I Really Shouldn’t Have To Say This…
I don’t have a problem with porn. I really don’t. Well, sure I have a problem with the objectification of others, but assuming the participants are willing, as are the viewers, it’s not my business. Sure, I don’t find porn appealing, personally. In fact, I find it downright repulsive. That’s enough reason for me not to look at it, but damned if I’ll tell another grown adult what they can and can not privately enjoy.
Earlier, on a childfree forum, a poster complained about her partner enjoying porn. It didn’t appear to be having an impact on the relationship, or to be a case of addiction, yet the poster demanded her partner cease viewing porn or she’d leave. I told her to grow up and stop inventing problems.
Coincidentally, on Twitter today, while doing a search on the word “childfree” I came across the tweet of one nasty individual. The tweet itself was fine, and only came to my attention because it contained the word “childfree.” It was the avatar that was the problem – a neck-down shot of a woman in her panties with her breasts fully exposed and flopped over something white worn around the waist. The user, it turns out, frequently posts pornographic images of herself. On her bio, she writes:
I post pics & write dirty little stories fantasy and real life adventures! Check out my blog for a taste….Oh and I’m funny too! NSFW 18+
So, the image is intentionally pornographic.
“You may not use obscene or pornographic images in either your profile picture or user background.” – Twitter Terms of Service
Despite writing NSFW 18+ on her bio (likely referring to her blog,) she cares little for who she exposes herself to on twitter. Really, if you’re going to blatantly violate Twitter’s rules on pornographic images, you could at least make your tweets private so innocent people (who may be at work or under 18) who happen do do a search on the word childfree aren’t forced to see such images against their will. This is really little different from men who flash their penises at strangers on the street.
Naturally, I reported her. Apparently, this makes me “crazy,” “uptight,” on a “witch hunt.” She even had the gall to accuse me of harassment, which is ironic considering her anti-social and abusive behavior in exposing herself to others against their will.
Pornography is fine to view or participate in in private. But when it comes to forcing it upon others, that crosses the line. Just as anyone has the freedom to enjoy porn in private, I should have the freedom to not be forced to see it when I don’t want to.
As this person kept tweeting at me, she wrote something monumentally stupid (even in comparison to other things she wrote.)
I’m also sure many a museum would be offended by the statement that a topless woman is pornography.
#$#%$#%#$%#$%#$%#%@%#$%@!!!!
Nude art and pornography are NOT the same thing. Anyone who needs to be told that is a fucking moron.
Not the fucking same.
Note: The picture on the right is not the one the offending person on Twitter posted. This one in an actual model and not just some loser with no life who exposes herself to strangers in inappropriate forums.
To that user, if you want to post porn, do it on a site that allows that and/or on your own site. It is not fair to expose yourself to unsuspecting people.
And no one wants to see your ugly, floppy tits anyway.
I am a friend of Lola’s and after reading your exchange with her, I was intrigued to see what you wrote. Truth be told, I agree with almost everything you said. My twitter account is also adult oriented, but I never post graphic (nude) photos as my avatar, although I do occasionally post them too my feed using a photo upload service that allows them.
I happen to enjoy pornography and I appreciate the fact that even though you don’t, you see the value in not trying to police what consenting adults do behind closed doors.
My only complaint about your post is the comment you made about forcing “it” (porn) upon others and exposing yourself to unsuspecting people. After all, the internet has a plethora of adult oriented sites. I can’t count how many times an innocent google image search has resulted in a photo of something so disgusting I’d wished I could bleach my eyes!
It’s a shame that Lola used a tag word which accidentally lead you to her Twitter account. And hopefully she’s learned her lesson about using an avatar with nudity. However, we all have to take responsibility for ourselves and our children and our use of the internet.
Finally, I just want to make one last suggestion. You really attacked Lola on your TL as well as on this post. Not saying she didn’t deserve it; she was equally nasty in her remarks to you. But I can’t help but wonder if this entire incident could have been avoided if you’d sent her a friendly message or tweet about how her photo made you feel, and reminded her that children have access to Twitter and it’s probably best to keep avatars to a PG-13 setting.
Just my two cents.
sg
Thanks for the comment. I admit that I got irritated, especially as her fans joined in. I do not consider this post to be an attack on her. If I wanted to attack her here, I’d use her real name. Actually, the post is only tangentially about her. Her ridiculousness only serves as background information. My real prompt was the moronic comparison between art one might find in a museum and some armature taking lewd photos of herself. As an art student, that nonsense possed me right the fuck off.
It’s not like I’m on some kind of campaign to cleanse the internet of porn sites. I am aware that “adult” sites exist. Twitter, however is not such a site. As porn is disallowed on Twitter, it’s reasonable to expect the be able to use the site without suddenly finding a stranger’s breast in your face.
I was, I believe, very reasonable in my initial tweet, explaining the problem. If she’d admitted and corrected her mistake, there wouldn’t have been such a massive bitch-fest to ensue. Instead, she made excuses and accusations and my patience failed.
In general, I avoid using children as an excuse for anything. I certainly didn’t go to Twitter to view porn. I didn’t want to see it. And my right to not be an unwilling viewer is no less important than that of any other person, regardless of age.