11 years ago
Apicius:
As there are so many users from the USA here, Don and me are interested to learn a little bit about the American mindset. Besides that gay rights topic I think I sensed something like a second level in that discussion. I think there is a strong aversion in parts of US-American forum users against the public discussion of anything vaguely or directly connected with sex. This attitude seems quite common and not reserved to a specific group like conservatives or religious fundamentalists.
I see complaints about "panty dropper threads" on the F-site (what is this, BTW?) I see statements that perfume sites should be "family friendly". A while ago, somebody complained about a photo taken from a perfume ad and displayed here at Parfumo which showed a man in his undies. I do not really understand what is behind this.
On the German site, I do not see such a controversy. I we ever had a thread like "What perfume do you wear when you have sex" people would presumably make fun of it and add some silly remarks, but that's it. It would not become a problem.
As there are so many users from the USA here, Don and me are interested to learn a little bit about the American mindset. Besides that gay rights topic I think I sensed something like a second level in that discussion. I think there is a strong aversion in parts of US-American forum users against the public discussion of anything vaguely or directly connected with sex. This attitude seems quite common and not reserved to a specific group like conservatives or religious fundamentalists.
I see complaints about "panty dropper threads" on the F-site (what is this, BTW?) I see statements that perfume sites should be "family friendly". A while ago, somebody complained about a photo taken from a perfume ad and displayed here at Parfumo which showed a man in his undies. I do not really understand what is behind this.
On the German site, I do not see such a controversy. I we ever had a thread like "What perfume do you wear when you have sex" people would presumably make fun of it and add some silly remarks, but that's it. It would not become a problem.
This angle is fascinating to me too. In Australia there is still quite a social binding on discussing sex so we are almost half way between the two mindsets.
As someone with one foot in both queer and straight social circles I often joke about "rude" things such as sex toys, masturbation etc. Most people find it refreshing, I've had quite a few say "wow, we love talking about this with you, people are so up tight but we all think about it, don't we?".
Over the last 20 or so years I think Australia has become quite open-minded, people used to blush and hide their Sexpo shopping bags on the way home on the train (Sexpo is an annual porn/sex themed convention here) but now people seem to be more comfortable, almost bragging about whether or not they plan to attend. Though Sexpo wouldn't be so popular if it weren't for the stigma attached to walking into a sex shop or chatting about porn normally with friends. We still have the tittering "oh my gosh, we're looking at dildos in public!" aspect so compared to you in Europe we still have a way to go with sexual expression.
I don't need to detail my thoughts re: conversations on forums regarding sex and censorship as you can likely gather it from my posts with Florette above. That said, I understand that there is a real cultural sensitivity to sexuality in America. For a country with such a huge entertainment industry and the word "Freedom" practically being the national motto I am often surprised at the real issue some people take with frank discussion. On one hand there's an almost fanatic appreciation of "Sex and the City", "Real Housewives" type shows while the other is weighed down with an almost Puritan shame and distaste!
In the end I respect the difference in culture the same way I do for any other person I meet online, though often that respect is not returned... many from the USA seem to assume all others they meet are also from there. I once had someone on YouTube suggest I was a little kid for having to go to sleep in the afternoon!
My issue with the eternal "panty-dropper" threads is not that they mention sex but because the mindset of them can be quite misogynistic and shallow, as if women are only challenges to be coerced and won.