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First off, I've spent a lot of time at adult conventions and know what kind of people adult webmasters are. You aren't pimps, you aren't Mac Daddies or hardcore- the few that are hardcore are low key about it because they don't have anything to prove. Most of you are computer guys or art school dropouts- most very nice in real life. The guys who fancy themselves pimps are the same Melvins trying to learn Klingon for the next Star Trek convention.
Nothing gets "wuss" branded on your ass faster then forum tough talk. All this "dumb sluts, fuck her, fuck this, I'll fuck her up" is because online is the only place in your life you can talk like that without spending the following hour crawling around on the floor with a paper cup looking for your teeth. Guys tough enough to get away with saying that in real life long since got over the novelty and realized that it's not a terribly useful habit. Get over it, yes this is the Internet. Yes, while safely behind your computer you can talk like Huggy Bear. When the novelty wears off start thinking about whether it's good for business.
In any event, back to the subject at hand. I wrote this with the intention of posting it in the thread this all originated in. I was locked out of the thread and didn't really think most of the posters on GFY would be very receptive to the message. But might as well waste it on them rather then just waste it and let it go unread.
I don't buy most of the desensitization argument (although being publicly threatened by the owner of one of these sites makes you wonder). I think they are repugnant but I also I think there is definitely a place for fish hooking, Max Hardcore and other forms of consensual degradation in the adult industry.
My argument is that the adult industry as a whole should not been seen as embracing it and should make ever effort to distance itself. Couple sites and independent models/amateurs are effectively the hard shell for our industry- they are perfect camera fodder for the TV news magazines and put the best face on our industry. But if they are the hard shell then Max Hardcore and others specializing in degradation are the soft underbelly, they leave us vulnerable to conservative attack and to legislation. They have their place as does everything that is legal and consensual, but whether the industry should be seen as holding them up as "one of us" is another matter.
We have seen this pattern played out many, many times. Back in the day people were not quite as conscience as they could have been about what sites they linked to. KP used to show up in all sorts of places you'd NEVER see it now. What happened? The hammer came down on everyone. The media uses pornography as a synonym for child pornography half the time and in the minds of a lot of people the two are still interrelated.
There used to be a lot more sites playing fast and lose with credit cards. They were "our guys" they made lots of money, and we all got burned.
When you look at recent media coverage of the adult industry there has been a heavy lean towards "the victims". They trot some sad eyed 19 year old out to cry in front of the camera for a few minutes and fill in the rest with fictional statistics.
Now Max Hardcore style, and other consensual degrading content is LEGAL, and I would defend with my denying breath the legality of producing it. But the Adult industry makes for good press- it's got money, Internet and sex. Gives them a chance to show a little flesh in the teaser. Last year when they were talking about Danni etc. that was great. But now they are talking about Max Hardcore, Bum Fights, "I tricked the dumb bitch" sites and other parts of the "reality" niche. Bum Fights wasn't even porn but we were marketing it so we took the hit. They made lots of money sure, didn't do the reputation of our industry much good. They make the money but we all end up footing the bill in the end.
There's a huge difference between defending the legality of these sites, and supporting the type of content or how it is produced. Only an idiot would directly support them or be comfortable with them being held up as representatives of the industry- and increasingly they are. They are the absolutely perfect bait for right wing conservatives- they could not ask for anything better.
There has been a definite growth in "reality" sites with a misogynist slant to them, as the market has gotten more competitive the content has gotten increasingly extreme. Are any of you deluded enough to think that this will go unnoticed and that we will not all eventually pay the piper? Dr. Koop, the former surgeon general (and normally a very bright guy) is already speaking out against the industry for it's treatment of talent. We live in one of the most conservative first world counties. We don't even let 19 year old girls drink, you fishhook one while coming on her face and screaming at her that she's a dumb bitch then you are just asking for the Feds to hand you your ass. If as an industry, you stand up and say "These guys are one of us, it's legal and it makes money so it's okay" then you are just handing them all of our asses.
Get smart guys, as an industry we've all paid too many times for other peoples bad habits. If you want to say "Yeah! Those dumb bitches deserve it" go for it. Just don't be crying all over the boards when the prominence of the niche and the industry support it gets burns us all.
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