Conservative Group's Plan to Criminalize Porn Is Part of Campaign to End All 'Recreational Sex'

Conservative Group's Plan to Criminalize Porn Is Part of Campaign to End All 'Recreational Sex'

WASHINGTON — A 2023 X post by the Heritage Foundation, in which the influential conservative think tank called for an end to “recreational sex,” has resurfaced in the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court’s recent ruling that frozen embryos are legally children.

The May 2023 post states, “Conservatives have to lead the way in restoring sex to its true purpose, & ending recreational sex & senseless use of birth control pills.”

The original post included a C-SPAN clip from a Heritage Foundation panel, in which author Mary Harrington promotes what she calls “a feminist movement against the pill” in order to help return “consequentiality” to sex.

The Heritage Foundation has been scouting personnel for a potential upcoming Republican administration. The group’s resurfaced post sparked outcry from critics and support from conservatives.

Earlier this month, FSC Director of Public Affairs Mike Stabile flagged the 2023 post, replying, “It’s not just abortion, trans healthcare or porn. One of the most influential conservative groups in the country is now calling for the government to ‘end recreational sex.’”

Leading conservative culture-war crusader Christopher Rufo defended the 2023 statement, posting, “‘Recreational sex’ is a large part of the reason we have so many single-mother households, which drives poverty, crime, and dysfunction. The point of sex is to create children — this is natural, normal, and good.”

The term “recreational sex” originates in religious — particularly Catholic — discourse that considers the sole purpose of sex to be procreation. The mainstreaming among conservatives of a war on “recreational sex” parallels a current effort to revive enforcement of the infamous 19th-century censorship Comstock Act in order to restrict access to abortion medication, birth control and contraception, as Rolling Stone reported.

As XBIZ reported, the Heritage Foundation leads “Project 2025,” a coalition of conservative organizations whose road map for the next Republican presidential administration includes a call to immediately outlaw all pornography and imprison people who produce and distribute it.

Project 2025’s “Mandate for Leadership” blueprint, including the call to criminalize all adult content, was first reported on by Brynn Tannehill in an August 2023 feature for Dame magazine.

In the piece, Tannehill quotes the introduction to the conservative policy road map, which declares that pornography “has no claim to First Amendment protection” and states, “Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned. Educators and public librarians who purvey it should be classed as registered sex offenders. And telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread should be shuttered.”

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 News

Chaturbate Announces 2025 Music Contest Winners

Chaturbate has revealed the winners of its 2025 music competition.

2026 XBIZ Exec Awards Pre-Noms Open With Debut of New 'Impact' Honors

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the pre-nomination period for the 2026 XBIZ Exec Awards, the adult industry’s premier career honor, begins today and runs through Oct. 14.

MYM Launches New Traffic System

German creator platform MYM has launched a new traffic system for its members.

Ukrainian Content Creators on Hook for Nearly $10M in Back Taxes

Content creators in Ukraine owe the equivalent of $9.3 million in back taxes, according to the country's State Tax Service.

European Patent Office Board of Appeals Revokes EIS GmbH Patent

The European Patent Office (EPO) Board of Appeals last week ruled in favor of pleasure brand LELO in the company's ongoing dispute with Satisfyer parent company EIS GmbH.

Eroutique Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Eroutique has relaunched its official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Update: Pornhub Will Not Block Ohio, Despite AV Law

Pornhub parent company Aylo will not block access to its websites in Ohio, despite new state age verification rules that came into effect Sept. 30.

Pineapple Support, Pornhub to Host 'ADHD-Friendly' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Pornhub are hosting a free online support group for performers with ADHD.

Judge Dismisses Some Claims in 'Children of Pornhub' Trafficking Suit

A United States district judge on Friday dismissed some but not all claims against Aylo in a long-running case involving CSAM allegations featured in the influential 2020 New York Times article “The Children of Pornhub.”

FSC Sets Key Dates, Qualifiers for December Board of Directors Election

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) today announced key dates and qualifiers for its upcoming Board of Directors election.

Show More