Pornography and Youth

From the beginning, porn industry was exclusively produced for adult audience. A bit more of a decade back, its content was prohibited to minors and was genuinely difficult to get something if a person was underage. With the fast-developing Internet, the access for adult material became accessible for almost anyone, including teenagers who are considered the digital natives in today’s tech-driven society. Young people reach explicit material through peers at high school who are already watching it; in social media with sexualized images, movies, games, music lyrics, or stumbling upon it while surfing the Internet. Pornography displays all types of kinks and fetishes a person may imagine, indistinctly of the gender. It stimulates a teen to explore dirty sex, to consume it to the point of making it a harmful habit. Interestingly, boys and girls in their early years watch this alluring content through different lens. This means that what they see may be interpreted differently.

When there is a communication barrier between a teen and his or her parents because of religion, strict traditional upbringing, or any other factor that impedes to be emotionally available; teens might turn to pornography to clarify their doubts regarding to sexuality and to pleasure themselves. This, however; should not be the main source they turn to. Such exposure might bring negative long-term consequences to their sexual moments, mental health and social life.

Pornographic culture creates an environment of degrading and violent encounters with parties involved, teaching that sex and violence are related. Things like masochism, sadism, domination, bondage, and an extended variety of categories may appear normal for adults who watch porn regularly, and it can help actually to strengthen their bond with their partner by opening up each one’s hidden desires and enjoy them with mutual consent. But for a teenager who is still discovering his/her body, brain and his/her sexual identity, can cause a distortion of a healthy sexual development and relationship. Cyber Experts advise that, “when a teenager is first exposed to the concept of sex via pornography, they begin their education experience with a total misinterpretation of reality”.

First of all, pornography provokes distorted expectations of sexual practices. What it is supposed to be an intimate practice of a couple might turn to a selfish, stolid and manipulating one by the pornographic content consumer side. Porn isn’t related to feelings or affection toward someone. It’s all the opposite. Objectification of human being and the feeling of empowerment over the other gender are a subliminal message from porn to the audience that the other partner is there only to please what they ask for. Such behavior projects a wrong It leads to one sided pleasure. Human nudity is no longer appreciated as such, but it’s seen as something cheap and mundane. Besides that, porn incites violence. It portrays beating, degrading, and humiliating as part of normal intimacy. Generally, the female partners are pictured as objects whose function is to meet man’s sexual demands. Whereas for men, it shows a chauvinist character to feel like a real man.

Secondly, pornography misinforms about using contraception. Porn makers do not use condom neither other ways to protect themselves or their partners. This puts young viewers at risk, projecting a wrong way to practice unsafe sexual encounters, which leads to STDs such as HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or unplanned pregnancies.

Thirdly, porn leads to depression, anxiety, loneliness, low-self-esteem among other mental-related issues. These isolate them away from social groups. Watching porn affects psychologically teen’s social life. He or she might not interact with their friends as much as they’re supposed to. It also leads to low academic engagement, poor grades and athletic performance. Porn creates the stereotype of how a man or women should look like. Girls think that they should have their bodies similar to those on the screens to feel desired or wanted by a man. They start putting numbers to their body measurements like they try to sell themselves in order to be accepted and liked. The same happens to boys. They start thinking that a six abs or built-up body is necessary to succeed in intimacy. These stereotypes hurt their self-perception and self-esteem.

Various social institutions have excoriated the porn industry, blaming it the main cause of marital failure, rape, external affairs, AIDS increase, premarital sex . . .. The list can go on and on. But the truth is that pornography cannot be blamed upon for each individual wanton behavior or addiction. Accusing porn is wrong. No one can deny a person’s right of curiosity, not even a teenager who is developing his or her body and has questions about these changes. It is up to parents, schools, and religious institutions in some cases, to address this matter. Sex cannot be seen as a taboo topic anymore; it is part of every one’s life and it comes earlier in for youngsters. In order to address this early exposure for teenagers, an open conversation with a trusted and conscious relative or adult can help a lot. Increase parental involvement. It’s important to let them express what they feel about themselves and how they perceive sex. The most important thing is not to judge them. Discuss sex-related issues confidently with the minor. Questions regarding sex can appear as early as the minor enters puberty.