The Pros and Cons of Pornography Essay

Susan Brownmiller indisputably believes that the inappropriate visual of pornography degrades and devours women in the eyes of society. The author states “pornography represents hatred of a women, that pornography’s intent is to humiliate, degrade and dehumanize the human body for the purpose of erotic stimulation and pleasure. The blunt statement left no question on how Brownmiller felt on the effect of improper uses of pornography on

Centerfold syndrome, previously mentioned and encouraged by explicit material, causes women to be viewed as sexual objects and as bodies to be conquered (Tylka 98). The objectifying and degrading content of pornography is typically aimed against women creating negative body-image and self-esteem for the benefit of sexual pleasure. Gender role conflict is often a concern with viewing pornographic material and is said to “be related to negative and stereotypical thinking about women, hostility towards women, acceptance of rape myths, sexual entitlement, sexually aggressive behavior and/or the likelihood of forcing sex, and positive attitudes toward and tolerance for sexual harassment” (Szymanski and Stewart-Richardson 65). This creates problems within both society and relationships against females and can place women in victimized situations. The attributes of the women featured in sexually explicit material for male audiences are the standards that most women are pressured to uphold. Pornography creates a dehumanized and sexual perception of women and causes unrealistic expectations and harmful

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).

However, no explanation is given for how the connection between pornographic representations and beliefs or physical actions is made. As Demare, Lips and Briere note in their study of the relationship between pornography and violence, as much as we may want it to, correlation does not prove a causal relationship. While MPW demonstrates the prevalence of sexual abuse within pornographic material and within society, the only explanation as to how the consumption of pornography is directly related to violence against women amounts to little more than an extended, poetic variation of “monkey see, monkey do”. Dworkin’s information on pornography-based violence, as she states in the introduction of her book, is partially based on one-step-removed accounts of pornography by “only a few of the thousands” of women who she says to have known personally, all of which blame porn as the catalyst of their sexual assault. Other sources include novels, pornographic fiction, excerpts from the biographies of Marquis de Sade and Marilyn Monroe, and excerpts from ‘scientific’ works by Alfred Kinsey and his co-workers - none of which contain a sex-positive perspective on female sexuality. Dworkin’s sources, listed in the ‘Notes’ section of her book, are many, and paint a heart-wrenching image of pornography and female heterosexuality at the time of the book’s publication. One cannot deny the extent to which women endured family sexual abuse, rape, battery, and coercion during the

It can be argued that pornography silences women. The clips may be used to convince people that women who turn down men’s sexual advances are mean. Many feminists fail to understand why pornography has much influence in the

the issue of pornography requires a logical analysis and ample reaction. An scrutiny of the

Violence against women in pornography has become commonplace: force, humiliation, torture, degradation and so forth make impuissance erotic (Dworkin 28 & 35). Sexual abuse can be categorized as: “you do what I say,” and it is precisely this type of scenario that becomes sexuality (MacKinnon 325). Thus the violation of women through a power dynamic defines American eroticism (MacKinnon 325). Acceptance of rape as normal sexual behavior becomes sex (MacKinnon 330). Pornography endorses a rape culture through the depiction of forcible violence as central to sexual behavior (MacKinnon 329). The portrayal of human degradation is to recommend immoral behaviors and ascribe them normalcy. Male supremacy is defined, maintained and romanticized by the permeation of pornography in our society (MacKinnon

In today’s culture, sex is worshipped. From the television shows we watch to the billboards we pass on the freeway, sexually explicit material permeates itself into our world whether it is conscious or not. Research shows that this type of material has the greatest effect on women, children, and marriages. Women and children are the most obvious choice among those assuming the affect this material has on our society, but what many forget is the affect it has on marriage. The women shown in commercials, ads, and movies are far from an ordinary woman. They are perfect. What men, and women, see is an unrealistic expectation of what women today should look like. Another harmful product of today’s sexually acceptable material is pornography. Men and women alike find completely unrealistic sexual scenarios in which they let deeply affect their sexuality. When conducting research, school psychologist and Master of Education Julienne Colbow concludes that this type of material may or may not bother women or “change their attitudes”. She even goes to state that the data is “inconclusive” as to whether or not women really care about the affect this material has on them. Regardless of the way women feel about this type of material in general, I plan to argue the point that this material is detrimental to women, children, and marriages. Sexually explicit material and

Pornography is commonly used in many cultures across the world. Within the United States, alone, roughly 40 million people regularly visit porn sites (Streep, 2014). And yet, despite its growing popularity, only a handful of studies have explored pornography’s potential effects on sexual satisfaction for those in exclusive relationships (Bridges & Morokoff, 2011; Daneback et al., 2009; Maddox et al., 2011; Stewart & Szymanski, 2012; Stulhofer et al., 2010; Zillmann & Bryant, 1988). As using pornography can potentially have negative effects on both the user’s and their intimate partner’s sexual satisfaction, it is important to

There are obvious problems with society today regarding the presence of sexual violence and rape. The cause of these crimes is difficult to isolate, as it is also difficult material for researchers to complete studies on. We need a better definition of abuse, and it needs to be stated that the intelligence and mental instability can affect a man’s actions. There can be a place in relationships for pornography as well, where women are consenting and desire to explore different material, not necessarily being dehumanized. While Fight the New Drug and Samantha Grey, the author of, “A Letter to Men: Porn is Not Just Women’s Problem,” both present claims that pornography consumption leads to violence against women, and plea for society to reject pornography, there are unanswered questions and overlooked aspects that leave their argument unconvincing.

Another argument is that pornography causes the mental health issues and low self-esteem in women. The idea is that women who self-objectify have low self-esteem, prompting phrases like “Don’t you have any respect for yourself?” Well, as it turns out, they have about as much self- respect as the average college aged girl.

The idea that pornography gives feminists of differing opinions this middle ground that they can meet on and see how to articulate the different desires of feminism and what they want to turn it into is one of the main reasons Catherine Lumby argues that feminists need pornography (par 60). As Lumby writes in “Why Feminists Need Porn,” chapter five of her book Bad Girls, “the notion that you can draw a cause and effect line between fantasy and social practice is disturbing and distasteful to some feminists,” (par 60).

The easy accessibility of pornography and long term exposure to it from an early age can lead to damaging views about women or even correlate with violence and sex crimes. Young males especially are targeted and pressured by peers and society to consume porn and throughout time, may become desensitized to the brutality, violence and degradation depicted in it. Now that does not necessarily mean every male will go out and commit a sex crime, but it has been studied that males who view porn frequently have less empathy for rape victims and may exhibit aggressive behavior and or hold negative opinions about women. In order for these increasingly negative attitudes towards women, the policies and regulations surrounding how easy it is to find porn, very much need to be altered. Pornography can play a major role in affecting the brains of young males who watch it, and by result can influence them to be violent towards women.

Viewing pornography robs sex of intimacy. Viewing porn can lead to comparing one’s partner to the porn stars seen in the videos. This includes both physical body comparisons and sexual performance comparisons. Porn promotes unrealistic sexual performance standards such as intercourse lasting longer than average, erections lasting a long time without ejaculation, and women being able to orgasm easier than they are (Goldsmith, 2017, para.7). Comparing can lead to dissatisfaction, which can lead to ultimate disappointment within the relationship. While in the bedroom, it can be hard to let go of the videos a person has seen and instead focus on their partner. In addition, pornography’s content enforces a few beliefs that are not accurate. The first being that all women want sex all the time from all men. The second belief being that women enjoy any and all sexual acts presented to them. The third belief is that women can always be turned on with a little

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.