Ever since serial killer/knob Ted Bundy blamed hardcore pornography for fueling his horrendous crimes, many a misguided soul has taken it for granted that porn consumption leads to the objectification and devaluation of women. But according to a recent study published in The Journal of Sex Research, people who look at porn actually have healthier, more balanced views of gender roles than those who don’t. In a representative sampling of 10,946 American males and 14,101 American females collected from 1975 to 2010, subjects were asked about their use of porn as well as their views on feminism, abortion, traditional family roles and women holding positions of power. Acknowledging that the study is based on a relatively small sample and should be taken in context, the authors concluded, “Results did not support hypotheses derived from radical feminist theory. Pornography users held more egalitarian attitudes—toward women in positions of power, toward women working outside the home and toward abortion—than nonusers of pornography.” We hate to be all “We told you so,” but we’ve been saying this for years: Looking at porn will not make you hate women. Women make you hate women. (Just kidding!!!)
