Einstein she ain’t! Porn star to speak at science festival
IT is one of Europe’s biggest and most family-friendly science festivals, discussing such topics as ‘Why chocolate may become extinct’ and ‘What life on Mars would look like – made in Lego’.
But some of those turning up for this year’s Edinburgh International Science Festival might get a bit of a surprise.
Among the attractions at the event, which receives £65,000 in Scottish Government funding, will be porn star Vex Ashley – who has been invited to join a panel of experts to debate ‘Can pornography be good for you?’. The erotic film actress will appear alongside obscenity lawyer Myles Jackman, psychotherapist Paula Hall and Richard Lucas of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity at the Summerhall venue on Sunday April 3.
The 26-year-old from Leeds describes herself on her website as ‘an ex-art student turned professional undresser’.
It is not clear if Miss Ashley is being paid for her appearance or receiving expenses, but organisers stress that tickets for the event, part of the Science and Culture Discussion series, will be restricted to an age group of 14-plus.
Yesterday, an Edinburgh International Science Festival spokesman said: ‘We realise it is a controversial topic and we are happy with that. A festival is a melting pot of ideas that brings together people that might not otherwise have the opportunity to speak to each other.
‘We think it is valuable to give people the opportunity to think about controversial topics and hear about them from informed speakers.’
The event will feature short presentations from each speaker, followed by a discussion and questions from the audience.
The spokesman added: ‘We were keen to ensure a panel with a variety of views. She is here to talk about the benefits porn can have, not just to the viewer but to the per- former, too. As an independent porn producer she will perhaps highlight a different side to the world of pornography from that which we are used to.
‘This event will be discussing sex and the viewing of pornography, but will not contain explicit imagery.’ Miss Ashley declined to comment on her science festival appearance, except to say: ‘I welcome you to come to the talk and hear my thoughts there.’
But Rev David Robertson, the Moderator of the Free Church and a director of the Solas Centre in Dun- dee, said: ‘The panel does seem to me a little bit one-sided. The reason for us being on it is simply that we want to argue that pornography is harmful – that it is dehumanising to both men and women, particularly as a feminist issue as well.
‘We are concerned about the ongoing sexualisation of society and the harm that occurs to children because around a third of 12 to 13year-olds have seen hard-core porn and the damage that is doing. We are not talking about Playboy, but the sort of thing that makes you throw up, that is becoming much more prevalent.
‘It is demeaning to women and to others and there doesn’t seem to be any reason for pornography.’
Last year, around 300,000 people watched or took part in the science festival, which opens on Saturday, March 26 and runs for 16 days.
‘Come to the talk and hear my thoughts’