The article “Pornography, Normalization and Empowerment” (Weinberg, Williams, Kleiner, Irizarry, 2010), states that “pornography is an important source across "that individuals can acquire or reinforce sexual scripts" and that it is "a bigger deal than professional football, basketball and baseball combined." In this essay, I will discuss the benefits of consuming/watching pornographic content, such as helping to normalize certain desires, as well as the risks of these actions, including mental issues, addiction, and objectification of women, while arguing about the latter. two points of view against each other. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay 46% of young men and 16% of young women aged 18-39 intentionally watch pornography in a given week ('The Brain of Porn Addicts', 2020) The Great Divide Among Young People women and men viewing pornography can be explained by the fact that “women are sexual objects and men are sexual subjects” (Gwynne, 2013). This stereotype has existed for many, many years, as the ancient Greeks celebrated the male body, while women were considered property. This has led to encouraging violence against women and endorsing sexist and misogynistic views (Gwynne, 2013). When they insult a woman, they are usually compared to one of three things: ; food, an animal or a sex worker (class notes, session 1). These statements reduce women to non-human sexual beings and assert that “women are far from being fully human” (Gwynne, 2013), when involved in pornographic materials. Porn can create unrealistic expectations about men's performance standards and women's body expectations. A 16-year-old man was quoted in Raunch or Romance? by Clare Bale. saying his first experience "was a bit of a shock" and was "completely different" from what he had seen in pornographic content. Women are still exposed to social pressures related to the appearance of their bodies. In 2017, 500,000 people (mostly women) underwent cosmetic surgery to achieve that better body so heavily influenced by the media, so that they would be more sexually attractive (class notes, session 4) and many “Women feel that their worth can be measured”. by the size of their breasts” (Bishop, 2012). A 17-year-old woman said she felt her worth was associated with her sexual experience and that "every time you have sex with another person, it ticks your clock, like you're a car with a speedometer." . (Bale, Raunch or romance?, 2011) These body expectations can start at a young age, when little girls strut around before they even have things (The Rise Of RAUNCH) and continue throughout a child's life. 'a young woman, feeling the "pressure to be sexy" (Bale, Raunch or romance?) to those around them. Many mental effects can result from excessive pornography use, addiction being one such condition. The Reward Foundation tells us that even three hours of porn per week can affect behavior and mood, with addiction significantly interfering with the individual's life and life goals. Watching porn can often be used as a coping mechanism for stress in a person's life, but participating in excessive consumption or bingeingcan lead to negative emotions and generally even more stress. Negative feelings can arise when this habit is neglected. These feelings may include: depression or feelings of flatness, loneliness, anxiety and anger (The Reward Foundation, 2016). The Reward Foundation also informs us that constant overexposure to pornography can also produce changes in the brain without the individual being aware of them. Lack of commitment to one's romantic partner correlates with pornography consumption. This can suggest that there might be someone better around the corner, preventing people from investing more in developing that real relationship. College-aged male students have difficulty functioning in society as the level of porn viewing increases. A study of Korean men in their 20s showed that they preferred using pornography to obtain and maintain sexual arousal rather than having sex with a partner (The Reward Foundation). This can then lead to other mental problems for the partner, such as feeling rejected and feeling unworthy of the partner's time when it comes to their sexual relationship. Despite these risks that may be involved in exposure to pornography, there are several benefits to being involved in or consuming pornography. Exploring pornography is a creative way for partnered or sexually active men and women to learn and explore new things and test them to spice things up and allows them to figure out what works for them by as an individual. Anna Pulley's 2017 article, 9 Surprising Reasons Why You Should Watch Porn, states that "porn is one of the ways we learn about ourselves, our desires, our hard-ons, our erections, what delights us and what disgusts us. ". Pornography can be educational for people and allows individuals to explore and feel comfortable in seeking new forms of safe sex, especially women whose sexual expression during history has been systematically discouraged. Pornography can give someone “the confidence to experiment with sexual behaviors they have never tried before” (Weinberg, Williams, Kleiner, Irizarry, 2010). Having such a variety of pornography so easily accessible also allows those who feel like they are the only ones with certain desires to normalize those aspirations and celebrate them. By making these fantasies advertised and accessible, it shows those who have these needs that “the desires are legitimate” and that even if some are not as popular as others, “they exist” (Pulley, 2017). For so long, women were labeled as nymphomaniacs for expressing themselves in sexual ways. However, as the porn industry grew, a generational shift gave rise to a third wave of feminism, in which "female sexuality is reinterpreted as a means." of self-definition and expression. This change had introduced a “method of female empowerment” and the fact that “women are free to express their sexuality” (Weinberg, Williams, Kleiner, Irizarry, 2010). With women being freer to express their sexuality, Bale says that in interviews she conducted with high school students, "none of the young women brought up the issue of feeling pressured to be sexy" (Bale, Raunch or Romance?, 2011). This can show us that by feeling comfortable in their sexuality and sexual behaviors, young women have more and more confidence in themselves../