Pornography

The word pornography itself orginates from Greece and literally means the writing about or pictures of "harlots". Porn or porno usually means the representation of sexually explicit words and or pictures designed to arouse sexual stimulation.

Pornography can be found in a wide range of forms of media - written and spoken text, photos, pictures, sculptures, drawings, movie images and sounds. In addition to the usual forms of pornography like dirty magazines and erotic films, and kind of live sexual performance can also be called pornographic.

Pornographic Films
Or "pornos" for short are sexually explicit movies than combine both moving pictures and sounds like heaving breathing. They are usually accompanied by either written or spoken erotic words as well.

Porn flicks are often 3rd rate movies with loose story lines and the main purpose is of course the sexual content.

Hardcore Magazines
Hardcore mags is the collection of erotic photos and usually are accompanied by written erotic text. There are loads of examples and most people are familiar with publications such as "Playboy" and "penthouse" to name a couple.

Quite often these sex mags include stories and pictures which are sent in by the readers of themselves or their partners and there is a big following in the UK for porn mags like readers wives, amateur mags, and all tastes can be and are catered for with some people enjoying publications like chubby chasers, uniform sex mags, bondage mags, and so on all come together to form part of the adult magazine collections.

Pornography was first concerned and related to the writings about prostitutes but quickly became related to anything sexual particulary in reference to anything designed to be sexually stimulating. Pornographic has become associated in general with anything that has low artistic merit, such as the common "hammy" acting associated with pornographic movies etc but its not always as clear cut as this and some people argue that Michaelangleos "David" is pornographic whilst others hail it as a work of art. Pornography it seems, can often be in the eye of the beholder.

Its quite important to make the distinction sometimes between hardcore pornography and softcare pornography and the sex laws associated with different countries establish the difference in sometimes vastly different ways. In general though, softcore pornography often relates to media that displays nudity and sexually suggestive scenes whilst the hardcore pornography usually is more associated with aroused genitilia and showing actual penetration.

Throughout our history the human form has often been discussed or protrayed in sexual ways and lots of our ancient statues and paintings are littered with drawings of people engaged in various sexual activities. In ancient Rome and Greece for example prostitution was a common factor and their history is full of references to the "oldest industry in the world". Nowadays prostitution is frowned upon and not classed as socially acceptable in most countrys.

Most countries allow at least some form of pornography and softcore pornography is usually tame enough to be sold in general stores and (in some countries) to be shown on TV. Hardcore pornography, on the other hand, is usually regulated. Child pornography is illegal almost everywhere and most countries have restrictions on pornography involving violence or animals.