Pornography and related topics

Pornography—in one form or another—has been around since, well, forever. From the graphic depictions of sex in ancient Indian, Japanese and Roman art, to the novels of John Cleland and Marquis de Sade, to the first nude photographs (which appeared just a few short years after the invention of photography), to early moving pictures and all the way up to the modern pinnacle of porn—the porn parody—the arch of human history is little more than a trail of porno. But while we have always loved our pornography, we have also always been somewhat ashamed of it. When the erotic carvings of ancient Rome we’re discovered in Pompeii, the Victorian scholars of the day opted to keep them a secret, so as not to corrupt the sensibilities of the public. John Cleland and Marquis de Sade were both prosecuted for their “lewd” novels, Fanny Hill, and Juliette. And distributors of early erotic photographs had to work in the shadows. Today, pornography is more graphic, more prolific, and more readily available than ever. Yet, the stigma is not completely gone. With everything from restrictive content laws to vigorous debates about the ethics and politics of the porn industry, it seems that as long as porn is around (forever and ever), it will always be controversial. Here’s a selection of some of our favorite porn coverage (Sorry, no actual porn here. Just stuff ABOUT porn. Though we do have some naked people here if you like.)