Just an Excuse for a Mass Debate? (Erotic Category)

Name: marandina

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Product:	Erotic Category
Date:	20/01/06 (143 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Freedom

Disadvantages: Censorship

It’s funny really but this category was a hot topic a few years ago. If memory serves me correctly (and remember I’m nearly 41 and have a memory like a cabbage-strewn sieve) then the other European Dooyoo sites had their own erotic categories but the UK site didn’t. And so we started a Mrs Merton-like heated debate on the subject. These days the category seems to have been hijacked by a questionnaire designed to probe the inner sanctum of readers’ sexual tendencies. Forgive me if I don’t follow the questionnaire format. It’s not that I’m being uncommunityish but I just wanted to go beyond the boundaries of that particular set of questions. So again, forgive me if you are the designer of the said questionnaire or were looking for a pattern of answers that revealed my most lurid sexual fantasies, whether I use a condom or how often I use a sexual aid or toy.

I couldn’t help but go all bookworm and look up the definition of “erotica” and it read “A tastefully written sexual story or sexually oriented material that is not considered "pornographic" to the viewer.” Further definitions included “Tasteful fan fiction which involves characters in sexual situations or a sexual story written to excite the reader.” So to start with there seemed to be a clear distinction between erotica and pornography although one definition of the term or reference “pornography” reads “Any sexually explicit writing and/or picture intended to arouse sexual desire.” So it’s the degree of sophistication and class that differentiates the two and I’ve read that it was the Victorian era that really exploded the concept of erotica and brought this kind of material to the masses. Did you know that Bram Stoker’s book “Dracula” was considered to be erotica in its day? Oh, you knew that already. Well I thought it was worth mentioning (bah, smart alecs)

Like any definitions, there will be times when the two concepts overlap. After all, one person’s erotica will be another person’s pornography. The issue at stake was originally as to whether allow this kind of material onto dear old Dooyoo’s portals or to continue the brave world of consumer reviews and Speaker’s Corner without it. Ultimately, in a land of free speech and democracy there can only be one logical answer. That answer simply has to be yes. After all, as readers and writers we do have a choice as to whether we read something or not. If we choose to say no then we would be entering the world of censorship and that doesn’t go hand in hand with our own liberal notion of citizenship and liberty. Herein lies a whole new argument. Censorship has changed radically over the last few decades. For movie buffs, you’ll remember the time when movies like “The Exorcist” and “A Clockwork Orange” were banned from cinemas. The former was deemed to cause traumatic effects in teenage girls whilst the latter suffered from copycat violence and so the director himself – Stanley Kubrik – asked that the movie not be shown any more. These days, feelings have changed and both have been shown again in cinemas although the underlying issues have never really gone away. The degree to which sex is depicted in movies has come on leaps and bounds too with full frontal shots of both males and females almost routine in the movies of today.

The biggest argument for not allowing such a category and, thus, imposing a form of censorship is the lack of control over minors reading such material. Of course, I’m thinking more under-18 than dusty pit workers from Huddersfield (although many from t’pit may be unsuitable to view such material anyway). If that’s the case then censorship has to be controlled. The movies use age certification to control the viewing age of cinema-goers but the Internet throws up a whole new problem. Tap in a Google search for “sex” and your young son or daughter will be taken to the very darkest corners of the Web. You could apply the Parental filters that some ISPs offer but you can’t help thinking that if a child wants to find something badly enough then he or she will find a way eventually. Then again, that hardly abdicates a parent’s responsibility to at least make a valid attempt to deny a child that which they are not entitled due to age restrictions until the appropriate time comes. Of course, when that time is nigh then a whole new debate opens up for the parent in acceding to a child’s valid request to do what the law entitles them to do. That might be drinking, smoking, having sexual relations with someone or viewing pornography. For the prudish or just plain over-protective then it might be a question of letting go. Whichever way you go, it’s a learning experience for all concerned.

I suppose the whole debate shines a light on our general attitude towards sex. For the majority, we are skittish and just struggle with the notion of taking such matters seriously. Comedians have thrived on knob jokes for years based on our collective immaturity. In this, I can hardly profess to be a saint myself. The temptation when you write a piece like this is to slip in as many sexually-orientated gags as you can but I’m sure that those who know me by now will know I’m above such cheap shots *cough*. I'm sure you realise that I like to be up front and try not to come from behind. I mean, I like to take head....erm...no, no that's not right either. No...erm....I mean I like to take heed of such risks and not fall into the trap of firing off the equivalent of Carry On type gags that would reduce me to the level of an “Ooh Matron” kind of character. After all, why on Earth would you want to know about my dream that includes a well-endowed blonde lady, a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream and a subscription to Uncle Ted’s Riding School for the Infirm? Needless to say, the truth is you would love to know all about my own views on sex, pornography and the more genteel world of erotica but a gentleman never tells and, although I’m hardly a gent, I won’t be telling either *grin* (for more details send me a cheque for £25 to my e-mail addy and I’ll tell you eeeeeverything).

There you have it. Ultimately, there is no real case against having a category for erotica on Dooyoo with the proviso that you apply your parental duty in a conscientious manner and make sure that your children don’t have it too easy when it comes to unsuitable material. Right, I’m off to play the Evil Dead PS2 game (certificate 18) I bought for me and my son and you have a great weekend, y’hear?

Mara.

Summary: My thoughts