Pornography

Pornography has always been a taboo subject to the masses

Fun fact! Pornography was the one of the first things to be captured when cameras could handle moving pictures. Which just goes to show that people have always wanted to consume pornography in some shape or form. 

Pornography is a touchy subject because sex is a touchy subject. The reality is, porn will always be a sought after form of media for the majority of the population. With this in mind (and the ever-changing landscape of technology) parents need to be proactive about discussing pornography with their children (pre-teens and teenagers). Hell, I remember being in middle school and happen to hear conversations of the boys beginning to discuss pornography with each other (keep in mind boys were around ages 11-13 here). Yes, porn sites have a "You must be 18+ to enter this site" warning on them but let's be real since there's no ID verification (or anything like that) for most sites, this is very easy to by-pass. As uncomfortable as a subject it is for most parents, healthy and ethical consumption of pornography is a must.

First, let's get a few things out of the way:

• Sexual fantasies are just that, fantasies. Many women report having some kind of sexually violent fantasy (commonly known as "CNC" or "consensual non-consent", the fetish name for this is biastophilia)
• The majority of people consume what we could consider "mild porn" (three-ways, blindfolds, roleplays, ec.) or "moderate porn" (such as any kind of impact play, electrical play, ice play, etc.) in regards to severity. The vast minority of porn consumers (when you consider the total population who consumes pornography) specifically look for porn that society would deem as extremely violent (blowjobs to the point of vomiting, physically hurting someone until their bruises are a grotesque color, etc.). 
• Many porn stars are actually uncomfortable performing "gang rape" scenes, "kidnap rape" scenes, anything involving a gun (fake or real), etc. If they do agree to do these kinds of scenes (and can go through with it all the way until the end) then they get a huge bonus (cash-wise)
• Because pornography budgets are getting smaller and they run on a very tight filming schedule, many performers are forced to be uncomfortable for extended periods of time (some go as far as physically hurting themselves and/or consuming pills to help with 'performance'). For this reason, many are choosing to avoid pornography companies all together (technology has allowed them to safely do this and maintain complete autonomy)
• Sex workers, in general, are known to have very low rates of STDs/STIs

Moderation is key, like most things. Are there unethical and violent pornography out there? Absolutely. I am in no way shape or form stating that all pornography is 'good' or 'healthy'. Don't bother with firewalls because people will find clever ways to get around them (like VPNs). 

If parents are uncomfortable discussing this subject with their children, there are many healthy alternatives:

• YouTube and other video sites! There are channels dedicated to safe sex ed and safe ways to consume pornography
• Look up parenting blogs that are specific to discussing 'adult' material with children ("the sex" talk, pornography consumptions, etc.) 
• Ask Facebook groups! There's tons of parenting groups on Facebook
• Put emphasis on the fact that porn is fantasy. Put emphasis on the fact that these are just actors playing a role. Put emphasis on the fact that actors are often chosen for specific body parts (for example penises on average tend to be larger in porn on average than penises in 'everyday circumstances')

It is important to have no pornography be the "sex education" tool your kids use to learn about sex since again, it is a fantasy. There's plenty of parenting groups, books, and videos about how to teach comprehensive and factually correct sex education. Know that your kid's school "sex education" is likely awful (they often just consist of "this is how pregnant happens" and "here's some scary images of STDs/STIs" and maybe even a graphic video of a someone giving birth).