Hot Girls Wanted, the new documentary co-produced by Rashida Jones   tackles that baffling question, “Why do young women get into porn?”   The documentary examines the ways in which young women are often lured into the porn industry with promises of glamour and wealth that more than likely won’t come true.

It’s interesting to note that the film does not take an anti-porn stance. It simply allows the viewer a peek behind the scenes of the porn industry and how very young girls are lured into the industry. It shows how a simple Craigslist ad can effectively bring young women to “talent agents” looking to sell young girls into porn with false promises of money and fame.

In addition, directors Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus   and  Jones collectively point out that porn may also have negative effects for men who watch it. When men see male porn actors behaving aggressively, it suggests to them that they must be aggressive and dominant in order to achieve healthy male sexuality. Men also feel they must perform with the same stamina and vigor as their professional counterparts in the bedroom. This can lead to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. It can also cause men to show little concern for the pleasure of their partners, which often makes for a less satisfying experience for both parties.

Jones argues that porn, because it is performative in nature, almost necessarily sexualizes women. Because the point of porn is to titillate the viewer — not to create depth for the characters or to further the plot of a movie, as may be the case with sex scenes in other films — the actors, and especially the women, can’t help but be objectified. Indeed, the point of porn is often for viewers to project their own fantasies onto the actors and specifically the women   they watch on screen.

What do you think? Is porn hurting women or empowering them?