"HOT GIRLS WANTED" FILM RAISED MY FEMINIST ANGER

Over the  New Years holidays I had some down time to do nothing but watch films and among the many I watched was HOT GIRLS WANTED, a documentary that came out a few years ago.  I was unprepared with how upset I would feel watching it, learning that there are more hits to pornography sites than all the hits to Google and several other major sites, and most of it is amateur (meaning unpaid) porn that young women, 18-21, have posted themselves, in an attempt to gain popularity, competitively for hits, and to try to launch themselves into the professional porn industry. Much of the porn is degradation and violence against women so the men who like this stuff are clearly too screwed up and should be avoided - if you learn the truth about them in time.  Apparently many men are investing in that. Obviously their hatred of women and sexual perversion (I know - an unpopular word these days) results in wanting to see pretty beautiful women being treated horribly.  

My feminist anger rose. 

I had no idea about some of it. And I thought about all the women friends I've had who started hating dating and hating sex and hating men because they were treated so badly, though not as badly as these women were. 

I reminded myself that MISTRESS MANIFESTO BLOGSPOT is a Woman's Studies site basically and how in college almost no men took a Woman's Studies class.

These turned-pro porn actresses knew in advance what they were going to do, yes. They were offered pay and were paid. Some got sick, tired, disillusioned.  One was lucky enough to end up with a boyfriend who loved her anyway.

There is money in it, but not necessarily money enough for saving for one's future, such as paying for an education to gain a career or to invest for one's old age. The average young woman answers an ad such as on Craig's List and takes a free flight to Florida. It's explained that while Los Angeles, perhaps more specifically The San Fernando Valley - Chatsworth, had been the porn capital, once the law changed and actors had to use protection, Florida has no such laws.  Hello VD, AIDS, unplanned pregnancy?

Parents usually find out in about a month. Neighbors are looking at these porn sites and recognize the woman they graduated high school or went to college with. The small town these women fled for this experience may never allow them to forget it. Is there life after porn?  Since this seems to be a Internet-generational experience, perhaps because it's so common, more yes than no?  Still, I feel sorry for young women who choose this experience which I feel is part of their youth and inexperience, their immaturity but I question, seriously, why anyone would want to trade their self respect and self esteem for money in such a blatant, harsh, and cruel way.  

Where is the love?

The young man who is something of a procurer/agent/middle man and who lets them live with him seems also to have no interest in life other than making money.  I wonder if it's world of sociopaths we're living in.  These "girls" are used up and spit out. 

And so I think love is in short supply. 

If you have it, cherish it. 

Missy