Is Pornography really degrading women?

[Vendetta]

I have heard all sorts of arguments from feminist philosophers with respect to the portrayal of women in porn, and with that, it appears there is a universal consensus in that women directly and indirectly are influenced in the pornographic culture because of male influence and the "lust" for money and fame. Some go on to say that mentally unstable women are not necessarily attracted to porn, rather, use pornography as a psychosocial tool to escape their own problems. Upon asking about the degradation of men, feminist would say men are the one's screwing while the women.are the ones getting screwed--which I understand from that is the excerise of power and gender dominance. However I am wondering if feminist are truly losing sight on the autonomy of women by over indulging the idea of male dominance by continuously portraying women as victims instead of a willing participant in this sex culture. I also believe that men too, like women, use pornography which may reveal some past "demons."

With that being said how is pornography degrading?

 

[Rakhel]

That is a very good question. One I have asked myself and never got a straight answer.

I guess I just ain't feminist enough.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Great topic btw.

I think it like everything else depends upon the circumstances.
You have pretty much voiced in your last sentence the primary concern I share.
In the end sex is the oldest business in the book and no matter what people object to on philosophical or idealistic grounds no good will come out of censorship or repression of the sex industry...porn or prostitution.
Driving it underground removes what regulatory influences we do have...particuarly with regard to health and safety and limiting the exploitation of vulnerable people.
I would go much further and suggest that brothel style prostitution should be legalised and be better regulated allowing sex workers to be closely monitored by health care professionals and other groups such as drugs counsellers.

All paid for of course by the income tax revenue from brothels.

 

[Vendetta]

That is a very good question. One I have asked myself and never got a straight answer.

I guess I just ain't feminist enough.

Thank you for your insight, and yes I haven't really gotten an answer as well. I was given philosophical examples and blah blah blah still find it problematic especially autonomous behavior and how this is somehow associated with male coercion.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

With that being said how is pornography degrading?

It isn't if there's consensus from all parties involved and everyone is being paid fairly. Same reason prostitution isn't degrading if it's done in a controlled environment.

If it's degrading to women then wouldn't it be equally degrading to men?

 

[Vendetta]

Great topic btw.

I think it like everything else depends upon the circumstances.
You have pretty much voiced in your last sentence the primary concern I share.
In the end sex is the oldest business in the book and no matter what people object to on philosophical or idealistic grounds no good will come out of censorship or repression of the sex industry...porn or prostitution.
Driving it underground removes what regulatory influences we do have...particuarly with regard to health and safety and limiting the exploitation of vulnerable people.
I would go much further and suggest that brothel style prostitution should be legalised and be better regulated allowing sex workers to be closely monitored by health care professionals and other groups such as drugs counsellers.

All paid for of course by the income tax revenue from brothels.

Thanks prime!

In addition to your points I wanted to also ask the question: when does sexual acts become degrading? In other words are feminist looking at the act(s) themselves? I've even read some really hardcore feminist who believe the sex organs were made for male superiority. A common analogy would be the phallic symbol (or penis) is representative of male power while the vagina, or vaginal canal acts as a recepticle to receive male dominance. When I read that it made sense.

 

[Rakhel]

If it's degrading to women then wouldn't it be equally degrading to men?

One would think, but the problem comes in that "men are the dominate species.
Men dictate how a woman acts, thinks and feels." Men have no reason to feel degraded. They have no reason to be a victim and if they are they "deserve" it.
Can I just roll my eyes here?

The only way I could even begin to see it as degrading is if the person doing it feels degraded, and while I am sure there are a few that do feel this way, they do not represent the majority.

 

[Pegg]

it degrades both men and women because it affects the mind in very negative ways that may not seem immediately apparent.
The connection has been made between pornography and rape and violence against women and children. Even the serial killer Ted Bundy admits that he developed a strong appetite for violent pornography that geared him towards his violence sexual crimes.

pornography should be viewed as a poison.

 

[Vendetta]

It isn't if there's consensus from all parties involved and everyone is being paid fairly. Same reason prostitution isn't degrading if it's done in a controlled environment.

If it's degrading to women then wouldn't it be equally degrading to men?

Well the argument from some feminist is that it is degrading to men but less degrading. For instance in "straight porn" majority of the scenes end with a "money shot" or ejaculating on a woman's face. Feminist argue, the act alone is degrading.

 

[Vendetta]

it degrades both men and women because it affects the mind in very negative ways that may not seem immediately apparent.
The connection has been made between pornography and rape and violence against women and children. Even the serial killer Ted Bundy admits that he developed a strong appetite for violent pornography that geared him towards his violence sexual crimes.

pornography should be viewed as a poison.

I see where your going in connecting pornography with rape but I wouldn't go that far just yet. There is no real connection between pornography and rape. When I used to watch porn (lol) I never had the urge to rape, though, I perceived those sexual acts to be normal.

 

[Pegg]

The only way I could even begin to see it as degrading is if the person doing it feels degraded, and while I am sure there are a few that do feel this way, they do not represent the majority.

I would say the degrading comes from the fact that porn portrays women, men, and children as objects that exist only for sexual gratification... they are seen only in that context and for that reason they are degraded

when you depict anyone as an anonymous, empty sex toy, when you strip and exposing their bodies for entertainment then the message you are putting into your mind is that this 'thing' lacks dignity and equality and humanity ...its just a 'thing'

 

[Vendetta]

I would say the degrading comes from the fact that porn portrays women, men, and children as objects that exist only for sexual gratification... they are seen only in that context and for that reason they are degraded

when you depict anyone as an anonymous, empty sex toy, when you strip and exposing their bodies for entertainment then the message you are putting into your mind is that this 'thing' lacks dignity and equality and humanity ...its just a 'thing'

Children? You mean pedophilia?

 

[Pegg]

Children? You mean pedophilia?

yep, anyone who is made a subject in porn is being degraded

 

[Vendetta]

yep, anyone who is made a subject in porn is being degraded

What if a woman is willing to do pornography? Also is lesbian porn degrading?

 

[Pegg]

What if a woman is willing to do pornography? Also is lesbian porn degrading?

i dont think the issue with her willingness to do it....you can pay anyone to do anything

the issue is that it puts her into the context of a 'thing' used for someone elses self gratification. As soon as you do that to anyone, their equality is gone because they are now something for someone else to 'use'. Its the context that she is put into which makes it so degrading.

 

[Rakhel]

i dont think the issue with her willingness to do it....you can pay anyone to do anything

the issue is that it puts her into the context of a 'thing' used for someone elses self gratification. As soon as you do that to anyone, their equality is gone because they are now something for someone else to 'use'. Its the context that she is put into which makes it so degrading.

One could essentially the same for marriage. Women use men, men use women.
It's all a matter of perspective.

 

[Koldo]

In fact, many jobs are just like that, Pegg.

 

[Pegg]

One could essentially the same for marriage. Women use men, men use women.
It's all a matter of perspective.

its a big difference in giving someone the status of your husband or wife, as opposed to the satus of a thing for gratification...a tool for use

to degrade means to reduce the status of someone, to demote them to a lower position.
That is exactly what pornography does to its subjects...it lowers their value as a human, it ignores their intelligence and their spiritual attributes and makes them nothing more then a piece of meat.

to view the opposite sex in such a way is damaging to those who view others in that way and to those being viewed in that way... if we are to be equal partners in life, we must treat each other as equal partners in life.


the problems between men and women, i believe, stem from a distorted view of each other and pornography contributes to that distortion.

 

[Vendetta]

Pegg is lesbian porn degrading? Also there are married couples who do porn so are they degrading themselves?

 

[Pegg]

Pegg is lesbian porn degrading? Also there are married couples who do porn so are they degrading themselves?

yes and yes

Sorry, im just against the whole porn thing because sex is not all that we are...there is so much more to humanity then sex. But some people only want to focus on that and this is degrading to the dignity of mankind in general.

there is a place for sex in this world...but self gratification is not where its at.

when men and women can stand together and not be focused on each others sexual organs, then we can have unity, equality, love, peace, joy, happiness etc etc etc.