If a man consumed the product Mz Berlin is selling, would that be grounds for losing parental visitation rights?

It's legal. And carries significantly less risk to the children.

But somehow I suspect that Lynn might feel differently about whether it would be OK for the mother to use this against the father in court.

Really, if you were a public star, which route would you take if you were trying to get publicity. Personally, I would tell any reported who isn't going to give me final edit to go take a hike.

Anyone who gives the subject of a piece any edit, never mind final edit, isn't a reporter. Any publication that would give the subject of a piece an edit is a PR vehicle, not a news source.

Abuse in a system doesn't mean the system must be corrupt and should be eliminated. All systems have corruption. We still need home mortgages despite abuses of that system. Incompetent doctors don't mean we close down healthcare.

Really, that's the only relevant question insofar as the visitation issue is concerned. I feel for Mz. Berlin.

Her hubby knew she did porn, he probably thought she was minor player, probably didn't know she had a following. I bet in addition to wanting full custody of the kid, he wants a large increase in child support $$$.

To people who say she'd be recognized anyway, many authors do not use their real names even though they have their photos and bios on the back cover. Freaky fans don't need that info, it won't screen out someone very determined, but it will screen out a good number of troubled people.

She used an entertainment name, probably didn't wear stilletos and BDSM gear to the local Starbucks, she was able to blend in.

Dear Editor,

Without examining all of the articles related to this case, it appears that the original controversy started with comparisons of bondage pornography to torture. This is interesting to me, since other people have also made the link between what happened at Abu Ghraib and the easy access to almost unlimited acts of degradation on the internet and in Western culture.

Of course, what is "degrading" is an open question. There are many people who want to be degraded, and I think that Ms. Berlin is quite correct in asserting that there is a world of difference between consensual and non-consensual abuse. However, that may not matter - the people who were inspired to abuse inmates at AG may well have taken their inspiration from the consensual pornography and other examples of excess to which they were exposed. Of course, sexual abuse has been going on long before the internet, but the idea that the spread and mainstreaming of pornography through the internet has a had desensitizing effect on the culture at large is one that needs further exploration. To me, this kind of assertion makes sense and seems correct.

On the specific question of should Ms. Berlin's visitation rights be affected by her work: my initial reaction is to say "no". I am a bit concerned about how a child whose mother is into this stuff will be affected as he grows older, but that may not be a fair consideration. It does seem true, however, that Ms. Berlin's line of work can run a greater than normal risk of exposing her - and the people around her - to dangerous and unstable human beings. After all, we're talking here about the intersection of sex and violence, something that is enormously appealing to truly violent people who are not concerned about the niceties of "safe words". So, there is a legitimate case to be made that her line of work has a higher probability than normal of endangering her son.

The reporter in this case is clearly deeply unethical and should be fired from whatever publication has hired him. He should also be disciplined for his actions.

Sincerely,

Shaun

It's like porn is seen as a gateway.

I see it differently, more like people that would like to torture or hurt people sexually, would be more likely to search out avenues of seeing it done, in addition to the folks that just are into really kinky stuff.

It bothers me for the same reason that marijuana and alcohol are seen as gateway drugs. I don't think so, it's just likely that someone willing to shoot up heroin was probably more than willing to try beer and pot, too.

The torturers have all probably listened to rap music at some point and played violent videogames.

as far as assholes go.

. . . and so little space.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to state that Mz. Berlin is a friend of mine, and that we have worked together in films that children shouldn't be watching. She can be evil and sadistic on camera, but then that's her job. In contrast, off camera, when we are just hanging out, she is one of the nicest people I've had the pleasure to meet. I don't have children of my own, but if I did, I wouldn't hesitate to entrust her with their care.

What she is guilty of is finding a job which pays her enough money to support herself and her son, a job which has the added benefit of flexible hours which allow her to spend quality time with her son. Seems like a pretty good deal for both mother and child. Is her job legal, yes. Is it appropriate for her to expose her son to her work, no, but then there a number of jobs that aren't appropriate for children. Just as a cop wouldn't want his kid standing next to him in a shootout with a bad guy, and a fireman wouldn't bring his daughter with him into a burning building, she has made efforts to shield him from the elements of her work which aren't appropriate for him. Sounds like good parenting to me.

Like many who work in the public eye, she has a legitimate fear of stalkers. To protect against that, she has chosen to use a stage name, which is her right. Now some say that her image is out there, what does it matter, true, but then you can't look up someone's address from their image.

Journalists have a thing called a shield law, which allows them to protect confidential sources. The corollary to that is, if a source wishes to remain confidential, then you need to respect that right. You can't just protect the sources you choose too.

So who's in the wrong here, the mother who supports her child and works to protect him from things that aren't good for children, or the journalist who views his ethical obligations as optional guidelines which he can respect or ignore as he sees fit and the father who selfishly uses any pretense to keep his son from the mother who loves him.

I have to side with Mz. Berlin on this one.