Stigma and the Shaping of the Pornography Industry

‘Extreme’ porn? The implications of a label

“…The latter assessment is powerful insofar as the discourse regarding pornography is shaped (and perhaps even driven) by those who seek to disparage porn. Although porn has seemingly become more acceptable and influential within mainstream culture, the "social stigma around porn use" lingers (McNair, 2012: 3 and 82), and such stigma also fundamentally shapes the porn industry (Voss, 2015). Pornography's appeal is tied into these negative connotations to some extent.…”

Doing the naughty or having it done to you? Agent roles in erotic writing

“…As obscenity laws restricting their public dissemination were progressively lifted over the 20 th century, explicit representations of sexual activity have become staples of a range of media forms, from print to photography, film and animation (Paasonen 2007, 44). Not only is pornographic production itself a multi-million dollar industry (Voss 2015), but the influence of its aesthetics and conventions is increasingly apparent in everyday life, from the self-representations of dating site users to the content of magazine advice columns and online forums (Nikunen et al 2007).…”

Sexual Nature? (Re)presenting Sexuality and Science in the Museum

“…The overall effect was one of discretion, taste and luxury: by creating such an atmosphere, the exhibition drew upon, and constructed, ideas about class, taste and (hetero)sexuality. This atmosphere helped to neutralise the potentially offensive material within the exhibition and legitimise the appearance of sex in the respectable, family-oriented setting of the NHM, using very similar tactics to those observed in other media, commercial and cultural settings (Comella, 2009;Sender, 2003;Voss, 2015). Throughout the exhibition, Sexual Nature presented the idea that there are continuities between humans and other animals, whilst simultaneously reinforcing ideas of human exceptionalism and difference (Haraway, 2007).…”

“…Historically, organisations which engage in forms of sexualised commerce as their core product are often heavily stigmatised, and must employ management techniques to overcome this spoiled identity (Voss, 2015), which may involve appeals to taste (Comella, 2009). Considerations around sexuality-and especially commercial sexuality-are also heavily conditioned by notions of taste and class.…”