I've chatted with a decent amount of members, hopefuls and even a couple of SGs about how things "Just aren't the same anymore.". I have to admit, I've been of the same opinion myself for awhile now.
Gone are the days of SG being the safe haven for the goth, punk, raver, trip-hop, counter-culture, and the just "weird" girls. That's not to say that they aren't here, but you've really got to look to find them. Please don't misunderstand... I still find about 75% of the ladies who post photos on the site to be something to fantasize about, and could never imagine myself having the courage to approach them if I met them in public. You're ALL beautiful, for lack of a less cliche term.
After days of thinking about this... I came to a realization. SG HAS changed, yes, but only because it had to. It's not just in Portland anymore. It's in Brisbane, Venice, Tokyo, Capetown, and Sydney. People all over the world are fans. They have different cultures, beliefs, tastes, and ideas on sexuality. So do we.
Sexuality has changed. We've gotten more comfortable with the ideas of same-sex, multiple partner, and less defined relationships.
I HAVE CHANGED in the last 14 years.
There's no chance in Hell that the 22 year old Q-sick "allows" his girlfriend to pose naked. Now, I'm ENCOURAGING my current life partner to (granted there are still certain aspects I find difficult, but I've realized I have to let those go.). So, please don't assume I'm against SG overall. Maybe I'm just nostalgic for times passed.
On the other side of things, technology has changed. Photoshop has allowed photographers to remove the imperfections that may have plagued older sets. Digital photography has allowed photographers to snap ten TIMES the photos, without having to spend hours reformatting, or waiting for film to develop.
The internet has exploded, everyone has an opinion, a cell phone, and you can see naked girls everywhere online (except Playboy I've heard, weird). SG STILL has the best community for all types of things. SG brings those people together.
Naked women are no longer considered something "bad". In 2003, if you were in a public place flipping through a "nudie mag", you were bound to be accosted by local authorities. Yesterday, my girlfriend and I were looking at SG on our phones at the restaurant.
So... Things AREN'T what they used to be. I no longer see that as a bad thing. Yeah, there's legit MODELS on the site now, you won't see Missy on the blogs nearly as much, and SG isn't the new kid on the block anymore.
SG has SURVIVED where some of the imitators have not. Which is awesome, considering many of you have variations of the logo permanently inked on your skin. Something we've been considering for awhile now ourselves.
Yes... Things will never be what they used to be. That's ok. There's this line that I saw when I purchased the First Tour DVD that still rings true today: "One day you'll be nostalgic for now.". If you're praising the "days past", that's exactly what it means.
