Utah has never been known as a friend to the pornography industry, and they have managed to prove it yet again.
Back in 2016, the state declared pornography a public health crisis, a rather dangerous decision, considering that the language used to pass it came from theologically conservative Christian advocacy groups, thereby completely disregarding the separation of church and state.
Once again, now in 2020, Utah has made a decision that does not stem from scientific study. Instead, it comes from religious concerns. Utah’s House of Representatives recently voted to pass HB243, which would require a warning label on pornography. The main concern cited in the decision is that the move will help curtail underage viewers seeing adult content.
“There’s probably not a soul in this chamber that doesn’t have some sad story about children getting access to materials they should not have to deal with,” said Representative Steve Waldrip at the time of the decision.
It should be noted that 90 percent of lawmakers in Utah belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which believes that porn is “a tool of the adversary,” meaning that it is a tool of Satan.
Satan (apparently), using tools.
What exactly does this bill do?
HB243 requires a warning label on all printed and digital pornographic material. If it is printed, there must be a cover that clearly displays the label. If it’s online, then a warning label must come at least five seconds before the content begins playing. But what exactly would this label consist of?
The warning label would depend upon the kind of content being put out. Certain terms that are required, like “sexual excitement” (anyone in a state of arousal) or “sexual conduct” (literally any kind of sexual stimulation at all), would, of course, pop up most often. But other terms are more descriptive. For instance, if there’s something like bondage in a video, it would have to be labeled as “sadomasochistic abuse.”
Before the bill was passed, free speech representatives for the adult entertainment industry said they intended to sue the state if it passed the House. No lawsuit has been sent yet, however. Previously, Xhamster was the most vocal protestor. When viewers visited the site, they were met with a warning label, but definitely not the one that Utah intended. This label stated, “porn may lead to decreased stress, increased happiness, and lower rates of teen pregnancy.”
Is Xhamster telling the truth, or is HB243 actually necessary?
The truth? It’s nearly impossible to know. Although there are many publications that print one off studies that say that porn affects mental health, most professionals would agree that a lot more research needs to be done. Much of what is currently out there dates back to before 2000, and many studies focus on those with “porn addiction,” not the average porn viewer. Moreover, some believe that Utah has been dangerous and reckless with their stance on pornography in the past.
When the state declared porn to be a public health crisis, Kimberly M. Nelson PhD, MPH, and Emily F. Rothman ScD noted that “there may be adverse health consequences of pornography use for some, no substantial consequences for the majority, and positive effects for others.” For instance, someone predisposed to sexual violence may experience negative effects upon viewing content with sexual violence. For others, pornography use has helped them overcome intimacy issues. And, as Xhamster noted, the use of pornography as a masturbation aid can help lower unwanted pregnancy stats as more people engage in self gratification instead of turning to quick hookups to get off.
Treating porn like it’s a public health crisis puts a strain on government agencies. With this new bill, companies will have to pay a $2,500 fine for every violation and it will be up to Utah’s government to enforce such a rule, taking funds away from other, perhaps more pressing, issues. But the bill and Utah’s treatment of porn also has the ability to restrict sexual freedoms and further stigmatize viewers, which, overall, could have a far worse effect on mental health.
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JackieMichele is writer and marketer living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has appeared on Yahoo, Food and Wine and the Huffington Post. She’s been an editor, an influencer strategist and ghostwriter, a librarian and a teacher. Follow her Instagram at @jackie_gualtieri and contact her via jackie@ynotcam.com.
Background header image via Marvin Esteve. Other images here and here.
