Porn On The Campaign Trail

Let us never speak of this again

You probably haven’t heard of Mike Itkis (I certainly hadn’t), and there’s no reason you should’ve. He’s running a quixotic campaign for Congress, but there’s one thing about him that might pique your interest.

Or perhaps not. You’ll get to see a LOT of Itkis.

Mike Itkis, is an Independent running for New York's 12th district, hoping to unseat Democratic incumbent Rep. Jerry Nadler. Does he have a chance? Probably not! But let's meet him anyway. A little too much of him, in fact.

Itkis is a 53-year-old Army cyber operations officer running on a platform that so far includes cyber security, ending the war in Ukraine and sex positivity. Among other things, he wants to decriminalize sex work, which is great.

City and State New York reported on Friday that in order to draw attention to his campaign's focus on sex positivity, Itkis had released a "sex tape" he made with pornographic performer Nicole Sage and posted it on PornHub. “If I would just talk about it," Itkis told the outlet, "it wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue. And the fact I actually did it was a huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform.”

I admit it. I am absolutely not the kind of person who can read that a guy running for Congress released a "sex tape" and then not go right to PornHub and watch it.

I may be wrong, but I’d bet that Itkis is the first American politician to make a porn film as part of his campaign. Yes, Virginia, Mike Itkis is a pioneer.

Granted, some folks may have some pretty strong feelings about pornography, but sex positivity is one of Itkis’ issues, so you can’t fault him for putting his money where his Johnson is.

Except that Mike Itkis is clearly NOT a porn professional. Watching people having sex on video for more than a couple minutes isn’t nearly as exciting as one might imagine. This is why professional porn is scripted and wholly unrealistic. Real people don’t have sex like porn performers; the human body doesn’t function as you see in a porn film. Men don’t last for 20 to 30 minutes (or longer)- and Mike Itkis certainly wasn’t about to.

If you’re interested, the video can be found here. Yes, there is nudity and (rather mundane) sex, so it’s very definitely NSFW. Otherwise, knock yourself out, kids.

To Itkis’ credit, his website is very specific about his commitment to sex positivity:

Sexual rights
- Actively oppose the conservative idea that sex should only happen between a man and a woman who are married to each other
- Right to NOT become a parent in case of pregnancy – redefine abortion debate as a right to unplanned sex

Abortion rights for women
- Men should not be required to support biological children without prior agreement

End government involvement in marriage – no discrimination based on marital status
- Decriminalize sex between consenting adults
- Protect privacy rights
- Define consent
- End adultery laws
- Decriminalize and legalize sex work

Make sexual rights explicit – do NOT rely on privacy or free speech rights

His arguments make some interesting points, but as far as the “Right to NOT become a parent in case of pregnancy,” Itkis would do well to remember that it takes a man and a woman for a pregnancy to occur. That would, at the very least, imply shared responsibility for a pregnancy.

A man may want the right to opt out, but the woman doesn’t have the same option. The man is involved, but the woman is committed, so let’s not pretend this is about equal rights. If a man has unprotected sexual intercourse with a woman resulting in a pregnancy, the man should be considered committed to that pregnancy. Legally, he’s 50% legally responsible for the baby.

Therefore, men should be required to support their biological children. If a man is involved in the creation of a child, there is and should be a legally-defined responsibility for that child. By carrying a child to term, a woman signs what in effect is a minimum 18-year contract. The male half of the equation should be held responsible in the same manner. His initial involvement may have been limited to a few pumps and a squirt, but if it results in the creation of a child, he should be on the hook in the same way the woman is.

Other than that, I have no issue with Itkis’ plan. I think there’s much about our Puritan view of sex that should be modernized. Too many people are stuck in the 1600s regarding sex and sexuality, and our collectively attitude needs to change. What form that takes should be a matter of some considerable discussion, but I think good people can decide how to move forward in a mature manner.

Sex need not be wrapped up in such prurient terms and standards. It should be something natural and easily accessible, free from Puritan strictures and morality. Pornography thrives today because as a society we still consider sex to be dirty, sinful, and off limits, when the depiction of people having sex need be none of those things.

I don’t agree with everything Mike Itkis has to say about sex positivity, but the fact that he’s willing to discuss it is a step forward for our political culture, which normally won’t touch the subject with a ten-foot pole. It’s not an issue with an upside, but it can easily torpedo a campaign.

Also, his commitment to sex workers’ rights is encouraging, because not many politicians have been willing to support a group that so many find morally reprehensible. If you believe that sex work is work, then sex workers need and deserve the same protections any other workers enjoy. Unfortunately, sex workers labor under the double standard of being valued by some even as they’re reviled.

Itkis isn’t going to win his race, but his campaign is one of the more unique ones this election cycle- and almost certainly the first to feature the candidate in a porn film. And we may have seen way too much of Mike Itkis.