, it’s not violence, it’s not abuse. It’s freedom of expression, freedom not to be ashamed and trapped into a censured world. There’s nothing to be afraid of and I’m so sad to see that in the 21st century some people still can’t evolve.
So if people fight against porn, they also fight against the emancipation of women and their right to have a sexuality. Should I deny my sexuality and be ashamed of it because prejudiced men told me to centuries ago?
I personally prefer porn for women like I try to do but we all have the right to enjoy what we want, as long as we don’t hurt other people’s freedom.
There is bad porn, good porn, but at least we all should have the right to make it, watch it, enjoy it and make it better if we want to.
So I fully support John Stagliano and I hope the judges will make the right decision.
Here’s a very good explanation of the case here and a clear video below. I also suggest you follow #proporn on twitter and the ourpornourselves.org website.
Dear Erika,
As you probably know by now: all charges were dismissed in this case today. This is a great day for Freedom in many ways. Best of Luck!
Good for him! Good for America! Good for the Freedom of Speech!
It’s a pleasantly surprising results and a real step in the right direction.
On a related note: had John been convicted it would have put a major dent in the industry in the US. Which (given California’s declared state of economic emergency) would have been just one more negative impact on an economy already hard pushed to stay afloat.
I doubt that in reality considerations like this would have influenced the case, but it’s certainly an interesting thought. The adult industry is huge. Can the US actually afford to criminalise it?
I am enjoying your blog and your work, so thank you for your effort.
John.