HARRISONBURG, VA – Is pornography “degrading” to women, or “empowering”? Is it “addictive and destructive,” or a “window into a fun fantasy world?”According to PornDebate.com, the official website of a series of debates pitting legendary porn star Ron Jeremy against founder of the XXXchurch Craig Gross, Jeremy and Gross address the above questions and many more in their roaming, on-campus “Porn Debate Tour.”
The Tour’s next stop is James Madison University, where Gross and Jeremy will square off starting at 9pm, Wednesday September 13 inside JMU’s Wilson Hall.
“A big issue on college campuses and amongst youth today is pornography and what part it should take in society,” Elizabeth Koucheravy, vice president of programming for JMU’s University Program Board told JMU’s student newspaper, The Breeze. “A lot of people aren’t aware of the big issue of pornography addiction and sex addiction, and the negative connotation it gives to women in society.”
Gross and the XXXchurch have made headlines in recent years for their appearances at porn industry trade shows, at which Gross and his cohorts minister to porn stars, and for publishing The Message a “contemporary language” version of the New Testament with the phrase “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” emblazoned on a cover with a decidedly 1970’s-porn-movie-look.
In an August 20 entry on his blog, Gross stated that he’s “excited to be able to have the chance to hang with Ron Jeremy,” whom the PornDebate.com website says “is actually quite articulate and informed on the subject and his industry practices to keep it safe and responsible.”
Jeremy is likely the world’s best-known porn star, having appeared in well over a thousand films, and from his many appearances in the mainstream media, including a stint on VH-1’s “The Surreal Life,” and a role in Orgazmo, a 1997 comedy written and directed by Trey Parker of South Park fame.
JMU students interviewed by The Breeze expressed mixed feelings about porn, but agreed that the debate was a positive thing.
The Breeze quotes a female graduate student studying clinical psychology as saying she thinks “pornography can be degrading toward women, but so can any form of media,” adding that “pornography itself is not a bad thing, but like many things, its misuse can be very unfortunate.”
The student also opined that “it’s good that Ron Jeremy is coming to campus,” because “diverse perspectives on issues promote good discussion and enhance understanding. It’s always important to understand why people do controversial things.”
Koucheravy concurred, saying that she likes “the controversy of it because, in all honesty, that’s what drives learning. We’re here to learn we’re here to be open-minded.”
