MTV Asks Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals About Life Without Porn

LOS ANGELES—Sociologist, author, and adult entertainment industry expert Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals is featured in a new article on MTV.com, explaining what life would be like without porn. The article coincides with a recent comedic sketch on MTV2’s Guy Code, titled “Life Without Porn.” Almost needless to say, the first question the MTV interviewer asked was whether it was "even possible for there to be life without porn," and Dr. Chauntelle was right there with the answer: "There’s always been erotic representation. There are carvings and chalk drawings in caves on the other side of the planet of people in different sex positions. Us wanting to visually represent sex has been around since humans have been around and porn is just another medium to do that. I don’t think it’s possible for there to be no erotic representation." But in further questioning, Dr. Chauntelle noted that although the demand for porn puts "billions of dollars" into the U.S. economy, in California, "it’s almost like there are people trying to drive the industry into the ground and get rid of it." She also noted that if porn were to be outlawed, or made so difficult to produce that no one could afford to do so commercially, it would be disastrous for performers, since current industry standards protect them from all manner of exploitation and disease. Catering to public demand for more information, media outlets like MTV News are increasingly turning to Dr. Chauntelle as one of the leading experts on the adult industry. In addition to sharing observations derived from extensive research behind the scenes, Dr. Chauntelle’s experiences with the business of porn are available her upcoming book, Exposure: A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society, and Adult Entertainment. “There’s all kinds of things porn does that’s good for society, but no one wants to talk about that,” Dr. Chauntelle said in the MTV.com article. “Porn has a deck stacked against it,” she expanded, providing examples of other social-sexual issues people struggle with. “Women’s sexuality is something we struggle with. Wild and crazy sexuality is something we struggle with.” To read the full article, click here. Echoing themes from her upcoming book, Exposure, Dr. Chauntelle explains some of the myths and misconceptions facing the adult industry today, as well as some problems society faces by officially rejecting porn, especially around the issue of sex education. When asked why so many people seem to get their sex ed from porn, she replied, "This is not because porn is saying, 'Hey society, let me educate you sexually.' Porn does not market itself that way. It never has. But because of this world we’re living in, all these things: sexual shame, lack of sexual education, availability of the internet, piracy of adult content. The easiest answer and the easiest place to look so see nakedness and sex being had is porn." Delving deep into the shadowed world of adult entertainment, Exposure: A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society, and Adult Entertainment offers intriguing insight into Dr. Chauntelle’s explorations of porn. She recounts humorous personal tales at her first adult industry trade convention, reflects on being an AVN Awards judge, and discusses her struggles as a scholar interested in learning more about adult entertainment. She shares her perspectives, as well as gained knowledge within the industry, in a balanced and accessible way. Exposure will be available to purchase July 7, 2015. The book is available for pre-order exclusively through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To pre-order the book, click here. Pictured: A scene from MTV2's The Guy Code.