Cheryl _ wrote:
My response: I was referring to the fact that if a youngster was exposed to porn material in a wholly accepting environment(i.e. no restrictions)then they may gain the impression during their formative years that this style of sex with all obliging partners was the norm, therefore; when it comes to they themselves exploring their own sexuality, they would most likely find themselves faced with massive contradictions which could lead to either self recriminations or recriminations toward their intended partner and this is just one of the side issues...possible rape through frustration is one - a sense of being abnormal or frigid is another...I know these are extremes, but it is the extremes that worry me.
But wouldn't that require that porn was the ONLY information on sexuality this child encounters? That his parents never speak to him about sex, and he never sees them or any other real life couple cuddle or be affectionate in any way, that he has no older siblings who are going through the 'learning to be a man/woman in relationships' stages, that he never watches television (almost all dramas and soap and sitcoms include many, many examples of sexual relationships, the vast majority being m/f) or movies, never goes to a museum with nude paintings or statues, never reads books of any kind other than porno, doesn't get the bland mechanics offered in most 'sex education' courses in school, and on and on?
Our culture, er, better make that present day American culture, is *drenched* in sexual references and imagery. I find it hard to believe that reading an adult fanzine would have such a disproportionate effect on a child.
Not that I'm arguing *for* giving adult zines to children. I just don't think a picture of two men kissing will warp a child for life. And that's about as explicit as most art in B7 zines gets...most of it is portraits of a single person, clad or unclad.
Susan Beth (susanbeth33@mindspring.com)