Porn VS Council

'When Sex Becomes a Public Event'

A column by: Lexi Clary

Photographer: G.J.McCarthy
(Women dancing in cages)

Recently in Dallas, Texas there has been a lot of hype surrounding the sex porn expo called Exxxotica. The city council of Dallas votes 8-7 against a pornography industry conference to be held in Dallas knowing the decision will result in a lawsuit. While this may be happening in Dallas, Texas, it can easily become a ripple effect across the nation as other cities watch as Dallas City Council takes a stand against making sex public.

Exxxotica is a yearly three-day porno event held 26 times in six cities since 2006 in which a diverse group of people attend. It features big name porn stars such as Alexis Texas and offers sex seminars, and fetish performances. The event made its first appearance in Dallas, Texas in August, 2015; it caused a stir, but no reported issues.

The Dallas City Council is taking the stand that any event or anyone who is degrading to women or children are not welcome in Dallas, Texas.  Dallas is ranked as one of the worst sex trafficking cities in the nation.  More than 400 women a night may be part of the city’s sex trafficking trade. "I read online that there is a place [in the Exxxotica event] called the Dungeon, where women are tied up and whipped," Rawlings said, his voice breaking with emotion. "There's where it crossed the line for me." D Magazine  

Photographer: G.J. McCarthy
(woman being tied up)

The hosts of this event are suing stating it is an unconstitutional ruling and they are being discriminated against. Fox 4 News reports the hosts of this event calls Exxxotica an “educational event” dedicated to love and sex. According to an interview by the Dallas Morning News, a Dallas resident says an event like this is exactly what Dallas needs. “And if it takes porn to bring people together then so be it.” Another person says this is the 21^st century and we should be able to express sexuality freely.

DMN Photo.
("Billboard advertises the comic con of porn")

Having this porn expo encourages people to continue to seek out something that isn’t realistic; after everyone goes home, and the lights are off, there are still bruised and battered women seeking validation through the eyes of onlookers. Katie Pedigo, who works for a non profit organization that helps women who have been trafficked, feels like this would only make matters worse because it encourages men to look at women in a degrading way which causes issues of its own.

Video link:https://youtu.be/F2HwSRUjFbk