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Porn vs Artistic Nudes.

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California is in talks about passing an anti-revenge porn law. This will make it illegal to post photos of another person without their consent, even if the photos were taken with their consent. One of the primary advocates, Holly Jacobs has been fighting long battles against one of her ex's who posted nude photos of her online after they had broken up. The nude photos in question, from what I have heard / seen are not of a sexual nature however. They are fairly artsy, attractive and tasteful photos which show the beauty of the human body. In no way do they represent a sexual act.

Now I suppose society today still makes many people, both males and females, ashamed of their figures. While I would like to believe that type of effect is in a decline, as more and more people switch to an alternative view on sexual status and away from the more conservative views enforced by the church for many years. Many people are still stuck on old stigmas and insecurities about their body, and just can't get over the fact that we all have skin and that it doesn't have to look like Barbie to be considered beautiful. And if she never agreed for the photos to be put online, and an ex is forcefully placing them online in order to harass her, then yeah, he is in the wrong. But there are other laws which that can fall under.

But why is there a link between nude photos and pornography? Many great artists have accomplished works of art featuring nude figures, and most art classes still employ nude models, even in some more progressive high schools. The nude human body is nothing to be ashamed of, or uncomfortable with.

I have gone nude in nature on a variety of occasions. I have also come across people nude in nature. I have even had a face to face, and pleasant, conversation while hiking one day with an older male gentleman who had been sunbathing nude. The fact he was nude, didn't bother me one bit, nor was I the least bit distracted by it.

So why make such a big fuss over a nude photo posted of you online which is, by all accounts, a fairly decent photo? I could see if the photo showed someone being DP'ed or any strange sexual acts or something, but a basic nude photos with artistic qualities? To me, that is not porn.

Roadwolf's old seductive photo from uer.ca


Most of my nude photos are specifically taken to be purely nude, and not of a sexual nature. There are a few kicking around the internet of myself. The most public (pictured above) being a non-revealing nude photo taken when I was in my early 20's, and posted on uer.ca for the Sexiest Male Explorer contest.

I have no qualms about these photos taken in good taste being online. However I have had photos taken during sexual acts, which I do not feel are quite tasteful for online use, so I do keep them offline mostly. But where will this line in the sand be drawn between porn and artistic nude? Do you have to be an attractive cover girl model to have an artistic nude? Or could a hairy, and fat guy like myself pose nude, in a non sexual (read non-erect) manner, and would that still be considered art? Or would that just be considered creepy?

I still have some old porn and nude artistic photos from some of my ex's. Now I am not the type of person who would post the porn without the permission of my ex, however the artistic nude photo which was taken with consent, I have shared in a non-internet setting as it is a good photo and really captures her body well. Does this make me evil? I am not doing it to harm her reputation. In fact I am complimenting her. Nor do the people who I have shown the photo to, even know who she is or how to contact her. Would this be illegal under the new law? Would I be a criminal?

I always seem to get the sense that my views on human sexuality and behaviour in general are a bit off kilter from those of the rest of society. Perhaps this is because for the last 10 year I have avoided brainwashing by mass media / televison. I even avoid most websites, sticking to websites within my own social circle. So because of this isolation, perhaps I have a skewed viewpoint on human sexuality. But I don't think it is an unhealthy one, do you? WE are all human, why be ashamed of who we are?


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