Exposing The Harms Of The Global Porn Industry & Protecting Our Children – Big Porn Review & Giveaway
Posted by Tara Force •
February 15, 2013 •
Book reviews ,Protecting Childhood ,Sexualisation of childhood •
7 Comments
Yes, this is a blog with the words ‘porn’ and ‘giveaway’ in the same sentence.
“Big Porn” is a fantastic book written by Melinda Tankard Reist and Abigail Bray. It is a confronting and challenging resource that documents research into the impact of the porn industry not only on adults, but also children. For those who enjoy a heavier, academic read – then you will enjoy this book.
As a mum, I’ve become increasingly aware of the ‘pornification’ of our popular culture. The whole idea of the yummy mummy (and the MILF term) turns my stomach. Even once we become a mother we are still faced with the same pressure to remain sexy for the viewing pleasure of the general public. It seems that no matter what we do or whatever stage of life we’re at – we have to remain ‘sexy’ for men, like our worth will always be connected to our sexual attractiveness. Even Carrie Bickmore recently commented on the 7pm Project that a man tried to hit on her once while she was breastfeeding her son!
And what about children? Sexualised clothing, video clips and playboy bunny merchandise marketed to our children are just the tip of the ice-berg. These may seem like small things but it reflects the ‘grooming’ process of the porn industry that starts while our children are young and escalates as they grow.
Although enjoy is probably not the right word, I enjoyed learning more about pervasiveness of porn culture throughout popular culture and am more determined than ever to protect my children from this revolting industry.
“Big Porn” contains some often times heartbreaking truths that we all need need to know – especially as parents.
Studies show that children are being exposed to pornography at increasingly younger ages. It’s just so easy to access in the click of a button and it’s addictive! It draws kids in! The effects of this exposure are far reaching. As parents, we must educate ourselves so that we understand how this harms our children so that we become vigilant in protecting them from this early exposure.
Porn is actually being encoded into a boy’s sexual identity so that an authentic sexuality – one that develops organically out of life’s experiences, one’s peer group, personality traits, family and community affiliations – is replaced by a generic porn sexuality limited in creativity and lacking in any sense of love, respect or connection to another human being
- Gail Dines (author of Pornland: How Porn has hijacked our sexuality)
I don’t want my boys growing up thinking of women as objects for their sexual pleasure. I want them to grow up with a healthy sexuality and this is one area where I can’t just close my eyes and hope for the best. I have to be vigilant in educating and protecting them and that starts with educating myself!
So, I’m giving away 1 copy of Big Porn.
Tags: big porn, book, Melinda Tankard Reist, parenting, porn culture, protecting children
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It has become very mainstream and i wonder if thats doing damage to the way women are peceived by men.
Thanks for you post and bring this book to my attention. I would love for my children’s father to read it, he understands some of this ‘pornification’ but just doesn’t get how deeps it runs.
Mellie Jane, most definetly – I especially feel for young men as they are growing up exposed to these messages. They are learning to see women as objects for their sexual fulfillment not as future wives and companions.
Tanya, I hear what your’e saying. Most people believe its harmless and a bit of fun…not when you read this book!!! This book shows how closely connected porn is to sexual abuse, rape, violence, paedophlia etc…..porn isn’t just a nudey picture in a magazine anymore it’s pretty horrific.
I would love for my partner to read this book, as although he is aware of the growing exposure of children to sex and the sex industry, he is dismissive of the idea that it can be harmful to them in any meaningful way.
I would love this book. I am about to become a mother and I do not want my children growing up and believing that sexual objectification is in any way appropriate.
This book is excellent and sobering. I already own a copy, but would like to donate it to the local library if I win it. People need to be educated about the depth and the far reaching consequences of a pornified culture, not only on females and children in general, but the damaging effect to males and healthy sexuality and how it feeds sex trafficking globally.
Thanks for your great post. I’m a parent of both pre-teen girls and boys and I’m so frustrated with the clothing, music, role models etc being peddled to my children, and being labeled as over-protective when I complain about it or restrict my children’s access to its influence. I love that people like MKR are taking a very public stand.