"Images of Our Lives affect the Reality of our Lives"

There are numerous stances on the number of issues wrapped around pornography- Setting aside religion, freedom of choice, sexuality etc I think it’s important that we recognize the social implications pornography has on our society or communities. Over the past 40 years pornography has become more racist, sexist, violent, dehumanizing and unfortunately more popular. Pornography is not just a product of sexism but also a nurturer of it. Even if we do not approve of or even consume pornography ourselves we are still apart of this problem when we tolerate pornography in our homes, communities, televisions, hotels etc. Tolerance is acceptance and allowing it to exist sustains and even supports the idea that its acceptable to degrade and objectify another human being for another's pleasure. We need men and women to resist the idea that this could ever be considered normal and an accepted part of our society.

Pro-porners' believe that anti-pron means to be anti-sex. (And only extreme protestant or radical feminists would be against pornography) To say that pornography is sexual is to say that Rape is about SEX and not about Power. ‘Feminists’ against pornography are not opposed to sex or self-expression. One author defines pornography as “the degrading and demeaning portrayal of the role and status of the human female…as a mere sexual object to be exploited and manipulated sexually.” Whether implicitly or explicitly, pornography encourages and approves degradation of women and children molding human beings into objects…which then allows us to disconnect, almost accepting violence perpetuated on another human being. It's increasingly common for pornography to feature; stabbings, burnings, beatings, gaggings, bindings, tortures, gang rape, anal/vaginal/oral rape, mutilations and even death for the sake of male sexual pleasure. One author noted that, “This contributes to a culture in which real violence against women is not only perpetrated but accepted as normal.”



Pornography not only dangerously affects women but men as well. How can one imagine what an intimate sexual experience is meant to look like when our idea of sexuality has become overtaken by this ideology for power and control. To be considered masculine or strong means one must be powerful, forceful and of course violent? The idea that pornography is an accurate portrayal of sex is so incredibly skewed. I don’t know many women who would like to skip the foreplay, the warmth, compassion, (maybe conversation?) anything that even merely reflects a mutual relationship. Lets just jump right into the scene where you dominate, manipulate, humiliate and penetrate me while I pretend to enjoy what’s killing me.
As pornography begins to overflow into advertisement, family television, movies and books our society becomes more and more desensitized to violence. Violence against women and even children is somehow accepted as normal, as reality. There is no room for equality→class, race, or gender) in pornography.
Equality will have occurred when I no longer have to walk home at night with a racing heart glancing over my shoulder. When women no longer have to be conscious of the ever-present threat of being raped.
Many will question, why would a women then willingly become a porn-star or a prostitute if women find porn so degrading? Aside from the large fraction of women who are forced into prostitution there are many that in some sense, “Choose” this option.
What are the pressures that are leading women to make this choice? What does it say about our society when, for many women, the strongest economical and most logical choice for them is to become a prostitute or sign up to become an actress in a porn film. Is it realistic to allow ourselves to believe that becoming a prostitute or a porn star is a choice? Did anyone grow up wishing that lifestyle on himself or herself? To be humiliated, tortured and objectified for another persons profit? To believe that one chose to be spit on, burned, ejaculated on (one recent porno film shows one woman being cummed’ on by 13 men at once- what a turn on) hung, drowned, tied up, bit, scratched is a bit extreme. I feel as if there should be another option for women who are struggling against socioeconomic, sexist and/or racist barriers while trying to find means to support themselves and possibly their family as well.

Take a look at these public advertisements for jeans, mens/womens shoes, perfume, vodka and one interesting cover to hustler. What values do these images reflect...what messages are being sent? Sometimes its quite difficult to figure out what product is actually being sold. (The organ donor ad is a personal favorite)