Abstract: In general, “pornography has been defined in terms of content (sexually explicit depictions of genitalia and sexual acts), lack thereof (materials without any redeeming artistic, cultural or social value), intention (texts intended to arouse their consumers) and effect (texts arousing their consumers)” (Paasonen, Nikunen and Saarenmaa 1). This article explores the relationship between pornography and romance via an examination of just one romance novel, C. M. Nascosta’s Morning Glory Milking Farm (2021), not because it is representative of the entire genre, but because its setting, plot, and characterisation facilitate such an exploration. Consensus seems unlikely to emerge as to whether or not romance fiction meets the criteria for classification as pornography. Even those works lacking explicit sexual content may be considered akin to pornography (‘emotional porn’) due to the genre’s focus on producing emotional responses in its readers.

Abstract: Kink, often referred to as BDSM, is an important aspect of a sizable minority’s sexual desires, practices, and personal relationships, yet there are few ways to assess kink engagement in a holistic manner. This study aimed to develop the Kink Orientation Scale (KOS), a novel short tool for measuring different aspects of kink sexuality. In phase one, 27 items were created and included in the initial scale based on a literature review and focus groups with kinky and non-kinky individuals. In phase two, the KOS was administered to 200 university students. Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) were used to determine the factor structure and dimensionality of the KOS, and we retained 18 items in the scale and identified five factors. In phase three, the 18 item KOS was administered to a kink sample of 1025 participants as a form of validation. Confirmatory Factor Analyses also identified five factors with a strong overlap to the EFA. The five factors were: kink identity; kink community; kink paraphernalia; kink practices; and sexual communication. The kink sample also provided higher scores on the KOS compared with the non-kink sample. This study shows the potential utility of the KOS in measuring kink engagement holistically.