In response to Owen Jones

I'm 23. Mine is the first generation to be exposed to online porn from a young age. We learnt what sex is from watching strangers on the internet, we don't know anything else.



Here are some of the things that I have experienced...

- having my head shoved into his crotch, and held down while I sucked him off

- being told that my gag reflex was too strong, couldn't I work on it?

- bullied into submitting to facials. I didn't want to. He said (joking?) that he'd ejaculate on my face while I was asleep. He wasn't joking - I woke up with him wanking over me.

- bullied into trying anal. It hurt so much I begged him to stop. He stopped, then complained that I was being too sensitive and it can't be *that* bad, he continued to ask for it

- having my hair pulled

- constant requests for threesomes

- constant requests to let him film it



And on every single occasion, I felt guilty for not being a 'cool girl'. I was letting him down. I was a prude.



THIS IS NOW NORMAL. Every single straight girl I know has had similar experiences. Every. Single. One. Some have experienced far worse. Some have given in, some have resisted, all have felt guilty and awkward for not being "liberated" enough, not giving him what he wants.



It wasn't until a few years ago, when I discovered radical feminism, that I realised it was ok to say no. I'm lucky enough to be with a man who respects this and who understands. Even so, it was only recently that I decided I wasn't going to swallow anymore. I'd never liked it, but always thought I was obliged. I told my boyfriend and he said that was totally fine, he was horrified to hear I hadn't enjoyed it previously. Why would he think anything else? This is what sex is for the porn generation.



I'm a very privileged woman - I'm middle class, well educated, I come from a very supportive family - and yet I still struggled to muster up the confidence to say no. The men I have had sex with are now lawyers, doctors, management consultants - they're powerful people, they have influence, and they still think that degrading their sexual partners is normal.



Porn has done this.



When you use your influence to tell thousands of your readers that all men watch porn, this is just what men are like, "why should we care?", you're perpetuating this. An entire generation of women have suffered because of porn, and we will all continue to suffer unless men change. This isn't just an intellectual exercise for us. "Boys will be boys" is not going to change anything, nor will bleating "yeah but porn doesn't *have* to be misogynistic". Please start using your influence for good.



You say you're a feminist ally? Prove it.











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