KANSAS — The Kansas State Senate voted on a resolution Tuesday that declared pornography to be a public health crisis, citing issues ranging from erectile dysfunction to human trafficking, according to a FOX News report.
Senate Resolution 1762 passed in a 35-4 margin, though it has no legal effect. The Resolution attempted to show the consequences of pornography — both personally, and for society as a whole.
The resolution stated that exposure to pornography “teaches girls that they are to be used and teaches boys to be users.”
It also stated that it increases sexual abuse and violence towards women and children by treating them as “objects.”
Some lawmakers were skeptical of the sudden concern over public health, FOX News said.
“Seriously? We’ll see how excited they are about public health when it comes to guns,” Republican Sen. Barbara Bollier told The Witchita Eagle.
Others voiced concerns about freedom of expression under the First Amendment and questioned whether it was accurate to call pornography a public health crisis.
Democratic Sen. David Haley told the Eagle that he holds the First Amendment sacrosanct and fears that if the language is affirmed it could cause “unintended consequences.”
The Kansas House approved a similar resolution in 2017, which cited scientific research showing that pornography contributed to low self-esteem, “problematic sexual activity at younger ages,” and increased sexual abuse and demand for human trafficking.
As simple resolutions, neither have the force of law.
