The Right to Pornography: Autonomy and the Boundaries of Scientific Knowledge

The text analyzes the limits of contemporary knowledge regarding the pornography industry, pointing out significant methodological gaps. The author emphasizes that the lack of long-term cohort studies makes it impossible to determine whether performers' experiences result from the nature of the work or from a survival selection of individuals better adapted to the market. In the context of Wendy McElroy's publication, the article acknowledges the value of confronting theory with field practice but warns against treating non-representative samples as a map of the entire sector. A key problem remains the shortage of data on performers' mental health and their professional trajectories after leaving the industry, which hinders drawing categorical conclusions regarding autonomy and systemic coercion in sex work.