Is it smutty or erotica?

V for Vixen asks what makes porn smutty or erotic, and find that her grandfather knows it, when he sees it.

Smut. Filth. Porn. Erotica. These words conjure up different images for different people, ranging from flirtatious pin-up photos to hardcore videos of people getting their brains fucked out by various objects. Everyone has different interpretations of these words, and people will probably always question whether there's any difference between porn and erotica.

As the editor of a self-described smut zine, I often receive emails and comments from people who have some preconceived notion of what I do. They figure that "smut zine editor" is actually code for "I produce pornographic videos and would like you to strip naked for my next work!" Thanks, but no thanks.

Though most Montrealers seem to be quite open-minded about sexual literature, visiting Americans will often go riding off on some "you're polluting young minds!" moral high horse when I reveal my profession. My grandfather, for instance, recently found out about my website. It was my own fault, as I've got an email signature that lists the URL of the magazine beneath my name. Still, I never expected anyone in my family to actually take the time to go there! My parents, of course, already know what I do for a living and seem to be tentatively supportive, but my 90-year-old grandfather was outraged.

"I've never seen such filth!" he declared in his email. "If you remain on this path, there is nothing for you but misery." Read on >>