opinion

Porn In The Comfort Zone

Mainstream companies are capitalizing on middle-America's increasing tolerance of sexually-themed, and occasionally explicit, advertising in an effort to sell their products; but does this cultural acceptance hold a danger for the adult industry?

You only have to see the latest television commercial from Victoria's Secret, or any of the overtly suggestive advertisements across all forms of popular media, to realize that an increase in sexually exploitive marketing is underway. What a generation ago was hidden on the back shelf behind a convenience store counter, or in a seedy adult book store on the wrong side of town, is now thrust into our living rooms – and to an extent that many people are no longer shocked by what they see, and indeed, are accepting this softcore smut as 'mainstream' material.

Being Accepting Of It
Like receiving an immunization shot, people are becoming more immune to each dose of adult-themed entertainment that is introduced into their mainstream lives. The more accepted and comfortable this material becomes, the less of a forbidden fruit it will be. In other words, the more you see sex on regular TV, the less interested people will be to purchase it on a Pay Per View channel. The mystery is gone, and just like Walmart snuffing out small businesses, the availability of porn on a daily basis as a channel choice on your television will undoubtedly force us as an industry to find a new level of what's 'forbidden' in order to keep our businesses thriving. But, in doing so, does this create a level of self-sabotage?

Fighting Fire With Fire
If mainstream takes our industry's softcore and makes it theirs, using material on the racier daytime soap operas that would have been censored in years past, then all we have left is to go increasingly hardcore to separate ourselves, and to save our industry. Yet by doing so we endanger ourselves by producing hardcore that is extreme enough to put us behind bars. This can be seen as the same concept as encircling a fire with fire to snuff it out...

Children play games on their video players now that allow them to choose sexy girls to interact with, and in some of these games you can even date in cyberspace, etc. There's really nothing wrong with this, but is it necessary? In other words, did someone just dump the cookies out of the cookie jar, and so now it's ok to eat them? It's not our job to make people comfortable with sexual nudity, it's our job to create its forbidden desire – otherwise the value and interest in it is lost - which all the more makes me suspicious about who's making it their job to make soft porn a 'free-for-all' – and thereby pushing the adult industry to go ever more extreme.

Focusing on the small irritations that have evolved in the porn industry may have side tracked us from focusing on how to better protect all elements that it provides. We have lost sight in what pornography is and its deeper meaning. Pornography, even in its soft form, is the heart of the adult industry, and the more that people are accustomed to seeing it as part of mainstream, the more comfortable and immune they will be to seeing it as part of life. But this comfort may give way to discomfort over the penetration of this material into everyday life.

In the end, a backlash against this perhaps excessive permissiveness may be felt, but even without such a national moral outrage, the danger that many companies will have to put themselves in just to compete may have disturbing repercussions. So the next time you see a sexy ad in a magazine or watch a racy program on television, ask yourself "Is this something that I'm comfortable with my family or my children viewing?" – If it is, then you've come to a place where 'porn' is in your comfort zone – and this can spell trouble for business...

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Staying Compliant With Payment Standards Across Europe and Australia

So, you’ve got your eye on international growth. Smart move. No matter where adult-industry merchants operate, however, one requirement remains consistent: regulatory compliance. This isn’t just a legal checkbox — it’s a critical component of keeping payments flowing and business operations intact.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

How to Avoid Copyright Pitfalls When Using Music in Adult Content

When creating an adult video, bringing your vision to life often means assembling just the right ingredients — including the right music. However, adding music to adult content can raise complex legal and ethical issues.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

New Visa Rules Adult Merchants Need to Know

In December 2024, I shared an update on the upcoming rollout of Visa’s Acquirer Monitoring Program, also known as VAMP. The final version went into effect in June, and enforcement will begin in October. With just a month to go, now is the time to review what’s changing and how to stay compliant.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

Dan Leal Talks Balance, Business and Daily Rituals

“We were in a big field, and I hopped off a little ledge to cut through some grass, and my knee just gave out,” he explains. “I thought it was my calf because I’d torn my calf muscle back in December, but I had an MRI that confirmed a torn ACL.”

Jeff Dana ·
profile

Sarah Illustrates Spins Chill Vibes Into Viral Fame

Lounging in her sunny SoCal backyard in between content shoots, with her hair swept into a no-fuss ponytail and the sun dappling her shoulders, Sarah Illustrates looks every bit the hot mom next door — because, well, she is. The kind of mom who bakes fresh bread on the weekends, juggles dance recitals and baseball games, and delights in life’s simpler joys, like family time and trips to Target.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

WIA Profile: Lainie Speiser

With her fiery red hair and a laugh that practically hugs you, Lainie Speiser is impossible to miss. Having repped some of adult’s biggest stars during her 30-plus years in the business, the veteran publicist is also a treasure trove of tales dating back to the days when print was king and social media not even a glimmer in the industry’s eye.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Fighting Back Against AI-Fueled Fake Takedown Notices

The digital landscape is increasingly being shaped by artificial intelligence, and while AI offers immense potential, it’s also being weaponized. One disturbing trend that directly impacts adult businesses is AI-powered “DMCA takedown services” generating a flood of fraudulent Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Building Seamless Checkout Flows for High-Risk Merchants

For high-risk merchants such as adult businesses, crypto payments are no longer just a backup plan — they’re fast becoming a first choice. More and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and other digital currencies for consumer transactions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upholding Texas’ age verification law in the face of a constitutional challenge and setting a new precedent that bolsters similar laws around the country.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What You Need to Know Before Relocating Your Adult Business Abroad

Over the last several months, a noticeable trend has emerged: several of our U.S.-based merchants have decided to “pick up shop” and relocate to European countries. On the surface, this sounds idyllic. I imagine some of my favorite clients sipping coffee or wine at sidewalk cafés, embracing a slower pace of life.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More