Although my preferences lean towards softcore/erotica, there is no doubt that some (or much, depending on your perspective) of my work could fall under the label of "pornography". The fact is, I enjoy making what others might call "porn". It's fun. Sex, to me, is recreation. And I enjoy sharing it with people who want to see it. It's a matter of spreading the joy, and sharing with others in a hobby you enjoy.
So who does porn hurt? I like making "porn", and the people I show it to like seeing it (there are reasonable guards in place to prevent people who really don't want to see it from stumbling upon it). As both a photographer and a model, I enjoy shooting porn, and I enjoy modelling for porn. If noone's being hurt, then why should there be any kind of problem with what I do?
I've heard arguments about the "evils" of porn. I've heard about abuse and exploitation. I'm sure it happens. But my own experience alone proves that that's not always the case. And in a free society (which is what this is supposed to be), it's simply not fair to prevent me from doing something because somebody else couldn't do it without hurting anyone. We have laws against abuse and exploitation - punish the crime, don't punish the genre (porn).
What about arguments that porn "degrades" society in any number of ways? Once again, this is supposed to be a free world we're living in. If you don't like porn, then you have every right to speak out against it, and try to persuade others to see your point. What you don't have the right to do is prevent me or anyone else from producing or consuming porn, by passing laws or any other forceful measure, because you don't like it.
Furthermore, where you see evil, other people see good. Just because to you porn is evil doesn't mean that the people who get involved in it do it "for the evil". I see sex as a spiritually pure and fulfilling activity. Spreading my love of sensuality is simply that, spreading my love. I promote positive attitudes and lifestyles. Just because I embrace porn doesn't mean that I embrace abuse and exploitation and objectification and all the other social "evils" normally associated with it. And just because the way others handle porn may contribute to some of these evils, still does not mean that, in a free world, you have any right to prevent me from getting involved in it.
Now what about the stigma of being involved in porn? It's quite true that getting into porn can cause significant strain to your public reputation (provided the public knows about it). But all the problems that result from stigma - fallout from career, family, friends - is external. It is society's negative reaction to porn that creates these problems. It is the ones who speak out against porn that are causing the most stigma-related damage to those who are involved in porn. If you really want to help those who are being abused, exploited, and manipulated, then support the genre while debasing the abuse, exploitation, and manipulation. If a person is automatically "stained" by engaging in porn, and if all porn is evil, then there is less encouragement for those involved to do their job in an ethical and humane manner.
You say that exposing people to porn traumatizes them? This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. As long as you make a big deal about how "evil" porn is, many people are going to have no choice but to be confused and even traumatized - not by the subject itself, but by the fact that it's such a big deal. People respond to the reactions of others. And while there are many like myself who are strong-willed and independently thinking enough not to be swayed by popular public opinion, there are others out there who aren't, and who may be harmed more by your condemnation of porn, were they to find themselves unwittingly involved with it in any way, than their own personal reaction to it.
Stop this madness, for once. Stop the repression and stop the suppression. Defend your freedom of sexual expression!
