Union Board's 'Porn Week' aims to explore lucrative industry

Looking for something interesting to engage your attention the week before finals? \nPorn Week, which is being presented by the Union Board, runs April 27, 28 and 29 in the Whittenberger Auditorium at the Indiana Memorial Union. The event includes the screening of one pornography-themed movie each night at 7 p.m. The three movies include two documentaries -- "Pornstar: The Legend of Ron Jeremy" and "Inside Deep Throat" -- and "Orgazmo," a comedy. The screenings are free with a student ID and $2 for non-students.\nThe Union Board films committee chose these three films, and they were voted on and approved by the Union Board. \n"It should be a lot of fun. We will have a few giveaways while showing some interesting films, which will hopefully arise some good conversation among students," said Union Board film director Dash Voorhees.\nVoorhees said the aim of Porn Week is to divert students from the stress of dead week and finals week. The films being shown are not actual pornography, though the two documentaries are rated R and "Orgazmo," which comes from the makers of South Park, is rated NC-17. \n"I think it's an event that students will enjoy, and it was put together with every intention of being something students will like," said Emma Cullen, director of public relations for the Union Board.\nStudents who may be wary of attending the event and wonder why they should be informed on the complexities of the porn industry may be overlooking the broader issues that pornography presents, said Voorhees. Voorhees said porn sparks debate about important questions in American society.\n"It has been a major business for several years, and it continues to grow with our society's technology ... It has been a hot political issue for years. Is it freedom of speech? Should it be censored? So even those that don't watch porn can see the history and form an opinion about some of these topics," he said.\nUnion Board members hope for a healthy attendance all three days of the event. "I think it'll be a really good turnout," said Cullen. "It's in the place of our normal film series."\nFreshman Lindsey Sims, a gender studies major who plans to be a sex therapist, said she will definitely be in attendance. \n"I think being in college, seeing things of a sexual nature makes people more comfortable," said Sims. "'Orgazmo' is a comedy about porn, so it makes it easier for people to laugh at porn. I think anyone who's not really comfortable with it should go because it is interesting to see in the documentaries why people do what they do." \nFor more information visit www.imu.indiana.edu/union_board/.