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Pornography and feminism in the modern world
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Recommended: Pornography and feminism in the modern world
Outline: Commodity Chain of Adult films
• Production ○ Gender production
Pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry that produced, sold and consumed mainly by men. Many feminist has taken a definite stance on porn, splitting between the two opposing positions of pro or anti. Regarding gender, women throughout the commodity chain of pornography have been for the most part neglected. Besides the main acting role, women are under-represented in all positions in the industry. The male demographic is catered to, with the ladies being constantly objectified. However, today across the commodity chain, there are growing numbers of women in the pornography working beyond the just role of adult actresses. §
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Historically shunning women from consuming it and those who did were considered "sleazy" or a "sexual deviant. " Because of the longstanding mistreatment and ostracism of women, radical feminist has rallied against pornography, and liberal feminists are pro-pornography so that that porn can be a sexual liberating for females. However, the reality is that women, in general, are more ambivalent to the idea pornography. When women were asked about it, some enjoyed just as men did, others critiqued the emotional authenticity of the actress and desired greater authenticity. However, that was difficult to measure, because of the consumer's idea of emotional authenticity is based on their own experience. Women consumer do enjoy "women-centered" pornography when it is available, but there is very little to access. Also, this study of women consumer has shown that there is very little empirical data on it, while there are increasingly more women consuming pornography. The research that has been conducted shows women do not strictly fall into the two traditional feminist theories of anti and pro, but more so along a diverse spectrum of ambivalence between the
To sufficiently take a side in the ever-growing debate of pornography, one must first define the concept around which this discourse surrounds itself. A working definition for pornography is a piece of material that has the object purpose of arousing erotic feelings. Radical feminists, however, strictly define it as “the act of sexual subordination of women” (Dworkin 1986).
A review of the contemporary research on the negative effects of pornography is replete of scholarly and anecdotal evidence and opinion about the damages associated with viewing it. But the evidence is limited when it comes to criticism of mainstream media’s damages to certain groups, particularly young women with their romantic comedies.
modern media is objectified and put on the screen for male viewers. Films are a
Today, pornography has different targeted audiences based on various categories of pornography. There are pornographies made that are targeted toward women in which are slow and focused more on the people’s language rather than solely genitally focused. Most pornographies, however, are made specifically for men. These videos contain a large focus on the genitals, the men are portrayed as dominant, and the women please the men taking any measures necessary. According to a study, pornography that was intended for men and women aroused the men who were being studied. Women on the other hand, activated negative affects after watching the pornography intended for men and positive after watching the pornography intended for women (Mosher, 1994). In general, men are the main target of pornographies and women as well as feminists believe that pornography should not characterize women as objects. Also when making this study, it was difficult to find pornography that was made by women, majority of the videos are made by men and produced for
Noted in Yvonne Tasker’s Working Girls: Gender and Sexuality in Popular Cinema, Goldie Hawn says this about women's role in the film business “There are only thee ages for women in Hollywood: Babe, District Attorney and Driving Miss Daisy” (1998, p. 3). While Haw...
It is important to define pornography, as well as Tolstoy and Dewey’s definitions of art, in order to set the groundwork for my argument. To begin, in this paper, the term “pornography” refers to anything that, “is sexually explicit material that is primarily designed to produce sexual arousal in viewers.” Furthermore, pornography comes in a variety of media, be that literary, photography or video. For this work, I will be analyzing pornography that comes in video and photographic format, as well as former workers of the pornography industry.
...gument against pornography is claiming that intercourse is an act of rape, the argument immediately seems outlandish and almost laughable, and it surely seems that way to the average person. People see these examples of radical feminism and attribute those isolated incidents as representative of the entire feminist movement as a whole. Therefore through complexity, the feminist movement lost a substantial amount of its genuine credibility due to perceived extremist views on female sexuality. This, among many other incidents, seems to be the cause of this great reversal in female sexuality in our current day society. Instead of putting an end to pornography, it flourishes. Instead of bringing an end to female objectification, it is often nowadays encouraged. This reversal of feminist ideals is the main cause for the damage to female gender roles in the 21st century.
...feminist writers. From the liberal’s point of view, they believe that masturbation is wrong. They believe masturbation-- even pornography-- send out a bad message towards men undergoing a lot of pressure to become sexually active. Partaking in masturbation or watching pornography degrades women and makes them feel as if they are being used as an object. Just the thought of women while engaging in masturbation is frowned upon and seen as immoral. Soble deliberates that the liberals are underestimating men.
A common trend in the entertainment industry today is the objectification of women in society. Sexualizing women are seen in media such as; movies, advertisement, television show and music video, where their main focus is providing the audience with an image of women as sexual objects rather than a human. This is detrimental to society since the media is producing social stereotypes for both genders, which can further result in corrupted social habits. Objectification in media are more focused on females than male, these false images of women leave individuals with the wrong idea of the opposite sex. As media continuously use sexual contents regarding women, the audience starts underestimating women. Specifically movies, it allows media to shape the culture’s idea of romance, sex and what seems
Again, there are different ideas of what is considered pornographic from artwork, movies, and books. While one may look at a painting that depicts nude forms or read a book that includes sexual acts may not see this as a form of pornography while others would find it morally offensive. Feminist would argue that the morality of porn is it is degrading and humiliating to those involved, not of its sexual nature. Their concern is that it promotes sexism and violence against women or children. “What is objectionable about pornography…is its abusive and degrading portrayal of females and female sexuality, not its content or explicitness” (Rodgerson & Wilson, 1994) However, others may feel that it is sexually liberating and in no way degrading to those involved. Those women feel in control of their sexuality and choose to participate in acts as a way of expressing themselves while feeling it has no barring on their moral character. While others would argue that it promotes immoral behavior which would lead to criminal acts or an unhealthy obsession with sex. “The most commonly feared adverse effects of pornography include undesirable sexual behaviors (e.g. adultery), sexual aggression, and loss of respect for traditional family structures and values, loss of respect for authorities, and a general nonspecific moral decay.” (Hald & Linz,
Laura Kipnis has described pornography as “an archive of data about...our history as a culture”. Therefore if, she described it as such, what can it tell us about the sexual history of the 20th century? Examining the history of the forms of archive from pornographic playing cards to blu-ray discs and the internet, this shows the ever changing form of how as a society we view pornography. From the forms of archive come the social implications of pornography. This will be examined through the 1986 Meese Commission in the United States of America into the pornographic industry. Finally, this exposition will also examine the differing views of Gay and Straight pornography and the changes that have taken over the 20th century. Overall, the 20th century was a fundamental shift in sexual attitudes towards pornography.
In deeper readings I have come to an understanding which is based upon the way these forms of thought view sexuality and sex as a whole. Liberal feminism is sex positive while radical feminism is what can be labeled as anti-sex. To elaborate, liberal feminism holds the stance that a woman has control over her body and can decide what to do with it. This view includes her decision to be involved with pornography. This is in complete incongruence with the views of radical feminism, which condemns pornography as a whole as “a practice of sex discrimination” (Dworkin & McKinnon, 133), no matter the type or whether it was safely produced. Radical feminism elaborates that pornography is a medium based upon a “systematic practice of exploitation and subordination based on sex that differentially harms and disadvantages women” (Dworkin & McKinnon, 133) Pornography supports the unbalanced power structures within society and cite the fact that most pornography is made for men, by men, with male desires and interests in mind which leads the media to support and idolize unreal and harmful situations within the “storyline” of the pornographic media. These two ideologies view pornography in very black and white terms, as well and fine or bad and evil, with no real wiggle room for
...f women & individuality, the sense of fashion, and the passion in a sexual act distinct it from being sexually objectifying. Similarly, this type of film also needs a higher cognitive skill that could reason and reflect upon the tricky features in the entire picture.
Many feminist theories believe that pornography is part of male culture and the patriarchy in which women are exploited and abused. In fact, one of radical feminism philosophy’s primary concerns is pornography as they believe porn degrades women and that women involved in the industry are physically damaged by patriarchy, as pornography as often directed by male pornographers (McElroy 2016). Renowned radical feminist Andrea Dworkin explored issues like misogyny and pornography. Dworkin spoke out for several causes, primarily in ending violence against women. Her famous work Pornography: men possessing women (1981) argues that porn teaches men to rape and violently abuse women. However, studies show that watching pornography its self does not cause any considerable social harm. Despite this, it is true that the adult industry itself can be torturous and
Pornography is ripping apart our society. Although Christians are sometimes discus tied with the impact and apathetic about the need to control this menace. Pornography is a year business with close ties to organized crime. Pornography involves books, magazines, videos, and devices and has moved from the society into the mainstream through the renting of video cassettes, sales Of so-called "soft-porn" magazines, and the airing of sexually explicit movies on Cable television.