Let's Put Pornography Back In The Closet Analysis

Susan Brownmiller’s essay Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet is the argument as to whether or not pornography should be protected by the first amendment. Her essay also brings up points regarding pornography that is degrading to women and how some consider educational material to be pornographic.

Throughout the years and even today there are many debates between what is obscene and what is used for educational purposes. In Brownmillers' argument, she states that in her beliefs “…explicit sexual material has its place in literature, art, science and education” (69). To start with, literature is a mechanism used to help us paint mental pictures by simply reading. Next, art is the physical picture that we can look at. This is early exposure to these children and young adults on what the human body looks like. This creates the early curiosity sometimes leading them to the curiosity of pornography. Finally, science. Science is a subject that we all know. Science is used to open our eyes on how the human body works. Overall it lets us know how each organ functions and the importance of

each. These are all education purposes for the pornography.
            The next issue Brownmiller mentions is the effects on children exposed to pornography.

Early exposure of pornography to the children leads to premature conversations. These conversations consisting not only the act of sex itself, but also the consequences of it. Children who witness pornography’s “hatred of women” (69) and its determination to “humiliate, degrade and dehumanize the female body for the purpose of erotic stimulation and pleasure,” (69) view this as normal and acceptable behavior, according to Brownmiller. Another large issue that comes with this early exposure is act of pre experimenting. When young children are exposed to these pornographic acts their minds begin to get curious. They want to experience things that children should not yet experience and Brownmiller argues that by “puting pornography back in the closet we can avoid these major

issues.
Now onto the argument of the first amendment. The first amendment is the law that protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. The First Amendment will continue to protect the pornography industry until obscenity laws are passed. Brownmiller does remind us that “there are restraints against false and misleading advertising or statements… that do not threaten, but strengthen our societal values” (70). One day, hopefully, there will be a law that restricts pornography and defines obscenity. Sex is an adult activity and should be kept as such. Keep pornography in the bedroom and out of daily entertainment, advertisements, and young peoples minds.