Government Porn
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 By: Susan Mosychuk
Wastewatcher, January 2003
In a time of economic weakness, international conflict, and mounting deficits, surely government would restrain frivolous or marginal expenditures of taxpayer dollars? No, and a government grant that pays women as much as $75 to watch pornographic videos is the latest proof.
Yes, that's right, the U.S. government is paying 180 lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women to watch "erotic video clips of lesbian, gay or heterosexual interactions" to assess their arousal response to pornography. The study, being conducted at Northwestern University, involves female students viewing porn clips with a probe inserted into their genitalia to record sexual arousal.
The Northwestern researcher conducting the study claims that measuring a woman's response to pornography will help us understand the "phenomenonoly of sexual orientation," or the association of sexual arousal patterns and sexual orientation in women.
Former Surgeon General Joceyln Elders has weighed in, saying: "I think this is a very important study. We have not looked at women's health in this country for years."
Huh? Can Elders explain how watching pornography hooked up to a "sex-o-meter" advances women's health? Elders added, typically, "we need to understand what stimulates women. And it's for their children's sake, for this country's sake."
NIH spokesman Robert Bock defended the study more lucidly. "People are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior when they are sexually aroused, so a better understanding of sexual arousal is important to developing more effective strategies." Bock said his agency hopes the findings will help reduce sexually transmitted diseases.
This should not come as any surprise, as NIH has received huge funding increases, averaging 15 percent, in recent years. If Congress approves its 2003 funding request, NIH will have nearly $27 billion it could dedicate to preposterous ideas like the porn study.
Meanwhile, Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) has been told that the NIH has no funds to study the connection between early childhood vaccinations and autism in children. The time has come for NIH, and its overseer, the Dept. of Health and Human Services and its leader, Tommy Thompson, to get its priorities in order and stop throwing precious research dollars out the window.
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 By: Susan Mosychuk
Wastewatcher, January 2003
In a time of economic weakness, international conflict, and mounting deficits, surely government would restrain frivolous or marginal expenditures of taxpayer dollars? No, and a government grant that pays women as much as $75 to watch pornographic videos is the latest proof.
Yes, that's right, the U.S. government is paying 180 lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women to watch "erotic video clips of lesbian, gay or heterosexual interactions" to assess their arousal response to pornography. The study, being conducted at Northwestern University, involves female students viewing porn clips with a probe inserted into their genitalia to record sexual arousal.
The Northwestern researcher conducting the study claims that measuring a woman's response to pornography will help us understand the "phenomenonoly of sexual orientation," or the association of sexual arousal patterns and sexual orientation in women.
Former Surgeon General Joceyln Elders has weighed in, saying: "I think this is a very important study. We have not looked at women's health in this country for years."
Huh? Can Elders explain how watching pornography hooked up to a "sex-o-meter" advances women's health? Elders added, typically, "we need to understand what stimulates women. And it's for their children's sake, for this country's sake."
NIH spokesman Robert Bock defended the study more lucidly. "People are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior when they are sexually aroused, so a better understanding of sexual arousal is important to developing more effective strategies." Bock said his agency hopes the findings will help reduce sexually transmitted diseases.
This should not come as any surprise, as NIH has received huge funding increases, averaging 15 percent, in recent years. If Congress approves its 2003 funding request, NIH will have nearly $27 billion it could dedicate to preposterous ideas like the porn study.
Meanwhile, Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) has been told that the NIH has no funds to study the connection between early childhood vaccinations and autism in children. The time has come for NIH, and its overseer, the Dept. of Health and Human Services and its leader, Tommy Thompson, to get its priorities in order and stop throwing precious research dollars out the window.
