When we were founded 10 years ago, we could have never dreamed that high profile people in society would want to specifically partner with us to get the word out on porn’s harms. The topic of porn and its proven harmful effects used to be something you’d never hear about from athletes, actors, activists, or other social media influencers—but that’s all changing.
Due to the science and research that is coming out daily on the harmful effects of porn, more and more public figures are starting to take a stand to change the conversation about porn in our society, and how this issue has affected them personally or sparked passion in their lives.
Here are a handful of our Fighter friends who have publicly addressed the issue of pornography and why they think it’s harmful. Of course, they are just 10 out of over 4 million Fighters who don’t support it, but they have used their growing social platforms to speak up about the realities of porn, and we think that’s pretty bold and brave. Their reasons and experiences are varied, but the message all boils down to the same fact: porn is anything but harmless entertainment.
So, in order to get you hyped to continue in the fight to raise awareness on porn’s harmful effects, we’re giving credit where credit is due to these incredible Fighters. In their own words, here’s why they fight.
Kenzie Morley, yoga and fitness personality – @yogoskenz
Kenzie sat down with us recently to share how porn and a healthy lifestyle don’t fit together. From her interview:
“Yoga teaches respect and love for others, but porn teaches the total opposite. There is no respect in porn, just impulsive, selfish acts based on selfish pleasure, not love. Yoga teaches a connection between mind, body, and spirit, but porn rewards the impulsive disconnect between mind, body, and heart—the mind causes the body to react to stimulations, while the heart is not involved at all. Yoga teaches loyalty to friends and family, while pornography makes you throw these away and even sexualize family members. But for what? All for images on a screen—fake, airbrushed images.
Yoga is about being the best people we can be, and loving who we are as we truly are, so that we can love others the same in return. Porn is all about lies, and has nothing to do with truth, or being happy about ourselves or our loved ones.”
Click here to read more from @YogosKenz’s interview with us.
Josh Radnor, actor and writer – @joshradnor
You know him as Ted Mosby from “How I Met Your Mother,” but we know him as a Fighter and a friend to this movement. Here’s what Josh Radnor had to say in an interview with us about porn’s harms:
“I think the biggest problem ultimately is that porn preys upon our vulnerabilities and appeals to the lowest parts of ourselves. It’s an extension of what I find to be so exhausting about modern life, that we’re never not being sold things. Even use of terms like “food porn,” this kind of non-stop hijacking of our senses is going on, this attempt to keep us chronically aroused and craving. That might keep the economy humming but it also creates suffering.”
Click here to read more of what Josh Radnor has to say about porn.
Stephen Rykwalder, vegan activist – @meatfreemafia
This cause is something anyone can get on board with, no matter what their core issues are. Stephen has taken the fight to the next level on his vegan education Instagram page:
“If you watch porn, I have nothing against you. I used to watch porn very frequently as well and I’m a very sexual person. That is why I love working with @fightthenewdrug, because they believe in the enjoyment of human sexuality and they actually study the negative impacts of porn on real-life sex. If you are unfamiliar with the epidemic of human sex trafficking and the exploitation of people for the porn industry, I welcome you to check out fightthenewdrug.org.”
Terry Crews, actor and activist – @terrycrews
The lovable and admirable Terry Crews is no stranger to confronting challenging topics in society, pornography being one of them. Now, he’s connected in a big way with the “Porn Kills Love” movement.
In his first viral Facebook live confessional video about his porn problem, he said the following: “This thing has become a problem, I think it’s a worldwide problem.. Pornography really messed up my life in a lot of ways. Some people deny it and say, ‘Hey man you can’t really be addicted to pornography, there’s no way.’ But I’ll tell you something: if day turns into night and you’re still watching, you probably got a problem. And that was me.”
Click here to learn more about why Terry Crews wants you to stop watching porn.
Marisol Nichols, actor – @marisolnichols
Riverdale actress and anti-trafficking activist Marisol Nichols has joined this movement for love because of the exploitation in the porn industry. In her own words: “I understand this is a touchy subject but I feel it is my duty to fight for victims of sex trafficking. From @fightthenewdrug: The porn industry is a sketchy industry to begin with, but it takes a really dangerous turn when porn involving sex trafficking victims is made and distributed. Countless women have been kidnapped, abused, drugged, threatened, and coerced into doing porn; this is, by definition, sex trafficking/slavery.”
Elaine Bradley, musician – @elainetrees
Musician Elaine Bradley has also joined the fight as an advocate and activist. From our interview: “I have been anti-porn—meaning, of the sound opinion that porn is harmful, and really isn’t doing our society any favors—for a long while. I had even tweeted a link to a lengthy article about the damaging effects of porn long before I had heard of Fight the New Drug. I think I was clicking around the internet when I found out about your movement. I was really excited that something already existed. I looked at the website and read a lot of the info, which made me a fan, supporter, and as you say, a ‘Fighter.’ I saw the bold, red Porn Kills Love tee, and wanted one.”
Click here to read more of her exclusive interview with us, and here to read more about how porn has affected her marriage.
Steve Cook, fitness personality – @stevecook
Known for his workout tips and fitness inspiration, Steve Cook is no stranger to the negative effects porn can fuel in someone’s life. Check out what he said after he got his very own “Porn Kills Love” tee!
Chaz Smith, YouTuber – @chazsmith
In our exclusive interview with the “Water is not Wet” YouTuber, Chaz Smith opened up to us about porn and its harms in the world:
“What a lot of people don’t know many of the people who are actors in porn do it out of desperation. A lot of people are involved in sex trafficking. A lot of people who are involved in it have been traumatized or abused in some way, and they’re trying to fill a void by doing this. It’s often time an option for people who are struggling. There are very few people who are doing this because they wanted to with joy. This isn’t something people do for fun, often times, it’s out of desperation. It’s not as free as people think it is.”
Click here to read more of his exclusive interview with us.
Sara and Rich, fitness personalities – @athletesinsight
Our friends Sara and Rich at Athletes Insight have stepped up in sharing about the harmful effects of porn on their social platforms in big and bold ways: “Research shows that porn users report less love and trust in their relationships, are more prone to separation and divorce, and often see marriage as a ‘constraint.’ We invite you to consider before consuming. Together, we can inspire meaningful conversations about an important issue.”
Shanelle Connell, YouTuber and blogger – @shanelle.connell
Shanelle has done some incredible advocacy for this movement all over her Instagram, especially! In her own words:
“I get it. It’s stimulating. It seems sexy. Porn sounds like it could be a dream. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted throughout my life… I’m still human and I have urges. Which is why for the love of COMPASSION I’m admitting to having the same thoughts just like you. No matter where you’re coming from. Whether you watch it, have watched it, thought of watching it… there should be an ANTI-SHAME mentality around recovery or your past choices. Anti-porn advocacy does not equate to anti-compassion. So remember, your shame is not as strong as you are. You are worthy. You are created for love. And you are not alone in becoming a Fighter.”
Giving visibility to causes that matter
Whether you like it or not, a lot of people look to the causes that public figures support for inspiration on what they themselves should contribute to. And when these people use their public platforms to give visibility to this important issue, it makes that much more of a difference.
Most of us may not have as many Twitter or Instagram followers as these awesome Fighters, but absolutely anyone can make a difference when it comes to raising awareness on the harmful effects of porn in society.
This just goes to show that it doesn’t matter who you are, the facts remain the same: porn is harmful, and people are starting to speak up about it.
