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Written in the style of an opinion editorial, this short article serves as a critical examination of Bill S-210, which proposes to restrict minors' online access to sexually explicit material in Canada through age-verification technologies. Framed within the historical context of obscenity law and the feminist sex wars, the article underscores the impact of censorship and anti-pornography feminism on queer businesses and sexual expressions. Emphasizing the need for comprehensive sexual education rather than increased censorship, it critiques the impracticality of age-verification technologies as well as contemporary cultural anxiety around youth sexuality and the perceived need to 'protect' women and minors from pornography. Urging a re-evaluation of the Bill in light of its broader sociopolitical implications, the article cautions against rash policy decisions that may further stigmatize alternative forms of sexual expression, specifically queer, feminist, and fetish pornographies.
Kyler Chittick (2024) studied this question.