MetaKnigel If the Rule is Broken–Break It.

"It's red hot, mate. I hate to think of this sort of book getting in the wrong hands. As soon as I've finished this, I shall recommend they ban it." ~Tony Hancock

Pornography.  This unsightly, yet arousing word has an ambiguous nature of which provides legal force to moral judgements or untethers social taboos.  This term imprisons or emancipates depending on the momentum of the social pendulum.  Joining the fray to define, Britain A. Scott, in ‘Women and Pornography: What We Don’t Know Can Hurt Us’, argues that females should have legal recourse if pornography harms them.  To give legal footing, pornography needs a definition that protects females from abuse while not restricting sexual freedom.  We should, therefore, disentangle sex from violence while defining pornography so that people have legal recourse if they feel that pornography has harmed them; however, at the same time we must be cautious that we do not degrade our freedom of speech and expression.

“A sodomite got very excited looking at a zoology text. Does this make it pornography?” ~Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

The distinct issues of sex and violence overlap in subjective pornography definitions.  Diverse public opinion complicates the consensus for a concise definition (Scott 2004); however, after Linda Boreman claimed that Chuck Traynor coerced her into making the notorious 1979 sex film “Deep Throat”, Dworkin and MacKinnon (1988) proposed an ordinance that would allow pornography victims to sue for damages in civil court.  In this ordinance, Dworkin and MacKinnon (1988) defined pornography as:

[T]he graphic sexually explicit subordination of women through pictures and/or words that also includes one or more of the following: (i) women are presented dehumanized as sexual objects, things or commodities; or (ii) women are presented as sexual objects who enjoy pain or humiliation; or (iii) women are presented as sexual objects who experience sexual pleasure in being raped; or (iv) women are presented as sexual objects tied up or cut up or mutilated or bruised or physically hurt; or (v)women are presented in postures or positions of sexual submission, servility ,or display; or (vi)women's body parts----including but not limited to vaginas, breasts, or buttocks----are exhibited such that women are reduced to those parts; or (vii) women are presented as whores by nature; or (viii) women are presented being penetrated by objects or animals; or (ix) woman are presented in scenarios of degradation, injury, torture, shown as filthy or inferior, bleeding, bruised, or hurt in a context that makes these conditions sexual.

The use of men, children, or transsexuals in the place of women in [the paragraph] above is also pornography.

Scott (2004) highlights Dworkin and MacKinnon’s (1988) inclusion of “the violence against women and violation of women and objectification of women” while noting that this definition does not cover all sexually explicit material such as sex instructional videos.  According to Scott (2004), this definition excludes erotica while including violent female-subjugating material such as Hollywood films, television, computer games, and advertisements.  In this analysis, sexualized violence deserves to be defined and criticised distinctly from erotica.

“If we define pornography as any message from any communication medium that is intended to arouse sexual excitement, then it is clear that most advertisements are covertly pornographic.” ~Philip Slater

One reason that we should criticize sexualized violence separately from erotica is because the context of sex determines psychologically damaging effects.  Scott (2004) recommends differentiating pornography from erotica because evidence shows that violent pornography harms the observer’s psychology, attitude, and emotion e.g., violent pornography viewers tend to devalue women and show increases of sexually aggressive behaviour.  After meta-analysis, Scott (2004) states that:

Exposure to sexually violent material increases men’s sexual callousness toward women and lowers men’s support of sexual equality, desensitizes men to violence against women, and increases men’s acceptance of rape myths such as ‘all women secretly want to be raped.

These data show how sexualized violence increases misogyny in individual males; however, this is a pattern of what C. Wright Mills might call a public issue instead of a few private troubles.  The negative psychological effects of pornography are not limited to a few individuals.

“How do I know pornography depraves and corrupts? It depraves and corrupts me” ~Malcolm Muggeridge

Pornography is not an institution built for people to innocently enjoy the natural joys of sexuality; instead, through a sociological lens, we see how pornography has been a patriarchal means of female subjugation.  According to Scott’s (2004) research, historically men have made pornography for men.  This corresponds with Bem’s (2004) analysis of androcentrism of which defines women by their relation to men.  For clarity, Bem quotes Gilman (1911/1971) who says:

She has held always the place of a preposition in relation to man. She has been considered above him or below him, before him, behind him, beside him, a wholly relative existence—"Sydney's sister," "Pembroke's mother"—but never by any chance Sydney or Pembroke herself.

The male gaze guides the lens of pornography while propagating male hegemony and expelling the female perspective.  If Bem (2004) is correct in that the objective definition of all reality is based on males, then pornography is the male privilege, experience, and perspective currently defining the reality of sexuality.  Moreover, according to Ostenson  (2004), dominants dictate the social philosophy, values, and morality.  Ostenson also cites Miller (1986) who suggests that dominants devalue subordinates and place the subordinates in lower roles.  If anything, the shear amount of sexualized violence towards females clearly indicates that males subordinate women by controlling the medium.

"Women, for centuries not having access to pornography and now unable to bear looking at the muck on the supermarket shelves, are astonished. Women do not believe that men believe what pornography says about women. But they do. From the worst to the best of them, they do." ~Andrea Dworkin

If pornography is another tool by which males dominate and subjugate females, then pornography plays an immense role encouraging abuse of females.  Smith (2004) suggests that it is the interest of our patriarchal society to keep women’s self-esteem low because subjugating women helps maintain the social system.  Pornography demeans women through traditional techniques of oppression of which Ostenson (2004) lists as sexism, racism, ageism, heterosexism, classism, ableism, anti-semitism, sizism, and lookism.

"A woman reading Playboy feels a little like a Jew reading a Nazi manual." ~Gloria Steinem

Thus, through debasement and humiliation, pornography makes a direct attack on a female’s self-appraisal.  As Scott (2004) suggests, pornography is rampant in the media.  Smith (2004) confronts the ubiquitous message that convinces women to believe that their self-worth is dependent on their attractiveness.  Pornography ultra-sexualizes female beauty according to androcentric standards—smooth & light skin, unnaturally thin, narrow hips, large breasts, and perfectionist absence of imperfections.  Society discriminates against those whom do not match the manufactured definition.  Attributing larger people with negative characteristics, modern society stigmatizes larger women.  Anorexia, bulimia, and other disorders spread due to distorted body images derived from social pressure.  Similarly, women of colour may attempt to redefine themselves after meeting objections to their skin and other traits.

“Pornography is the attempt to insult sex, to do dirt on it.” ~D.H. Lawrence

Passing, for instance, as Ostenson (2004) explains, is a subordinate’s attempt to escape an inferior role by abandoning personal identity and “passing” into the dominant group.  Some females discard their values attempting to become “one of the boys” while denying sexism or subjugation—this coping strategy is necessary for many working in the pornography industry.  In this way, females struggle with an ideal body image.  Unfortunately, subordinate group members must deal with serious issues that Ostenson (2004) describes, such as a self-hatred that leads to depression, despair, and suicide.  Hence, pornography depicts females in subservient roles while encouraging conformity to androcentric views of beauty.

Disapproving of pornography, some females confidently speak out; however, society—including partners--may ignore the complaints.  Scott (2004) cites Bergner & Bridges from a study in which women from non-abusive relationships described how they felt distress by their partner’s pornography usage.  Some men may believe that what they watch is no concern for anyone else while brushing the complaint off as petty nagging.  Ostenson (2004) suggests that dominants do not understand and appreciate their privileges; therefore, concerns over pornography viewing may seem irrational.  Men may non-consciously underestimate the harm while considering women oversensitive.

"Pornography is the theory, and rape the practice." ~Robin Morgan

Contrary to this male-as-norm view, the concern over a partner viewing pornography is valid.  Although, a viewer may understand that pornography is fiction, pornography propagates sexually violent narratives that construct rape myths such as the prevalent myth that women want to be beaten (Stahly 2004) or raped (Scott 2004).  The fear is legitimate because a partner’s pornography tastes are correlated to abuse.  Rozee (2004) cites Williams (1984) who discusses how rape victims face secondary victimization due to public attitudes—public attitudes formed by rape myths.  Of women’s fears, the fear of rape is perhaps the most sinister (Rozee 2004); therefore, females may feel uncomfortable and mistrusting knowing sexualized violence arouses their partner.  To add to this, while many women are scared of strangers; however, Rozee (2004) asserts that culprits of rape and violence are not usually strangers, but trusted intimates such as boyfriends and husbands.

While correlation does not imply causation, females have a legitimate fear that pornography may increase a partner’s sexual aggressiveness.  Scott (2004) asserts that (as cited in Sommers & Check 1987) interviews with battered women reveal negative effects of pornography.  These women reported that due to their male partner’s use of pornography, partners became more sexually aggressive, physically violent, and made upsetting sexual requests.  While the causal relationship between pornography and violence is inconclusive, Scott (2004) does find an association between them.

"The media are so compelling and so filled with sex, they have become our true sex educators." ~Rodger Streitmatter

In addition, pornography is a mass educator.  Because sex is a taboo subject, people rely on pornography for information.  Consequently, people learn bad advice and risky behaviour; for instance, pornography is not known for teaching safe sex.  Matlin (2008) cites Sutton et al. (2002) revealing that adolescents, on average, see 2,000 sexual acts in the media yearly; however, they do not learn about pregnancy or STDs.  Consequently, males pressure females for sex while also abstaining from responsibility.  Bowleg (2004), citing Amaro (1995), describes how females, because of the imbalance of power, must convince males to wear condoms.  This unbalanced power distribution, explains Bowleg (2004), increases HIV risks because females fear coercion or abuse if they request the male to wear a condom.  Stahly (2004) might suggest that the fear alone is enough to prevent a woman from making the request.

"I believe that sex is one of the most beautiful, natural, wholesome things that money can buy." ~Steve Martin

Evidently, the pornography industry abuses unequal power.  Linda Boreman’s (Dworkin and MacKinnon 1988) case illustrates how we do not know if a female is participating voluntarily.  Stahly (2004) discusses reasons for women not leaving their abusive partners that also apply to the pornography industry; for example, battered women cannot escape abusive relationships due to learned helplessness, economic situation, shame, or institutional restraints; however, the main dissuasion is likely that women fear violence if they try to leave.  Society may blame those working for the pornography industry; however, the profiteers use every method to protect their investments—including violence and coercion.  It is a sad fact, but females cannot always simply leave.

Some women do join the pornography industry for the money; however, unequal wealth distribution is persuasive.  Belle (2004) suggests that impoverished women feel more stress from seeing the unequal distribution of wealth around them than they do from being impoverished.  If we follow Ostenson’s (2004) theory of how people drop their own culture to “pass” into the dominant group, we can see how the unequal distribution of wealth may convince the impoverished to make riskier money by working in the pornography industry. Belle (2004) describes how poverty has detrimental effects on a woman’s social relationships leaving them with fewer social connections to help them—some women may not have the social support to escape the pornography industry.  The pornography industry may not have created the economic imbalance; however, it preys on poverty.  Females need more legal protection so that they can escape victimisation by the pornography industry.

"Pornography is about dominance. Erotica is about mutuality." ~Gloria Steinem

We have neglected the female perspective; therefore, pornography and erotica need more research.  Scott (2004) criticises current research for failing to represent women; therefore, Scott argues for more studies on pornography while involving women’s opinions—adding necessary diversity.

Female responses to sexually explicit material is under-investigated, yet Scott (2004) discusses a few studies contradicting earlier ideas; females do indeed become aroused by visual sexual stimuli.  Sexually explicit material, made by women for women, is increasing.  As Scott (2004) says, this material is non-violent, non-degrading, and consensual; indicating that males and females differ in sexual stimuli preferences.  According to Scott’s (2004) research analysis, vaginal photoplethysmographs did not pick up a difference in physiological arousal from women viewing films made for men or women; however, females seemed to differ in subjective arousal experience.  The summary of Scott’s (2004) evaluation of the differences between males and females in viewing sexually explicit material is that males tend to prefer violent and degrading pornography while females prefer romantic non-violent erotica.

Likewise, differently-abled sexuality is also under-researched.  Currently, pornography fetishizes the differently-abled.  Olkin (2004) reveals the lack of research for differently-abled sexuality.  Olkin discusses myths such as people with disabilities being asexual or deviant for wanting sex.  Further research could increase sexual expression and reduce ignorance.

Researching demographic characteristics reveals the negative social effects of pornography.  For example, the pornography industry and STDs may spread among the same populations of people. Bowleg (2004) reframes HIV/AIDS in terms of social inequality instead of only in terms of race and ethnicity; suggesting that traditional psychological theories fail to consider how sociocultural factors and social structures increase HIV risk.  Gender roles, relationship power, poverty, and neighbourhood environment all relate to the spread of STDs and to those forced into pornography.

Furthermore, Scott (2004) not only wants women from a variety of demographic categories, but also wants research to address demographic characteristics, such as how pornography integrates women of colour.  To highlight this issue, Scott describes how Black and Asian women are often in roles of bondage, torture, and slavery.  Expressing how the Western media eroticizes and stereotypes Asian women, Chan (2004), explains the depiction of Asian women as prostitutes, exotic, subservient, passive, sexy, sexual objects, and available.  Pornography has become a global phenomenon, says Scott (2004), so ethnocentrism is problematic.  Scott (2004) also explains how hidden cameras, graphic art, video games and other newer technologies provide unprecedented volumes and variety of pornography—these new technologies will renegotiate pornography boundaries.  As newer forms of erotica, sex, and pornography become ubiquitous, they will impact freedom of speech.

"Thus Hawkes (1975) maintained that pornography is not explicit sex, but 'uncaring sex,' but could add that '[t]o me, censorship is pornographic." ~Martha Cornog

While pornography does have negative effects on society, giving up our freedom of speech is counterproductive.  Sacrificing our freedom of speech is a short cut going down a slippery slope.  Scott (2004) polemicizes the issue of pornography as free speech by arguing that “material that endorses, condones, or encourages the sexual abuse and degradation of half the human population should not be defended as ‘free speech’”.  Scott’s point is valid only if it does not encompass other forms of art and expression.  If society enacted Scott’s policy, Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’ would be “material that endorses, condones, or encourages the sexual abuse and degradation”.  In Scott’s (2004) opinion, restricting pornography would unlikely restrict women’s sexuality if there were a distinction between pornography and erotica; however, Scott relates the danger that other expressions, such as homosexual erotica, could get caught up in the definition of pornography.  We cannot understate this point.  By using Scott’s definition, not only would homosexual freedoms be at risk, but so would other minority groups such as S&M and bondage communities.  We could ourselves face reprisal if we restrict personal autonomy.

"What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist." ~Salman Rushdie

Free speech gives us the means to fight against injustices.  Scott (2004) cites Strossen (1195) of who defends free speech, as “the strongest weapon for countering misogynistic discrimination and violence, and censorship consistently has been a potent tool for curbing women’s rights and interests”.  Scott believes the validity of this argument while refuting that pornography should fall under the freedoms of free speech as it is “documentation of actual illegal sexual violence” and that laws prohibiting sexual violence have proved ineffective since the material continues to spread.  This point is irrational because crime is rarely eliminated—murder and theft continue.  In fact, video evidence only assists officials in capturing people who break the law.  Scott’s (2004) proposition is simplistic.  We should not give up our freedom of speech; instead, we should focus on the root causes while adjusting and enforcing the laws.  The problem is systemic and will not be solved by giving up our voices.  We should, therefore, strive to give a legal voice to those victimized and abused by pornography while also differentiating sex from violence without throwing away our freedom of speech.  We must reduce pornography’s role in the abuse of women, but also research how erotica could enrich lives.  We must encourage erotica while discouraging the sexualized violence found within that unsightly, yet arousing word—pornography.

"Calling sex by its name thereafter [the 17th c.] became more difficult and more costly. As if in order to gain mastery of it in reality, it had first been necessary to subjugate it at the level of language, control its free circulation in speech, expunge it from the things that were said, and extinguish the words that rendered it too visibly present." ~Michel Foucault

References

Belle, D. (2004). Poor Women in a Healthy Nation. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Bem, S. (2004). Transforming the Debate on Sexual Inequality: From Biological Difference to Institutionalized Androcentricism. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Bowleg, L. (2004). The Health Risks of Being Black, Latina, Woman, and/or Poor. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 158-169). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Chan, C. (2004). Asian American women and adolescent girls: Sexuality and sexual expression. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 158-169). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Dworkin, Andrea and Catharine MacKinnon. Pornography and Civil Rights: A New Day for Women's Equality (1988: ISBN 0-9621849-0-X).  Retrieved December 16th 2010 http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/dworkin/other/ordinance/newday

Golden, C. (2004).The intersexed and the transgendered: Rethinking sex/gender. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Matlin, M. W. (2008). The psychology of women (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.

Olkin, R. (2004). Women With Disabilities. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Ostenson, R. (2004). Who’s In and Who’s Out: The Results of Oppression. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Rozee, P. (2004). Women’s Fear of Rape: Cause, Consequences, and Coping. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Scott, B. (2004). Women and pornography: What we don’t know can hurt us. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 202-309). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Smith, C. (2004). Women, Weight, and Body Image. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Stahly, G  (2004). Battered Women: Why Don’t They Just Leave? In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (pp. 94-109). Boston: McGraw-Hill.