EDIT: Porn for your parents

Robert Marucci, a senior at Coca High School in central Florida, was suspended last Wednesday for being a “major campus disruption.” Brevard County Schools spokeswoman Michelle Irwin claimed Marucci’s suspension had nothing to do with his after-school job, which just so happens to be gay porn. Are you sure about that, Ms. Irwin?

A campus monitor overheard a group of students discussing Marucci’s video last Tuesday, in which he stars under the name “Noel.” The case was brought to administration, and after a two-day investigation, Marucci was suspended for 10 days. The 10-day suspension would have put the Florida senior off track for graduating on time, as he would have automatically failed due to too many absences.

Marucci, a self-identified straight man, said he turned to gay porn to help his struggling mother pay some bills. When his peers discovered Marucci’s video, he inevitably became a prime target for bullying. And rather than punishing those who were allegedly tormenting the 18-year-old, Coca High School suspended Marucci for being a “major campus disruption.”

Supporters of Marucci’s job choice were outraged, and voiced their outrage over social media, and in the form of protests and a walk out at his high school. Marucci was eventually cleared of any suspicion of the “threats of violence” he allegedly made and was allowed to return to school on Wednesday. Administrators said though they knew about Marucci’s X-rated gig, they would never suspend a student over legal extracurricular activities.

Marucci may have starred in the porn, but his classmates were the ones watching it. Marucci was of legal age, and as long as his curious classmates were of age as well, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this situation. However, since the media has put such an emphasis on the fact that it was “gay porn,” it leaves one to question whether this debacle would have caused as much controversy if it were straight porn. In Marucci’s defense, gay porn pays an average of three times as more than straight porn — popularly known as “gay pay” within the industry.

There is nothing ethically wrong with creating or watching porn, whether it is gay or straight. Browsing the X-rated side of the Internet is a personal choice, and, considering it makes up so much of the Internet, a pretty popular one at that.

If Marucci were a drug dealer looking to make a quick buck for the well-being of his family (Walter White, anyone?), this would be a completely different story. But every thing about Marucci’s situation is legal. He is over 18, his videos were shot off campus — on a beach, to be specific — and his mother was even in support of it. Through tears, his mother said, “He stood up and he was the man of the house when I couldn’t be.”

The blame should not be put on Marucci for exposing himself on the Internet or on his mother for supporting it. If a finger even needs to be pointed in this situation, it should be toward those who left Marucci to feel like porn was his only option to help his mom pay the bills. Instead of suspending him, Coca High School should have protected Marucci from the bullying and threats he endured.

If handled irresponsibly, engaging in porn can be extremely debilitating on a person. According to the Pink Cross Foundation, a faith-based organization that offers emotional support to former and current porn-stars, 32 performers between 2007 and 2009 died prematurely of HIV, suicide, drugs and murder. However, porn stars are meticulously regulated and it is extremely rare for performers to contract such diseases within the industry.

There is a lot of money to be made in the adult-film world, and it is simply a matter of who’s willing to reap the publicity and possible social ostracizing when they look to leave the industry.

After Porn Ends, a 2010 documentary, explores the personal side of the $14 billion dollar industry. This documentary follows former porn-stars, Asia Carrera, the first half-Asian female A-list porn star, and Richard Pacheco, former Playgirl Man of the Year, and asks the question if such stars could really live a normal life after porn. Carrera is currently a stay-at-home mother of two living in Mormon country in St. George, Utah, and Pacheco is now an avid action-figure collector. So, the answer is yes.

After administrators found out about Marucci’s X-rated source of income, they offered him options for an “alternative lifestyle.” But in reality, it’s hard to imagine Marucci would want to leave this multi-billion dollar industry where people make an average of $1,800 anytime soon.

Despite all the controversy, Marucci has expressed no form of resentment towards his choice to engage in gay porn. So, if Marucci is comfortable with his X-rated endeavors, then he should be left alone to care for his family.