[WikiEN-l] Re: Writing about sexual topics responsibly is not censorship

Sun Feb 13 23:32:21 UTC 2005

Robert said:
> Tony Sidaway writes:
>> The sale of the very successful sexually explicit
>> educational video, The Lovers' Guide, through mainstream
>> high street bookstores in 1991 under an 18 certificate
>> showed that the general public is receptive to well
>> presented informational movies on sexual topics.
>> Obviously Wikipedia isn't a "How to" guide of that type,
>> but where a movie would be useful and one is available
>> under GFDL it should be considered.
>
>
> Sure - it might be a good idea to have a GFDL, open-source
> website on sex.  I just don't think that the full, explicit
> content of such a site should be in a general encyclopedia
> like ours. Wikipedia should discuss human sexuality (even
> the "gross" aspects, which apprently vary from reader to
> reader) while at the same time not being a sex instruction
> site.
>
Yes.  I think that we should consider illustrations where appropriate
while not competing with sex instruction manuals.  Where we draw the line
on illustration is probably going to take a while to work out, and will
likely change over time as people become less prudish with each successive
generation.  Improvements in technology will also tend to make streaming
video more common on sites like Wikipedia.  I certainly hope that the
prospect of some of it being labeled "porn" will not stop this useful
medium being used.