Repost: Nightline Porn Debate At Yale, Part 1
In 2008, Yale hosted a porn debate as part of its activities for Yale Sex Week.
The panel at the Yale debate comprised four members: Craig Gross of XXX Church, Donny Pauling, Ron Jeremy and Monique Alexander. Gross and Pauling, a former producer in the industry, took the position that pornography is harmful. Jeremy, a star in the business for more than 30 years, and Alexander, a current star, contended _ unsurprisingly _ that pornography is good.
My initial reaction was that the debate was pleasantly non-confrontational and nobody got bombastic. The tenor of the discussion was refreshing in a era where so much “discussion” is merely ranting and raving.
i thought Gross and Pauling did a decent job making their points, but i feel that there is nothing to be gained by arguing against fantasy in general, as Gross did. As a genre of entertainment, fantasy has great value, and Jeremy actually made a good point to that effect. Gross should have stuck to the argument that pornography is a lie because of what it communicates about sex. When Gross did argue that point, he did so eloquently.
Likewise, while both Gross and Pauling mentioned the shattered lives of women they know who have been devastated by life in the pornography industry, it is futile trying to pit that reality against Jeremy’s contention that for every “girl” who is a wreck because of pornography, he can name many others whose lives are great.
Jeremy and Alexander often didn’t really answer the questions which were put to them by the moderator, as well as those of the crowd in attendance. A crowd which, it seemed to me, was generally more supportive of the argument that pornography is good.
They also betrayed themselves somewhat in the debate. When they were asked directly wether they would encourage other women to get into the industry _ specifically with reference to Jeremy’s daughter _ both Jeremy and Alexander fudged. Jeremy didn’t really answer the question, but eventually, when pressed, said it would be OK. Alexander really didn’t say anything and her body language indicated she was uncomfortable.
When Alexander was asked about how her family feels about her acting in porn movies, she gave a half answer and, interestingly, mentioned in an aside that she doesn’t talk to her father.
i think the hypocrisy lies here: if porn is the good thing that Jeremy and Alexander claim it is, then they should be saying: “Yes, i would encourage any woman i know to enter this business because you can be very successful, make lots of money and have a great time doing it.”
Intentional Warriors 
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