Over the past several years, the public discussion on pornography has undergone a distinct shift. Criticizing pornography or advocating restrictions was once considered the purview of prudes, but that has changed. Porn-inspired sexual violence is now so normal that nearly a quarter of adult American women have
reported
feeling fear during intimacy as a result of porn; according to a recent U.K.
report
, “nearly half of all girls aged 16 to 21 say they’ve had a partner expect sex to involve physical aggression such as slapping and choking.” Major publications regularly publish grim prognoses of porn’s impact on relationships, childhood, and society at large. Indeed, even celebrities—usually reliable advocates of every aspect of the sexual revolution—have become some of the most vocal voices speaking out against pornography.
This is not because celebs possess any keen moral insights—it is because the impact of pornography has become so obvious it is now impossible to ignore. Comedian Grace Campbell, famous for her “sex-positive” schtick, said as much on her latest stand-up tour. “Men think I like being choked,” she
told The Times
. “There have been many times during sex that someone’s choked me without asking and I’m like, ‘No, I’m scared, I don’t like that.’ The reality is [my friends and I] have all been in situations where we’re worried they won’t stop.” When asked where this trend originated, she was blunt: “It is definitely porn.”