Feminism And Pornography In The Modern Era

Pornography and Feminism

It is constantly surrounding us. It cannot be evaded. Pornography is an initial part of the entertainment mainstream. Whether it is in magazines, or in music, pornography is gender-prejudiced. The word pornography can be defined as the depiction of erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement.

Degrasion towards women is its only accomplishment. The poses they take and the acts they perform are all part of the discrimination that women face . The only thing pornography offers is negative effects on women. Pornography, whether on a page, in music, or on screen, is degrading to all females. Magazines, posters, and other materials portray women as something less than human. A women in Florida argued that she was harassed by her male co-workers who put up graphically sexual posters and calendars, some showing women being abused. Among the offensive materials was a poster with a frontal view of a nude women with a dehumanizing USDA choice printed on it. Also , a teacher in Canada asked the Ontario Human Rights Commission to order the removal of pornographic magazines from convenience stores on the grounds that they create a hostile environment for women. Even Playboy and Penthouse , two of the more popular menÑŽs magazines that actually contain insightful articles on current issues or events, degrade women. Psychologist Marty Mckay says that the only way to protect womenÑŽs rights is to prohibit the sale of skin magazines in corner stores. Men are not put into the same portion, and there in lies the discrimination. When speaking of pornography in action, X- rated videos are the first thing that comes to mind. A shop in downtown Toronto that sells dirty movies and frightening looking sex toys has Ultra Great Sex tapes for less than $25.30. One scene contains two men performing simultaneous anal and vaginal intercourse on one women. The obscenity law found in subsection 8 of section 163 in CanadaÑŽs Criminal Code says that a work is absence and illegal if one of its dominant characteristics involves the undue exploitation of sex. A Canada court created three rankings for obscenity. The first, any materials that mixes explicit sex and violence , or include children. The second, works that involves explicit sex and degradation that encourage violence or harm toward women. Finally, other sexual explicit materials is permissible because the obscenity law cannot ÑŽinhibit the celebration of human sexuality.ÑŽ From a lyrical view, the 2 Live Crew, a once popular rap group, wrote music containing degrading, explicit and manipulative lyrics directed toward women. Explicit is an understatement : ÑŽJust nibble on my D_ _ like a rat does cheese.ÑŽ This was a line from one of there popular songs. The group argued that their albums contained a parental advisory label, but the albums , the most popular called ÑŽNasty as They Wanna Be,ÑŽ were banned in many states because they crossed censorship lines. The exploitation of women on screen in music, and in magazines is degrading to the entire gender.

Sexual crimes are spurred by pornography. In Massachusetts, feminist groups can be found on both sides of the debate over a proposed bill that would allow individuals who can prove that they were assaulted as a result of pornography, defined as a form of sexual discrimination, to recover damages in civil court from publishers of the materials. In Washington, the Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a law that would allow victims of sex crimes to sue the producers, distributors, and sellers of obscene materials if the victims can prove that the material was a substantial cause of the injury. Proposed laws like the above are steps in the right direction in preventing sexually related crime cases, especially ones like the Ted Bundy case, where the serial killer claimed just before his execution that pornography had fueled his violent fantasies. Pornography currently has more protection than we do, Michigan law professor Catherine Mckinnon said she argued that much of the violence has been inspired by pornography, which she defines as ÑŽThe graphic, sexually explicit subordination of women through pictures or words.ÑŽ Also , the Ted Bundy case set off an attempt to put a squeeze play on the First Amendment. Pornography Victims Compensation Act, the one described above in Washington, nicknamed the Bundy Bill is technically targeted towards obscene materials. Ted Bundy changed the way America views pornography, but the material contained in pornographic videos has changed itself. At a Toronto shop called ÑŽBooks,ÑŽ an entire wall is devoted to bondage videos. Among the selection is a tape called ÑŽWomen Ruled by Men.ÑŽ The cover advertises it as ÑŽone of the most exciting bondage videosÑŽ ever made, and depicts two nude women strapped back to back be a series of chains. One has what looks like a horseÑŽs bit in her mouth, held there by a tight strap around her head. Another video cover shows a leather-clad strong man named ÑŽSir Michael,ÑŽ pulling open the negligee of a young blond women