While the world devotes billions of dollars to the porn industry every year, some people get their kicks protesting rather than perusing. Who can hate porn so much, and why, when so many of us love it?

Shelley Lubben is famous (or infamous) first for her involvement in the adult industry, and later for her protest against everyone’s favorite pastime. Prostitution, abuse, drugs, alcohol, attempted suicide – poor Shelley has confronted it all, and “from the grace of God” she managed to survive, though she’s now kicking and screaming against the industry as a whole.

According to her website, Shelley went to church and watched a lot of television as a child. She was sexually active earlier than most, and was also sexually abused. Perhaps it’s because of this that Shelley admittedly confused sex with love most of her life. Combined with a strained relationship with her parents and an affair with drugs and alcohol, it seems as if life gave Shelley all the wrong paths that lead her to the worst of all possible outcomes.

Sex is natural and beautiful, and it’s a tragedy when this gift is violated. Where others blossom and shine in their sexuality, others are confronted with manipulation and pain. But just because some people have bad experiences (and yes, the adult industry, like any work force, can be a scary place) it doesn’t mean that Shelley’s story is every girl (or boy’s!) story. Not every adult actor or actress is a drug addict or an alcoholic. They aren’t all prostitutes and I’m sure some of them were loved very much as children.

Shelley herself admits that she was “pretty incapable of making rational decisions.” Forced into a corner to take drugs and alcohol to tolerate hardcore scenes, what about the girls who are capable of making rational decisions? What about the ones who actually really like sex and performing? What about the ones who have the option to do the rougher stuff but make the informed decision against it?

Combined with “Bipolar Disorder, Impulse Control Disorder, Depressive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, all tragic mental illnesses that would affect anyone’s cognitive and decision making abilities, it’s obvious that Shelley suffered through a personal hell and it’s a great triumph of human will that she was able to overcome her demons. And yet, these conditions are not the norm of the adult industry. It’s unfortunate that some people are handed a rotten piece of fruit and they find themselves in scary and dangerous situations, but the whole industry is not to be blamed for the dreadful experiences of only a people.

When it comes to any other job or profession, one must be capable of making rational decisions. That’s what being a functioning human being is all about. Why should porn be any different? It’s the adult entertainment industry because, come on, we’re all adults here. Sure, alcoholism and drugs exist, and that’s a tragedy, but alcoholism and drug abuse exist everywhere, on all walks of life, in every profession.

Where is the Coalition Against Poor and Uneducated Fast Food Workers? Where is the Organization Against Overworked Doctors? Where is the Group of Underpaid and Overworked School Teachers?

STDs and HIV just aren’t a high risk among porn actors and actresses. Anyone who has sex ever is at risk. And while the industry doesn’t enforce condom usage, it’s our responsibility as consumers to demand safe sexual practices in our adult entertainment.

Some companies produce beautiful pieces of erotic art and even include disclaimers before the sex even begins. NinnWorx_SR includes their own public relations statement in every film they produce. “We hope that you find the following feature an enjoyable stimulation to your adult practice of safe sex.”

After all, safe, sane and consensual sex among mature adults is really, really hot.

Avert.org (Averting HIV and AIDS) reports from the CDC that male-to-male sexual contact is still one of the riskiest ways to contract HIV in the United States, with high-risk heterosexual behavior and intravenous drug use almost half as risky, and only a few points away from one another.

Let’s be honest. Porn stars aren’t the only ones who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, and they certainly aren’t using all of the US’s intravenous drugs. Shelley reports from Aim-Med that 7% of all porn stars are HIV positive, and while any percent is too much of a percent, it doesn’t mean that everyone involved in the adult industry is infected with HIV, or every other STD for that matter.

Of course being in porn is risky! Any sexual act is risky! But these people aren’t stupid. It’s industry standard to undergo a complete STD testing regiment every month, and any director who is worth their weight in gold won’t dare violate that rule.

I’d have to completely agree with Shelley, however, when she says “get informed!”

Of course! Get informed right now! Reasonable adults make reasonable decisions, and come on, we owe it to ourselves to be informed. If porn makes you uncomfortable, don’t watch it. If you’re in a situation that you know deep down is bad for you, then please respect yourself enough to get out of it. If you like porn and it’s not hurting your life, then please, partake. Know yourself, know your comfort level, and know your limits.

Porn isn’t perfect. It can be sleazy and scary, but don’t let a few shady jerks ruin it for the rest of us. Inform yourself over the risks and dangers of the adult industry, and encourage your favorite studios, directors and stars to engage in safe, sane and consensual behavior. Sure, condoms might not be the most sexy, but you know what’s totally sexy? Not having an STD.

Remind yourself that these men and women are real people. They may be playing out your favorite schoolgirl flogging fantasy, but they’re human beings, and do you really want to see a fellow human being sick and unhappy? Or do you want to see them in next month’s installment of School Girl Flogging Fantasies, smiling and healthy, enjoying the decisions they made and the industry that helps support them?

Sources:

http://www.aim-med.org/

http://www.avert.org

http://www.cdc.gov

http://www.shelleylubben.com/