Pornography Causes Harm to Women

1124 Words3 Pages

As defined by MacKinnon, pornography does indeed cause harm to the women. In her argument, MacKinnon successfully demonstrates how pornography displays male supremacy over women, and how women are mere sex-objects. For the purpose of this paper I will further elaborate on MacKinnon’s argument of pornography depicting women as simply sexual objects and also displaying women as being sub-human to men, almost slave-like. Lastly, I will discuss how pornography lacks literary, artistic, political, and scientific value.
First, it is obvious that pornography displays male supremacy. For example, the majority of the porn portrays women as being the submissive character, rather than the character who is in control of the situation. Throughout time, the stereotypical woman has always been considered to be attractive if she embraced the submissive role. Pornography further suggests that women are considered to be sexy or attractive if they pursue the role of being passive. The thought of a masculine or dominating woman may seem like something repulsive to the porn industry. Therefore, there is an obvious misrepresentation of the image of being a woman in terms of the woman being a sexual object; thus, suggesting to men the sexual fantasy of the subordination of women and the dominancy of men. To paraphrase MacKinnon, pornography is a type of sexual politics, which defines men as being superior to women just like the higher class dominates the working class. Pornography creates a type of sexuality which eroticizes male dominance and the submission of women (306); consequently suggesting that a woman’s role simply consists of keeping her husband or partner happy. “Making sex with the powerless ‘not allowed’ is a way of ‘keeping it’ defined ...

... middle of paper ...

...nclusion, violent pornography should not be protected by the constitution because this obscene practice inhibits the free speech of women; essentially making the woman invisible in the political power structure. Violent pornography degrades women because it makes them subject to becoming second-class citizens again. For example, the woman always the one receiving the domination from the man while she is in the submissive role; furthermore, a woman’s speech is only valuable when she is reciting a sexual speech, consequently, causing the woman to have little to no power in the situation.

Works Cited

Feinberg, Joel. "Obscenity as Pornography." Philosophical Problems in the Law. . Reprint. Boston: Clark Baxter, 2013. Print.
MacKinnon, Catharine. "Pornography: On Morality and Politics." Philosophical Problems in the Law. . Reprint. Boston: Clark Baxter, 2013. Print.

Show More
Related

  • “Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet” by Susan Brownmiller: Analysis of an Argument

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet,” Brownmiller discusses her views on the First Amendment and pornography. She explains that pornography has become a disturbingly common sight and there should be some type of restrictions put forth to protect the people who are subject to seeing such obscene materials. Brownmiller uses her feminist views to convince the reader that these restrictions are needed, but only in cases dealing with pornographic material. She uses examples of court cases dealing with banned materials to show when the First Amendment was being used correctly to protect obscene works of art.

    Read More

  • Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet

    601 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her essay “Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet,” Susan Brownmiller, a prominent feminist activist, argues that pornography should not be protected under the First Amendment (59). Her position is based on the belief that pornography is degrading and abusive towards women (Brownmiller 59). She introduces the reader to the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, and explains how it relates to her beliefs on censoring pornographic material (Brownmiller 58). In addition, she provides examples of First Amendment controversies such as Miller v. California and James Joyce’s Ulysses to explain how the law created a system to define pornographic material (Brownmiller 58). She described the system that used a three-part test as confusing (Brownmiller 58). Regardless of whether or not the First Amendment was intended to protect obscenities, she and many others believe that the legislatures should have the final say in the decision of creating and publishing pornography (Brownmiller 60).

    Read More

  • A Pornographic World By Robert Jensen Summary

    502 Words  | 2 Pages

    A pornographic world [What is normal] by Robert Jensen takes an inside look at the culture of masculinity and what role pornography takes in shaping that culture. Jensen describes how he was forced to play a “macho” role as a child out of fear of being bullied and ridiculed for not being manly enough. Pornography use started for him and his friends in grade school – they would steal magazines and hide them to share in a group later. He talks of how he learned of a social concept, called the “ideal of prostitution” (the notion of men “buying” women in various forms of undress, solely for their pleasure), at a young age. While there has always been a stigma around pornography, whether stemming from moral or religious reasons, Jenson continued to use porn until his 30s.

    Read More

  • Irving Kristol's Pornograpy, Obscenity, and hte Case for Censorship

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kristol, I. (1971). Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship. In L. Faigley & J. Selzer (Eds.), “Good reasons with contemporary arguments.” (pp. 535-538). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A First Amendment Junkie By Susan Jacoby

    247 Words  | 1 Pages

    Susan Jacoby, in her essay entitled “A First Amendment Junkie,” attacks those who believe that the first amendment should not be cause for the continuation of public obscenity. Jacoby, adamant defender of the first amendment, questions those who wish for the freedom of expression to be denied in the case of pornography, yet seem complacent about the racism and sexism that comes from freedom of speech as well. Additionally, Jacoby argues that it is too difficult to distinguish pornography from beauty and art from obscenity. One person may see David as a wonder to behold, and yet another may look at it as degrading towards men. Jacoby believes that rather than censorship-supporters controlling what their family watches, they want the government

    Read More

  • Censorship Of Pornography

    2262 Words  | 5 Pages

    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).

    Read More

  • Pornography Viewed by The Four Ethical Standards

    490 Words  | 1 Pages

    The word Pornography is defined as "writings, photographs, movies, etc., intended to arouse sexual excitement". With each year that passes pornography has been more and more accepted, it can be seen in books, magazines, cable television and most of all through the internet. Many religions go against it, but at the same time people know that there is a reason why people go into the business and accepted it an other people just like it. In this paper I will talk about pornography and how it is viewed by the four ethical standards (Utilitarian, Kant, Human Rights and Justice is Fairness).

    Read More

  • Pornography and Feminist Fight for Women’s Rights

    1342 Words  | 3 Pages

    I don’t see how displaying women as objects, and putting them in films portraying the abuse of them in a sexual manner, helps to protect their rights (Faigley & Selzer, 540). Minor Claims Strossen also states that censorship is never a simple matter.... ... middle of paper ... ...

    Read More

  • People V. Larry Flynt

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    As you can imagine, the ruling exacerbated the controversy further among the moral majority, feminist, and freedom lovers across the nation. After viewing this movie, I decided to redirect my research from how pornography devalues women to the controversi...

    Read More

  • A First Amendment Junkie Summary

    1800 Words  | 4 Pages

    The First Amendment was established to protect the citizens of the United States from the government overstepping their power. Since pornography is a form of expression many feminist writers like Susan Jacoby and Susan Brownmiller have argued on whether or not pornography should be protected by the First Amendment. Jacoby, writer of “A First Amendment Junkie” argues that “any form of censorship of pornography is wrong” (46). Brownmiller, the writer of “Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet”, on the other hand, argues that “using realistic and humane contemporary community standards” legislators should decide “what can be displayed and what cannot” (60). Both Jacoby and Brownmiller make solid points to help sway their audience to agree with

    Read More

  • Pornography Should be Regulated

    2299 Words  | 5 Pages

    Any speech therefore, however disagreeable it may be; that does not incite violence must be allowed in our society. One must then consider whether pornography may be classed as speech. Nadine Gourgey argues that speech is not solely defined as the communication of information, but rather encompasses any act made by a party that which can be viewed and comprehended by another. Gourgey states that if porno...

    Read More

  • Justice Potter Stewart's Argument Essay

    377 Words  | 1 Pages

    ‘I can’t define pornography, but I know it when I see it.’ (P. Stewart, US Supreme Court’) Justice Potter Stewart’s remarks in the Jacobellis Vs. Ohio Supreme Court case are infamous in both American law and pop culture. Since the inception of the first amendment, American law has excluded the use of profanity or obscene content from protected free speech. However, as Justice Stewart stated, courts and lawmakers have routinely struggled to outline what constitutes obscenities…… This struggle is largely in part to the fluid dynamic of morality in society.

    Read More

  • Pornography in the 20th Century

    2231 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Fight Against Child Pornography

    2328 Words  | 5 Pages

    In recent years, pornography has established itself as perhaps the most controversial topic arising out of the use of the Internet. The easy availability of this type of sexually explicit material has caused a panic among government officials, family groups, religious groups and law enforcement bodies and this panic has been perpetuated in the media.

    Read More

  • Pornography

    1739 Words  | 4 Pages

    To some, pornography is nothing more than a few pictures of scantily clad Women in seductive poses. But pornography has become much more than just Photographs of nude women. Computer technology is providing child molesters and child pornographers with powerful new tools for victimizing children. Pornography as "the sexually explicit depiction of persons, in words or images, Sexual arousal on the part of the consumer of such materials. No one can prove those films with graphic sex or violence has a harmful effect on viewers. But there seems to be little doubt that films do have some effect on society and that all of us live with such effects.

    Read More

More about Pornography Causes Harm to Women

Open Document