Sex-positive ways to observe Pornography Awareness Week

October 27, 9:22 AMSex & Relationships ExaminerSarah Estrella

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This week is the 14th annual Pornography Awareness Week, a project of conservative groups Concerned Women for America, Morality in Media, and the Maryland Coalition Against Pornography. If you see anyone wearing a white ribbon this week, know that it's an anti-pornography symbol of White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) campaign. Protests planned this week include demonstrations at the U.S. Supreme Court, calls for Marriott and Hilton to stop profitting from the sales of on-demand porn in their hotel rooms, and efforts to encourage citizens to report "obscenity crimes" to their local prosecutors. 

Here's the model proclamation for the week from Morality in Media:

WHEREAS, pornography presents youth with a false and distorted image of human sexuality, devoid of love, commitment, and responsibility;

WHEREAS, pornography leads both children and adults into destructive sexual addictions;

WHEREAS, pornography contributes to the breakup of marriages;

WHEREAS, much pornography features and promotes sexual violence and other irresponsible behavior in an era of increasing sexual violence and an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases;

WHEREAS, so-called "adult" pornography is commonly used by pedophiles to desensitize children and break down their resistance to sexual acts;

WHEREAS, children molest other children in imitation of what they have seen in pornography;

WHEREAS, there are Federal and State obscenity laws against hardcore pornography to protect public safety, public health, and public morality;

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has held that obscenity is not protected speech under the First Amendment, and has said that there is a right of the Nation and the State to "maintain a decent society";

WHEREAS, Americans throughout this great nation will be participating in White Ribbon Against Pornography Week in various ways to support the enforcement of obscenity laws;

NOW THEREFORE I, __________________________ do hereby proclaim October 30 through November 6, 2005, as WHITE RIBBON AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY WEEK.

Of course, regular readers of my Sexy Films feature and other reporting know I have an entirely different take, and so I'd also like to point you over to my friends at CarnalNation.com: This week Dr. Marty Klein, author of the Sexual Intelligence column, offers 10 Ways to Observe Pornography Awareness Week as a counter to the efforts of the above organizations.  

Klein writes:

I totally agree with the idea behind WRAP. I support increasing everyone’s awareness of pornography use in this country—how many people watch it, who these people typically are, how it affects them and their relationships, what are rights are regarding pornography, etc. Of course, I have a different, more scientific take on the “problem,” so I propose a different set of activities to observe the Week.

To counter the obscene lies our media and legislators will be hearing this week, perhaps you could do one (or more!) of the following:

* If you use porn, talk about it with your partner.
* Thank the clerk in your local convenience store for carrying porn magazines or videos.
* Write a letter to the editor of your local paper explaining that most people who use porn have no problem with it.
* Invite your partner to share her/his concerns about porn with you.
* Instead of a White Ribbon, wear a Plaid Ribbon. When people ask, say it’s for Porn Awareness Week and your gratitude for the First Amendment.
* Start a conversation with someone: “Did you know that the Bill of Rights says
nothing about an exception for porn, obscenity, or indecency?
* Send a few bucks to the ACLU, National Coalition Against Censorship or Woodhull Freedom Foundation. They protect your right to read, watch, and jack off to whatever adult material you like.
* Write your mayor or governor reminding them that you vote, and you have no problem with porn.
* Memorize these facts: in the real world, porn is NOT connected with violence against women, child molestation, or divorce. In fact, according to the FBI, these have all declined since the country was flooded with internet porn in 2000.
* Use some.