Whose concerns? Young adults discussing (their) concerns with pornography

Abstract

ABSTRACT Concerns regarding pornography have always existed, and perhaps this is nowhere more pronounced than in the contexts of young people’s viewing. Pornography is often framed in binary ways (sexual revelation versus moral turpitude), often by people who do not specialise in pornography, and young people’s experiences are often neglected. Against this backdrop, this article engages with interview and focus group data that sought to explore young adults’ experiences and understandings of pornography. Focusing on the issue of ‘concern’, the emergent themes included the following: concern that pornography is too readily accessible for young people; concern that pornography is addictive; and finally, concern that pornography is unrealistic. Importantly, these findings were largely inflected through a ‘third person’ effect and, in turn, the internalisation of broader prevailing social discourses. The findings also illustrate that attitudes towards pornography are not as clear-cut or binary as some research suggests, with feelings of ambivalence structuring many expressions of concerns and experiences. In this context, the article reflects upon the dis/connections between social attitudes and viewer experiences, and identifies some ways in which better porn literacies can enable more efficacious forms of porn engagement and social discussion.