Ethnography: A Feminist Analysis Of Pornography

It today’s society, pornography is a fast-growing epidemic that is evident in families, marriages, and teenage lifestyles. Supporters of pornography claim that it can be used as a tool to teach students about sex education. However, critics claim that pornography is unjust, influential, and dehumanizing. Pornography is unjust because it has the potential to break down intimate relationships and marriages. It can also have negative effects on children in particular young boys. More and more young boy’s minds are being influenced by pornography which is leading to misinterpretations about how to have a healthy sexual relationship. Most importantly, pornography dehumanizes women and it exploits children. Women and children are being victimized for the sheer pleasure of someone viewing pornography.

Pornography is a controversial subject all around the world. Part of its appeal is its taboo nature. It has been argued that pornography is harmful. Porn is an underground market that is more or less legal but is it harmful? An article written by Diana E.H. Russell in “Dangerous Relationships: Pornography, Misogyny, and Rape” argues that it is. Diana E.H. Russell is a sociology professor. She has researched the issue and argues that pornography is profoundly harmful. Professor Russell believes that it inclines men to want to rape women and that it encourages them to act out rape fantasies. However, Michael C. Seto disputes Professor Russell's theory that pornography is harmful. Michael Seto's article, written with

There have been many speculations about porn and its significance. Many would argue there is no sole purpose for it other then opening up doors for people to fantasize about things that generally do not happen in a normal sexual encounter. However, that is quite the contrary research has shown over the past decade that porn isn't entirely 100% bad. Although, there are negative connotations associated with porn especially for a female, researchers are finding that more

Our social world is becoming increasingly sexualised as pornographic references and imagery are progressively more intertwined with mainstream media, social media, advertising, and pop culture. According to Tyler (2011), this intertwinement of pornography and pop culture consists of five fragments; the beginning of the pornographic boom, the

This phenomena causes women to either hide or suppress their sexual desires and even be negatively labelled (Jervis, Lisa). Women cannot escape these labels, which is completely unjust and an element that helps to continue the female victim blaming cycle. Furthermore, the portrayal and treatment of women in media, especially in pornography demonstrates to men, that all women want to be dominated and that females are all whores at heart (“Pornland: How the Porn Industry Has Hijacked Our Sexuality”). This objectification of women in pornography causes females to be more vulnerable and at risk for rape since most of the viewers are men who ingest this false fantasy. Therefore, this leads a rape culture in a society that does not take rape accusations seriously since women are recognized to hold the power to lure men, but in reality both sexes have the ability to attract one

In this essay I will discuss how pornography harms women in reference to A. W. Eatons paper, A Sensible Antiporn Feminism.  Eaton explains that pornography harms women by impairing their ability to pursue their interests. She does this by outlining the Harm Hypothesis, addressing and resolving issues commonly raised by critics of antiporn feminism, and then discussing the harms that are caused. I will then consider an objection raised by Cooke, and how it is unsuccessful.

227). Among these females, 27.8% were forced to be sexually photographed or filmed by their partners, 75% were forced to consume pornography and 80.5% claimed that they were forced to re-enact sexual acts from pornography (Moreau et al. 227). With 9.4% having reported that they experienced forced sexual relations with other individuals, 38.5% forced with other couples, 53.8% forced into sexual relations with other individuals including family and 69.2% having experienced prostitution through the force of their partners (Moreau et al. 227). With most of these statistics demonstrating forced exposure of pornography to an individual, it could potentially lead to the solidification of sexual scripts involving the alteration of values and such. Which slowly and forcefully educates the females of subordination and objectification. Forcefully creating beliefs that women are tools for sexual gratification as a normality of society. Overall demonstrating that the exposure of pornography has positive correlations with the increasing of sexual

Nevertheless, in obscene sexual materials portray certain people as mere objects and depict human relationships as one that is degrading, humiliating, victimizing and violent. This is potentially harmful because, if one is constantly exposed to certain types of

Professor Gail Dine’s teaches women studies and female images of sexuality in pop culture at Wheelock College in Boston, MA. In addition to her work, she is a founding member of Stop Porn Culture (SPC). The goal of the group is to raise awareness of the hyper sexualization of women in Society. This is a selection from her book, Pornland (2010). “Visible or Invisible: Growing Up Female in Porn Culture” illustrates how mainstream pornographic images have become so prevalent in Western Culture Society. It also shows us examples of what is perceived to be the female beauty standard via Hollywood and pop music stars. There is the real danger that children and adolescents will perceive “the pop culture gone porn culture” (dines pg) to be normal and conform to these set standards. Dines goes on about where these images are present and how widely they are in the media. She implies the need to stop these accelerated images of female porn industry and Consumerism culture conformity. In addition, how if we do not bring these matters to attention soon, before the western culture society will lead generations to achieve a beauty standard that is not real or genuinely.

The controversy and perspective of women against pornography is one of the most beetling debates waged between modern-day feminists amongst themselves as well as between other opinionated individuals. As defined in this essay, pornography is any printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to arouse erotic, sexual rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings. The growing feminist population hosts many apprehensions as well as positive outlooks concerning the pornography industry and its portrayal of women, thus causing it to be a highly debated affair amongst those that share contrasting opinions on the matter. With the increasing interest on the matter, more feminists develop reasoning as to why they either support or oppose pornography. A copious number of those that oppose pornography believe it regresses the movement of feminist in its entirety.

Andrea Dworkin and Catharine A. Mackinnon(Feminist Perspectives), are just two of the women that have stood up against pornography. There are a plethora of feminist see pornography as a way to keep women oppressed and subjected to man. Almost as if porn is taking women in a step backwards.Mackinnon believes porn is an act of sexual violence (McElroy) and Dworkin sees it as sexist and a “deliberate means of subordinating women to men” (Feminist Perspectives). Dworkin and Mackinnon collectively view pornography as not a form of speech, but as an active discrimination and violence against women (Feminist Perspectives). Popular pornography includes abusive scenes and language that is extremely derogatory towards women. Through research it is also believed that due to the acts of violence and sexual abuse depicted in pornography it is causing men to reenact and bring what they’ve watched to life (Purcell).

12.5. Is this it the average number of times Cornell students cry during Finals week? Nope. 12.5 is the number of videos viewed per person on Pornhub.com if it was divided evenly among every person on Earth. Pornography has become a crucial part of our our entertainment consumption, especially with the rise of the Internet, where anything you can dream of can be found with a click. Although porn is as accessible as Facebook nowadays, many feminists believe that pornography is problematic and is a tool for female oppression. One feminist scholar who believes that pornography should be eliminated completely is Catherine MacKinnon. In her essay, “Sexuality, Pornography, and Method: ‘Pleasure under Patriarchy’”, she discusses the issues with pornography in our society. Although McKinnon makes valid points in saying that pornography is an extension of the patriarchy, I believe that pornography should not be eliminated because doing so will not address underlying social problems and because alternative ways, such as changing pornography to be more feminist, is more effective.

MacKinnon argues that pornography defines male treatment of women, and is the clearest demonstration of male dominance. Her perspective is radical, but valuable because it forces one to reexamine his or her view of pornography. She says that, “male power makes authoritative a way of seeing and treating women that when a man looks at a pornographic picture... the viewing is an act of male supremacy” (130). This form of expression dictates the way in which men view women as a class. The uneven distribution of power in this system makes pornography a form of discrimination. “Pornography causes attitudes and behaviors of violence and discrimination that define the treatment and status of half the population” (147). Not only women are subject to this form of oppression. “Pornography is the

In recent years, the term pornography has been primarily associated with that which is accessed and streamed over the internet, rather than the literal definition of, “obscene writings, drawings, photographs, or the like, especially those having little or not artistic merit.” This form of visual pornography is a popular and successful business as it is viewed for fulfilling pent up sexual desires, however it promotes the act of having multiple sex partners without the need of any commitment. Although it is for this reason that this business is permitted, there are many overlooked, long – term affects that have become topics of controversy. Not only does pornography affect those who indulge in it, but it can influence those who divulge

Pornography has strong influences over its viewers. Recent research has been done in attempt to find the link between sexually explicit material and how exposure to it has caused changes in a person’s aggression level toward women, and one’s cognitive development of sexual and social standards and expectations. The findings are grounds for advising trying to regulate the accessibility of pornography to minors to avoid these potentially harmful influences. Although, during adolescence, usually centered between the ages of 13 and 19, sexual curiosity is expected, compulsive curiosity to sexual material that is not most realistic in nature can cause unrealistic views of women and sex roles. These impacts are happening in the plastic minds of 13 and 19-year-old web surfers who are unaware of the effects taking place. Child pornography is a form of child sexual abuse. Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor less than 18 years old. Progressively, child pornography laws are being used to punish the utilization of computer technology and the Internet to get, share, and appropriate pornographic material including kids, including pictures and movies. Having a violation of federal child pornography laws is a serious crime and first time offenders found guilty of producing child