we assume this needs to be spoilered
to get it out of the way:

so like, the argument we hear is that watching it supposedly makes ppl more likely to start watching real material (which is made by harming and exploiting children, and is obvsly bad because of that) or harming kids irl. supposedly there are studies that point to that being the case, and other studies that point to that not being the case. personally we dont rly buy that, because it just sounds like the same exact argument ppl used/use to say that “violent video games” or BDSM or whatever would do the same, or even like the old “weed is a gateway drug” stuff that also had a number of (extremely flawed) studies to “prove” it. what exactly makes this different from any of that other than just feeling more yucky and “wrong”? are there other arguments, are we missing something?
we dont personally watch that stuff tbc (tho if u already think were a filthy pedophile for even asking all of this theres no way were gonna get u to change ur mind lbr) but we dont want to base our feelings on this on just “that feels gross therefore its bad”, we all know where that logic leads, and were struggling to come up with a legitimate reason
Edit: ty for the replies everyone 


2 out of 3 ain’t bad, but lemme just crack open that middle one.
Pornography may not increase physical/sexual violence towards women, but the overwhelming evidence points to the fact that it is now one of the primary cultural drivers of misogyny.
It may not be directly tied to IPV or SA, but it is a major proliferator of toxic masculinity and use correlates highly with acceptance of SA culture/myths.