The Pros and Cons of Pornography

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For centuries, humans have been creating explicit images to depict their sexual fantasies and desires. Times have drastically changed, however, since the first known sex guide, Kama Sutra, was illustrated in 5th-century India (King 412). The selling of sexually explicit material is a multibillion dollar industry (King 411). Today, with just the click of a mouse, millions world-wide are able to access pornography and see their sexual fantasies come to life (King 418). According to King, “One third of all use of the internet is connected to porn sites,” (419). With explicit sexual material nearly impossible to avoid, it may be difficult to decipher between what is normal sexual behavior and what is merely fantasy. There is belief that the sexual activities of women presented in pornography effect both genders’ perceptions of what is normal female sexual behavior. Many argue that pornography objectifies and degrades women, while others believe that it is actually empowering (Evan-Cicco, 2001). This research paper will explore the negative and positive influence that pornography has on society’s view of female sexuality.

The belief that pornography promotes sexism and “perpetuates men’s control over women’s lives” has been expressed for decades, most notably by women such as Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin during the anti-pornography feminism movement (Shaw 2010). It has been argued that porn is disempowering to women and depicts them as simply sex objects for men. Some pornographic material focuses on the male actor’s satisfaction and very little on the female’s stimulation (Arakawa, 2012). The women in these porn scenes are viewed as “little more than a receptacle for the penis” (Arakawa, 2012). The evidence of female disem...

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...ward Pornography and the Characteristics Attributed to Pornography Actors." Sex Roles 44.5-6 (2001): 351-61. Springerlink. Web. 2 Feb. 2012. .

King, Bruce M. Human Sexuality Today. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.

Paul, Pamela. Pornifed: How Pornography Is Damaging Our Lives, Our Relationships and Our Fmailies. 1st ed. New York, New York: Henry Holt and, 2005. Google Books. Web. 2 Feb. 2012. .

Shaw, Susan M. "Men's Leisure and Women's Lives: The Impact of Pornography on Women." Leisure Studies 18.3 (1991). Taylor and Francis. 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 2 Feb. 2012. .

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