Violent porn ßick prompts apology Samantha Broussard-Wilson Staff Reporter
Sex Week at Yale ran into more controversy Saturday night when porn director Paul Thomas, on campus to participate in the event, screened a graphic porn film that featured violent sado-masochism.
Coordinators said they were appalled by the film Ñ which they had not watched before it was aired in front of an audience of over 200 students Ñ but members of the gender-balanced crowd did not appear upset by the movie and reacted with disappointment when the Sex Week team ended the film early.
On Sunday night, Sex Week coordinators emphasized that they do not support the practices displayed in the film, which depicted fantasy rape, bondage and piercing. Colin Adamo Õ10, Sex Week event coordinator, called the screening a grave mistake.
ÒWe really dropped the ball on this one,Ó he said. ÒNo one watched the movie before Paul showed it to the audience.Ó
But Sex Week Director Joe Citarella Õ08 said he thinks the event was positive overall because it gave people the opportunity to speak out against violent pornography and the effect it can have on the publicÕs conception of women.
ÒPart of Sex Week is to challenge whatÕs being done,Ó he explained. ÒAnd I questioned Paul as to whether these graphic, violent images are OK, knowing that there is someone on the other end who is enjoying it.Ó
During the question-and-answer period that followed the screening, Adamo described the images as sexually unhealthy and disrespectful to women. But ThomasÕ response insinuated that he was a prude and just needed to watch more porn, Adamo said after the screening.
Adamo said several students in the crowd booed when he made his comment, and during the screening there was a Òsense of revelryÓ in the images being displayed among some audience members.
William Wong Õ09, who was involved with the Sex Week tech team but not with events planning, said the crowdÕs reaction was mostly supportive of the film. He said the vocal members of the audience were not offended by the material and appeared to be enjoying it. Like Adamo, he said the crowd was fairly diverse and was almost evenly divided by gender.
Wong said he himself was not shocked by the material in the film but was slightly taken aback that the Sex Week coordinators had chosen to screen that particular movie.
ÒItÕs really the teamÕs fault for not pre-screening,Ó Wong said. ÒAnd I think itÕs probably difficult for Paul Thomas to judge whatÕs appropriate and what is not because heÕs been in the business so long.Ó
Wong said he thinks the debate is really over whether it is right or wrong to use those kinds of violent images for sexual satisfaction, rather than whether screening the film was a responsible decision on the part of Sex Week organizers.
Shazan Jiwa Õ09, who attended the screening, said Thomas was unfairly attacked by members of the audience. ThomasÕ intent was to showcase aspects of the porn industry that people are not familiar with, Jiwa said, and the director had provided a disclaimer before the screening in which he said the audience should be prepared for graphic images.
ÒHe was trying to show us that not all porn is about happy sex or has a happy atmosphere,Ó Jiwa said.
Jiwa said it would have been interesting to hear the motive behind the movie rather than listening to Thomas defend himself.
The last Sex Week events will be held today.