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Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

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California is right with its new porn law

While I appreciate Hemang Sharma’s defense of the adult film, tax-paying-businessmen’s-business plans, the pornography industry does hold a great deal of power to determine how sex is promoted. I will, however, acknowledge the companies are by no means responsible for sex education. Humans — particularly young adults — learn by example. In a century where sexual activity and experimentation begins at younger and younger ages, promoting safe sex is a public good, despite Sharma’s concern that attacking a profitable enterprise will produce economic consequences.

He states “porn is a bad example for realistic sexual activity.” True, the majority of pornography is loud, scripted entertainment, but the bigger picture here is sex is sex. Penetration is penetration. Is it any wonder today 1 in 4 sexually active teenagers has a STD? Additionally, he states he understands the concerns regarding safe-sex education, but it should be done outside of public schools. To this I must inquire: Where do you propose that might be?

“Nightline” of ABC News released a story titled “Porn before puberty,” stating nine out of 10 teenagers between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed pornography. Would you agree the majority of teenagers get their information from the internet? TV? Sure, we introduce sex education in most schools by eighth grade, but the average age of an eighth grader is 13 to 14 years old. His argument, “avoid porn if you don’t like it,” is naive. This is America. We love sex. It is everywhere. What a veritable perfect storm: an unlimited access to sexual content and uninformed, self-education by example.

His plea for law repeal is silly: The voting bodies have spoken. Opinions state there is a greater good to a change in the status quo. The government is not regulating sex you have in the privacy of your home; they are changing a message communicated by the professionals to society.

Human nature aside, I happen to think sex should be enjoyed. There is no harm in reinforcing that safe sex is still sex — and I doubt asking a porn star to suit up will change the performance. The show can and will go on with greater deference to public health and safety.

 

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