#ObscenityTrial - Finger deep within the borderline...

One trial that has caught mine (and apparently Twitter's) interest over the past few days is the #ObscenityTrial. Now I don't know all of the ins and outs (pun not intended) but according to the defence lawyer in the case the trial will:

"...ultimately clarify the law on the representation of gay fisting, urolagnia as well as BDSM."

The problem I have with this trial is that in order to be found guilty the material must be able to "deprave and corrupt" a viewer.  I personally am at a loss to see how anyone could be depraved or corrupted by these, not because some may make (at best) uncomfortable viewing, but because the end users actively sought them out!  Yet in order to make judgement the jury will see the videos - despite (presumably) not having decided that they want to see them.  (Question - if they find the defendant guilty, does that mean that the videos did corrupt them, and if they are corrupted can their judgement be valid?)


When all's said and done if a person, couple or multiple people enjoy an activity, everyone involved is of legal age and gives their consent and some people want to watch this where is the problem?  Just because some (most) people wouldn't chose to do certain activities doesn't mean that you should legislate against others doing it.  I would never willingly watch a Justin Bieber concert, but that doesn't mean I'd stop others enjoying the erm... experience, either by attending or watching the show on DVD.  If everyone who's chosen to take part in any of the events here (the filming, the production, the sale/distribution and the end user) is enjoying themselves/happy to get paid for their part in it then why should someone else want to turn around and stop this?


In my opinion this law is particularly ridiculous because some of the actions aren't even illegal here - so what are people going to be corrupted into doing?  A legal activity?  Well what's wrong with that!


There is also just how arbitrary some of this really is.  It is only fisting if all 5 digits in a hand are used at once, if it's just the 4 then it's fine.  I haven't seen either to tell the difference but I doubt someone using 5 digits is that much different to using 4 is it?  


I agree that there need be methods of ensuring that the products don't end up being viewed by children, however once a sale has taken place to someone over the age of 18 that responsibility should then fall to them.


Surely it's about time the law reached the twenty first century and the Government stopped dictating to adults what it is suitable for them to watch.  Surely also there are better uses for public money than to be spent prosecuting people in these circumstances?


Anyway, all this talk about fisting makes me want to go and listen to a bit of Tool...