I just had an awful thought... (Katrina survivors and porn sites)

[derby378]

In devastation, there is opportunity. - Carlton Brown, commodities trader

I have a terrible feeling that within a month, we're going to start hearing about porn sites that advertise the sexual talents and appetites of "desperate New Orleans refugees" - female survivors of Katrina who are in such dire financial straits that they'll gladly accept cash from some opportunistic slimeball for a 10-minute floor show in front of a webcam.

Not that I'm knocking human sexuality, mind you - and it's not intended as a slam on the porn industry as a whole. But as long as some folks are exploring conspiracy theories surrounding Katrina, I just thought I'd better raise the red flag on this one and hope it's nothing more than psychological white noise arising from the devastation on the Gulf Coast.

[mongo]

1. Great. Lets make up some total conjecture about the adult industry

I mean, any chance to slam it is good, right? Even if you have to make it all up...

But, whatever we do, let's NOT talk about this - which are real stories:

(links are not work friendly)

Adult Companies Join Hurricane Relief Effort
By: Dan Miller
Posted: 3:32 pm PDT 9-1-2005

CHATSWORTH, Calif. - Several adult companies joined the Hurricane Katrina relief effort today, and one of them, Angel Pictures International, challenged others to do the same.

Angel Pictures, Shane’s World, DNA, Extreme Associates, Evolution Erotica and D&E Productions all indicated they were sending funds to the American Red Cross to help the victims of the deadly hurricane that has affected hundreds of thousands of people in New Orleans and Mississippi. Dane Productions, along with Joe Friday, began a canned food drive on Wednesday.

<snip>

Shane’s World Studios, best known for their college party videos, said that all sign-ups to shanesworld.com made over the Labor Day weekend will be donated to the Red Cross. Every penny of the $24.95 join will go to the relief.

<snip>

WEGcash is matching the individual donations made, up to $40,000. Jettis donated $10,000 and Epassporte is waiving transaction fees on Epassporte.

http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=238439

In the interest of time and space, let me just post some links to other stories - and I only went back to 9/2

Disaster Relief Intensifies
http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=238472

Katrina Aid Continues
http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=238595

Porn Party Fundraiser Set for Saturday
http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=238835

Gay Site Battling PayPal Over Freezing Katrina Donations
http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=238834

So, again let me thank you so much for making up a bunch of BS about the industry instead of looking around to see what they actually might be doing.

[mongo]

2. One more thing

I have no doubt that some asshole will take advantage of this - especially in the online portion of the industry. Most likely using a teaser like you described and some pics and video that was shot months before Katrina hit.

But really, why post this in the first place? You say you're not slamming the industry, but what other purpose can a post like yours serve?

On edit: You know, Lowes jacks the price of plywood through the roof before a huricane hits, but I don't see anyone condemming the home improvement retail industry as a whole - wonder why?

[derby378]

3. You're right; I'm NOT slamming the adult film industry...

...but after the exploitation of some of the youngest tsunami victims in southeast Asia last year, let's just say I'm growing increasingly weary and suspicious at the same time.

It ain't Vivid or Adam & Eve, I'm targeting - it's the freelancer with no soul and mad cash.

Thanks for posting the links. It's good to know all these folks are involved in the relief effort.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[khashka]

4. Having worked in the industry

That stuff is nearly always faked.

But people do get aroused seeing people (supposedly) do stuff out of desperation. It's a domination/humiliation thing. And I'm afraid human sexuality works that way sometimes.

People eroticize that which scares them. It's a way of coping with fear and it's well documented. Disasters are scary beyond belief so people eroticize them. Desperation? Helplessness? The willingness to do anything because the situation is so bad? We turn it into a turn on to be able to deal with it.

Look at the history of interracial sex in porn - after the sixties (when blacks began to take some power, to act out - the Panthers, the Watts riots) interracial sex became a big seller. White people began to fear blacks, rather than just feel contempt for them - and it changed the sexual landscape.

Same deal with the increase in incest porn during the child molestation witch hunts of the eighties.

Or gay male sex and imagery in straight porn during the eighties - we were getting some political rights and we were all plague carriers. We were scary!

How about Israel's Holocaust porn market? Quite lucrative!

Everyone separates sexuality from everything else - but it's not! And consciously or unconsciously, we all use it as a way to cope. Honestly or dishonestly.


As for the sex industry - yeah, I've worked with a few slimeballs. But mostly they were progressive, committed people - first ammendment rights, abortion rights, feminism, AIDS activism, charity work.

Khash.