Pornography has gone fully mainstream. It is not only seen by many as harmless, but as a normal, natural part of men's lives. Social media, the internet, dating apps and sites like OnlyFans have incorporated porn into our lives such that it is unavoidable. Kids are being raised on porn, exposed to porn as early as nine years old. The impacts of this are undeniable, yet criticisms of porn continue to be marginalized — labelled as "sex-negative," old-fashioned, censorial, shaming, or prudish.
That said, things seem to be changing as more and more men are waking up to the impact of porn on their mental health, relationships, sexualities, and lives. Men are talking to other men (and boys) about the harms of porn, opening up a new and necessary conversation.
Daniel Principe is Collective Shout’s youth advocate and educator. He does a lot of work with young men and in schools around masculinity, sexuality, relationships, the exploitation of women and girls, and the harms of porn. Daniel works with young men to reimagine masculinity and embody a vision of manhood defined by virtue. He also hosts Collective Shout’s podcast "Reimagining Masculinity."
I spoke with him about his experience growing up with porn, why he stopped consuming it, and what the impact of porn has been on young people today.
Porn is hijacking your sexuality