Miscellaneous Mum talks p**nography

Please, if this subject offends anyone, or riles you up due to your ethical or religious beliefs ---don't read any further. But I know you will. That's cool, but please -- no hate or righteous emails/comments. If you have a bone to pick, write about it on your blog, not mine. Megan asked, "How do you know what a porno movie looks like? :P " I will now answer. The full title of my first degree is a Bachelor of Arts (Cultural Studies and Cultural Policy). I completed a double major, in English and Cultural Studies. The English component was the usual fare; the Cultural Studies part I explain, to those who have no idea what it is, is kind of a cross between sociology and philosophy, with a bit of pop-reference, Andy-Warholness to the side. With more sex, too. Because Cultural Studies, really, is the study of power and because sex, really, is one of the means of aquiring or withholding (depends on who's talking) this power, it was inevitable we were to be exposed to it; all for the greater good of liberal (small 'l') study. So in my "TV, Violence, P**nography, and the State" course we watched certain -tasteful - documentaries about p**nography. We watched Andrea Dworkin go red in the face going on about the violation of women's rights and their exploitation and other liberal (small 'l') commentators avoiding the question of whether p**n was bad or not by saying it really depended on individual's 'perception' of it. One assignment I had to complete was to take a range of p**no magazines, from high-end (Pl*yboy) to middle-level (H*stler) to oh-god-just-how-many-times-can-I-avoid-retching-or-burning-my-eyes-if-I-keep-looking-at-this-page, and examine them....I can't remember exactly what the premise to the essay was now, actually. It was interesting. Dirty, but interesting. The funniest thing about that part of my academic career was Adam's shameless pride in my exploits. "This is Karen," he'd say to his friends, waitresses when we were out on a date, complete strangers on the campus. "She reads Pl*yboy for her university course." I don't think I've seen him that chuffed until after each of his children were born. Or when he's won a four hour plus battle opus on Supreme Commander. What did I learn? That talking about p**n is eminently more interesting than viewing it.... ...for educational purpose at least...