Erotica or Pornography? Does It Matter?

I was asked how often I post “porn.” I am glad and grateful this question came up. And, while this post is not directed at that specific comment, it does give me a chance to address what may be a concern of others.

First, I don’t care for the word porn, it is a simplified monosyllabic word, often, not always nor soley, shouted in derision by monotheistic indoctrinated cult followers, beholden to some archaic puritanical doctrine, pathetically following a repressed monogamistic life, used to demonstrate some type of pseudo moral superiority.

Second, and most importantly, I don’t consider what I write to be pornography.

Pornography’s primary purpose is to titillate, to heighten sexual arousal, ultimately to give people assistance in touching themselves, or another, in such a way as to elicit orgasm. While my erotic writing may in fact cause this outcome, that is not the primary purpose.

The primary purpose of what I write, in any genre, is always the same — to tell a good story. I use explicit sex to tell some stories, because it is, to me, plain and simple, the best way to tell that story. It is a vehicle to confront certain societal norms, and if you read the subtext — to challenge hypocritical authority figures and institutions.

If you are shocked by it, that is not a bad thing, I won’t deny that is part of my intent. I refuse to bow to convention just because someone deems a story — offensive. There are genuine issues to be offended by, not the least of which are — sexism, discrimination, war, genocide, famine and poverty.

If you fear living a life of consensual, unbridled, sexual exploration and growth, never to embrace the wild, so be it.

If you must be a self-righteous individual, unable to see past some puritanical value system, so be it.

If you have a problem with the term “erotica” or “adult” to describe my writing, so be it.

I am proud of the stories I write. I know why I write, and for whom I write. If you can’t cope with what I write, simply don’t read it.

Pornography, erotica, adult entertainment — whichever label you may require, and with which one you are most comfortable, can be an art form. If used to tell a good story, open eyes, or change convention — it can be an effective art form.

To see the light, we must enter the darkness.