The Sinful “C’s”

Cunts, Cocks and Censorship.

So, dA stuck a big warning label on your work and you have a hissy fit. How unfair, you cry belting at the top of your lungs that your work is art and shouldn’t be censored.  Fine, I agree, but art or not by posting on this website you agree to certain terms. The big ones being that your work is marked as Mature in the event that it shows any nudity, sexual themes, violence/gore, strong language, or anything ideologically sensitive.

For those of you who are ignorant of the rules or perhaps a little slow on the uptake I’ll try to explain it slowly. It doesn’t matter how beautiful it is or how artistic it’s nature, if it meets the criteria and does not fall under dA’s small list of exceptions (And please note, there is no such exception for nudity), then dA has every right to label your work themselves.

Now, dA’s put a nasty naughty sticker on your art and you cry Censorship!
“Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful or sensitive, as determined by a censor.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship

Again, for any of my little ones who might be having a slow day that means that if dA were truly censoring all of your work they’d take a nice pair of scissors and cut out all the naughty bits (if you cut out a cunt, is the hole considered illicit?) , or just delete the piece entirely (which is much faster but not nearly as fun) . No, what they are doing for most of you, is labeling you like they expected you to do yourself  in the first place.

If by now you’re getting pissy and spewing spite in my direction, try to settle down, I have a bit more to go.

Let’s move to another common argument, “If people don’t want to see/read it then they shouldn’t look at it.” Another one of my favorites! But do tell, if you aren’t labeling it for what it is, how can people avoid it? If an individual doesn’t want themselves or perhaps family to view, oh gosh let’s say… a voluptuous pair of c-cups in all their naked glory they can turn on a mature filter! Genius, I know, I know. But darling, muffin, sugarplum the filter can only block what is labeled. And that brings us right back to you dear artist.

But I must not forget, “They should grow up and accept that the human body, cocks included, is a beautiful and natural thing.”  Which it is! But that doesn’t mean everyone wants to have an eyeful of it unexpectedly. Nor does it mean that everyone wants their children/teens exposed to it. “It’s perfectly natural to view nudity at any age. Wouldn’t it be worse to have children grow up naive?” Two very tricky points for two very important reasons.  

Firstly, just because you think it’s acceptable does not mean everyone else does. It is the right of the individual to live and raise their family how they see fit. Secondly you cannot predict what effect your “art” will have on another person. What if you traumatize the very people you insist you are liberating? Or do you actually believe that your art holds the same meaning for everyone who views it… As for violence and profanity, just because it is out in the world does not mean everyone is willing to endure it.

I’m sure some of you are foaming at the mouth now; fixated on the puritanical nitwits you feel turned you in. Or perhaps you’ll turn your anger towards me. Frankly I couldn’t care one way or another because this battle shall likely play out the same way it always does. On one side, artists who are too proud to concede and on the other side artists who are too moral to let up…

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what either side believes or wants. It is dA who sets the playing field. No number of complaints is going to completely remove mature content and no amount of whining is going to let it go unchecked. Personally I suggest you have a cookie and nap.