Confused about SL prudishness

[Tarina Sewell 1,450]

23 hours ago, Bagnu said:

I never got asked for any RL verification when I signed up. 

I am not sure how sl old you are, but I had to do it about 10 years ago as I recall.

[Bagnu 801]

I used a credit card, so maybe that was enough.

[animats 3,616]

6 hours ago, Bagnu said:

I actually think we are LESS sexualized than in the past.

This is a US thing. What's happened is that a hard line has been established between sex and non-sex. We have Pornhub, and we have a huge supply of action movies with no sex scenes. Not much in between. This is to some extent a consequence of the way porn is regulated in the US.

But it's more than that. Playboy magazine used to be mainstream, seen in every store magazine rack. Playboy blurred the line between porn and non-porn. At one time, major authors wrote for the magazine. Then it started being covered in stores. Then under the counter. Then it stopped having full nudity. In spring 2020, the print publication was discontinued.

In US games, sex is rare. There was a huge flap when it was discovered that GTA V could be modded to have a sex scene. Now, GTA is a game which has hookers. Players can kill them, but not have sex with them. That was considered OK. But one sex scene, in the game assets but not playable without a mod, caused enormous upset. The Entertainment Software Review Board re-rated GTA V from "Mature" to "Adults Only" for that. A bill was introduced in Congress to require Federal enforcement of ESRB ratings. Didn't pass. If you want to see it, the "Hot Coffee Mod" can be found on Youtube. It looks like animations you get with low-end sex furniture in SL.

The result has been a de-facto ban on sex in US games. This has created a marketing problem for Second Life. Twitch.tv, which started as someone's hobby, became a Big Deal and was bought by Amazon, blacklists Second Life. Hitbox used to allow Second Life non-sexual content, but Hitbox seems to have purged the SL content after becoming Smashcast.  This closes important marketing channels to Second Life.

Also see the Amazon Web Services Acceptable Use Policy   "Prohibited activities or content include ... content that ... relates to *****, or depicts non-consensual sex acts." The furries and the BDSM crowd might have a problem. I hope Linden Lab negotiated protection against arbitrary actions against Second Life by Amazon when they signed up for the Amazon "cloud". LL should tell us.

SL mixes sex and non-sex content, and that's just not that compatible with the way the mainstream online world currently works.

Except for Game of Thrones, which somehow got past this.

 

 

 

 

[animats 3,616]

(Amusingly, the SL forum system censored the Amazon Web Services terms of service above.)

Edited July 26 by animats

[Bagnu 801]

I find it quite ridiculous that sex is banned, whereas killing isn't. We all have sex, but almost all of us don't kill others!!!!

Edited July 26 by Bagnu

[halebore Aeon 2,965]

3 hours ago, Bagnu said:

That wasn't what I was referring to lol!!! We can discuss sexuality more openly these days!!!

I think people confuse Sexual Orientation with Sexual expression and Gender Identity and Gender Expression. So you can be gay and be modest or you can be gay or be provocative. There is a clear difference between those two. Sexual Orientation, is who you are attracted to. Whereas Sexual Expression is how you show yourself in public. Like how I said before, modest and provocative. That is what i was meaning, there some people can't tell the difference. Or people like me, who came out as trans and thought I had to be openly expressive about my sexuality.

[Esme Arrowmint 52]

On 7/24/2020 at 4:18 PM, Bagnu said:

I personally would be much more comfortable knowing everyone is over 18. I'm not a supporter of child AV's either.

 

What does the one have to do with the other, though? Adults can use child avatars to roleplay non-sexual scenarios for their own personal enjoyment. There are whole sims based around a certain fantasy franchise where all the protagonists are minors. Would you wipe them out? 

[Alwin Alcott 10,448]

4 hours ago, Bagnu said:

I find it quite ridiculous that sex is banned,

sex isn't banned, commercial sex is just put on certain regions. And i think a majority of users is pretty ok with it. I wouldn't really like it to have a bunch of whores suddenly appearing on my neighbour land. It has not logical base, it's just the idea i don't like.

[Dafadilia 715]

I really wasn't going to respond to this when I first read through the entire thread, but I guess I need to since I'm still processing it several hours after.  Please keep in mind this is my own personal perspective and I certainly wouldn't attempt to speak for anyone, but myself.

Personally, I joined Second Life back in 2009 for the social aspect it provided me because I'm at home most of the time due to health and mobility issues. I'm a very shy person so it was a perfect platform to have social interaction on my terms. I met my soulmate here who I will move to be with in less than a year and a half now. I have beautiful friends I consider sisters of my soul. I have a family consisting of husband, two daughters and three sisters here. I love sailing, boating and exploring with the people who make up my SL.

I didn't know that people bumped pixels here when I first joined. It didn't shock me. It didn't disgust me. I was and still am indifferent to it. What two or more people do behind their pixel door isn't any of my business as long as they are following Linden Lab's TOS and the law. I stay clear of sims with that type of content because it isn't something I wish to be part of. It really isn't that hard to avoid because Second Life is a big place where people can find their own niche without depriving others of theirs. I've seen a small minority of people who have the attitude of wishing to close down the adult side of SL, but in all the time I've been here it has been very few and far between instances. As others of said, it is a very small minority who believe this way. This is something I find I have to type a lot these days, but oh well. Respect goes both ways. Calling those who are asexual, who are celibate or believe in waiting until marriage to become intimate with their spouse weirdos isn't respecting the side you expect to receive respect from.

I'm actually asexual for the most part. I'm a submissive and my hubby is my Dominant in both worlds. I was also raised to save myself for the right person. It has nothing to do with religious beliefs, but from my Dad who was very protective. I actually have done as I was taught because it is the right decision for me so I guess I'm one of the "weirdos" and a prude. I don't go out and push my beliefs on others. You won't find me at an adult hub passing out celibacy notecards. 🙄❤️

I also don't judge others who find enjoyment in the more adult side of SL. I just want others to be happy and healthy mentally, emotionally and physically. There has to be a realization that respect has to go both ways. You cannot expect to receive respect without giving it in turn.

Take care and be safe all.

(Formerly LyricalBookworm since I'm not hiding. Just a new beginning.)

 

[Theresa Tennyson 4,424]

9 hours ago, Bagnu said:

I find it quite ridiculous that sex is banned, whereas killing isn't. We all have sex, but almost all of us don't kill others!!!!

Among Second Life users the statement "We all have sex" is dubious. There are more than a few users who I suspect have never even seen a real-life nude member of the opposite sex. Ironically, some of them are in the mesh-avatar business.

[Bagnu 801]

6 hours ago, Esme Arrowmint said:

What does the one have to do with the other, though? Adults can use child avatars to roleplay non-sexual scenarios for their own personal enjoyment. There are whole sims based around a certain fantasy franchise where all the protagonists are minors. Would you wipe them out? 

As long as there is nothing inappropriate, that's their thing. I don't like it personally, so I stay away from it. I know how to change the channel.

[Bagnu 801]

5 hours ago, Alwin Alcott said:

sex isn't banned, commercial sex is just put on certain regions. And i think a majority of users is pretty ok with it. I wouldn't really like it to have a bunch of whores suddenly appearing on my neighbour land. It has not logical base, it's just the idea i don't like.

I was referring to an earlier post from animats: "The result has been a de-facto ban on sex in US games."

So if my gf's and I suddenly appeared on your neighbour land, sitting around and chatting, you would have an issue with that??? We do that too you know!!! 

 Area ratings are a concern in my community! (at least for those I know)!!! I personally won't go a G area unless it's a store (or by accident). I would be very upset with anyone who deliberately went to a G region and did something inappropriate in public!!!

[halebore Aeon 2,965]

2 hours ago, Bagnu said:

I was referring to an earlier post from animats: "The result has been a de-facto ban on sex in US games."

So if my gf's and I suddenly appeared on your neighbour land, sitting around and chatting, you would have an issue with that??? We do that too you know!!! 

 Area ratings are a concern in my community! (at least for those I know)!!! I personally won't go a G area unless it's a store (or by accident). I would be very upset with anyone who deliberately went to a G region and did something inappropriate in public!!!

And to your point, about that animate dude. There is still sex in games. Trust me, The Witcher 3 is a good example of their being sex in games. They are bringing Fable back, and Fable was notorious for having sex in their games. So there was no de facto Ban on Sex in games. Heck, I can name another game. GTA V is a good example, you can literally have sex with prostitutes in your car. So i would call that BS in that sense.

That all being said, I may be Asexual but sex is quite alive and well in SL and other video games.

[shiviex 1,199]

I don't see any reason to be confused about SL prudishness. Some people don't desire virtual sex, or a more accurate term, "pixel bumping".

 

[Talligurl 39,079]

6 hours ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

There are more than a few users who I suspect have never even seen a real-life nude member of the opposite sex.

Many of them are out there trying to use the same techniques that have failed in RL, hoping maybe girls will be more open to them in SL.

[Nick0678 1,120]

1 hour ago, shiviex said:

I don't see any reason to be confused about SL prudishness. Some people don't desire virtual sex, or a more accurate term, "pixel bumping".

Exactly, there are many people who simply aren't interested in pixel sex or cuddling and stuff like that. many of us don't even consider the avatar as a representation of our human nature in a virtual world. It really depends on what a person likes to do in sl, how wild is their imagination and if watching animated characters supposedly having sex can stimulate and trigger their sexual desire.

Personally i never was interested in it and i know many others who aren't, same way that i know people who enjoy it and others who only login for that.

As long as they don't have sex in my office area and don't harass the customers i don't care what people like to do when online.

[Bagnu 801]

5 hours ago, halebore Aeon said:

And to your point, about that animate dude. There is still sex in games. Trust me, The Witcher 3 is a good example of their being sex in games. They are bringing Fable back, and Fable was notorious for having sex in their games. So there was no de facto Ban on Sex in games. Heck, I can name another game. GTA V is a good example, you can literally have sex with prostitutes in your car. So i would call that BS in that sense.

That all being said, I may be Asexual but sex is quite alive and well in SL and other video games.

I don't play video games in the standard sense, so I don't know. SL isn't truly a game, but I understand how some consider it as such.

[halebore Aeon 2,965]

2 minutes ago, Bagnu said:

I don't play video games in the standard sense, so I don't know. SL isn't truly a game, but I understand how some consider it as such.

It is a video game though. I don't want to go down that rabbit hole again. Lol. But it is a video game.

[Talligurl 39,079]

3 hours ago, halebore Aeon said:

It is a video game though.

let's face it, a whole lot of people treat RL as a game.

[Jordan Whitt 2,101]

5 hours ago, Nick0678 said:

Personally i never was interested in it and i know many others who aren't, same way that i know people who enjoy it and others who only login for that.

I used to be...not anymore.

[Silent Mistwalker 810]

On 7/25/2020 at 7:04 PM, Tarina Sewell said:

I am not sure how sl old you are, but I had to do it about 10 years ago as I recall.

Before that you didn't have to. Back before Teen Grid was merged in January 2011. When Teen Grid was merged that's when you started having to age verify.

[Bagnu 801]

14 hours ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

Before that you didn't have to. Back before Teen Grid was merged in January 2011. When Teen Grid was merged that's when you started having to age verify.

I have just created an administrative alt, and I wasn't asked to for any RL document to verify my age. Not even a credit card.

P.S.: I am against alts used for any sort of nefarious purpose.

[LittleMe Jewell 33,020]

36 minutes ago, Bagnu said:

I have just created an administrative alt, and I wasn't asked to for any RL document to verify my age. Not even a credit card.

P.S.: I am against alts used for any sort of nefarious purpose.

The age verification process was rather short lived.  LL figured out that it didn't work anyway.

These days, you don't have to provide any RL docs unless you are cashing out $$ - and sometimes if you've lost your password or your account gets compromised.

Edited July 27 by LittleMe Jewell

[Silent Mistwalker 810]

48 minutes ago, Bagnu said:

I have just created an administrative alt, and I wasn't asked to for any RL document to verify my age. Not even a credit card.

P.S.: I am against alts used for any sort of nefarious purpose.

You won't be. It's been years since LL dropped the age verification. Now, you only need to verify info if you cash out through Tilia. 

Of course, if you used the same email for the new account as you used for your old account then the new account has already been "verified".

[Drakonadrgora Darkfold 1,274]

On 7/27/2020 at 12:37 PM, LittleMe Jewell said:

if you've lost your password or your account gets compromised.

inescapable rlv anyone.