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The Words We Use Matter

It wasn’t that long ago that journalists and news outlets would use the words, Revenge Porn or Child Porn to describe sexually-explicit images and videos of victims who had never consented to the recording or distribution of the material. These terms were called out by the victims of these crimes and by the porn industry for not being porn.

While the definition of porn can include pictures and images, nowadays it generally refers to video of consenting adults engaging in sexual activity and/or masturbation. An adult who has not consented to being recorded while engaging in sexual activity is not making porn, they are a victim of Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA). A child cannot consent to sexual activity therefore a child can never make porn. They are a victim of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

This distinction is important because the words we use matter. It matters to the victims of IBSA and CSAM as well as to the adults who are consenting to making porn.

Why is it called a Sex Toy?

A mom of a 6 year-old sent me this picture after her 6 year-old asked her, “what’s a sex toy?” While she was thinking of how to respond, her 6 year-old then said, “can I get a sex toy?”