“It Was Something To Be Done In Secret”

Reflecting on the Materiality of Pornography in the Family Home

Abstract

This article explores the presence and significance of pornography within the domestic sphere, drawing on personal narratives that recount early encounters with pornographic materials in the family home. Rather than framing these moments as harmful “exposure”, the study examines how pornography operates as a hidden yet powerful medium of sexual discovery, identity formation, and emotional negotiation. Engaging with themes of secrecy, familial intimacy, and the material culture of the home, the article challenges conventional depictions of pornography as an intrusive or pathological presence. Instead, it positions porn as a form of intimate media embedded in the social and emotional fabric of everyday life. Through accounts that span curiosity, pleasure, shame, and trauma, the article high- lights how pornography’s concealment and discovery reflect broader societal norms about sexuality, authority, and intergenerational silence, ultimately revealing its complex role in the shaping of personal and familial relationships.