We Objects Object: Pornography and the Woman's Movement

W E OBJECTS OBJECT: PORNOGRAPHY AND THE WOMEN' S MOVEMENT Ei l een Mani on " A woman has a pr oduct and she shoul d use i t . " Chuck Tr aynor t o Li nda Lovel ace, quot ed i n Or deal " Al l st r uggl e f or di gni t y and sel f - det er mi nat i on i s r oot ed i nt he st r uggl e f or act ual cont r ol over one' s own body, especi al l y cont r ol over access t o one' s body . " Andr ea Dwor ki n, Por nogr aphy : Men Possessi ng Women Si nce t he mi d- sevent i es i n t he Uni t ed St at es and t he l at e sevent i es her e i n Canada, f emi ni st s have been di scussi ng por nogr aphy as a pr obl emf or women, a danger t o women, not j ust a sympt om of mi sogyny, but al so one of i t s causes . Lar ge number s of women r epor t t hat t hey bot h f ear assaul t t r i gger ed by por nogr aphy, and exper i ence por nogr aphy i t sel f as vi ol ent assaul t . As Susan Gr i f f i n put i t : " Por nogr aphy i s sadi sm. , 2 I t s ver y exi st ence humi l i at es us . Mor e and mor e f or cef ul l y women have been demandi ng t hat somet hi ng be done about por nogr aphy . St r at egi es di f f er . Femi ni st s wi t h ci vi l l i ber t ar i an backgr ounds advocat e open di scussi on, demonst r at i ons, educat i on, consumer boycot t s . The mor e i mpat i ent pr ef er t he consci ousness r ai si ng of di r ect act i on, as i n t he bombi ng of Vancouver ' s Red Hot Vi deo . Ot her s l ook t o t he st at e t o enf or ce exi st i ng obsceni t y l aws or t o f r ame new l egi sl at i on whi ch woul d suppr ess por nogr aphy, not because i t i s sexual , but because i t i s hat e l i t er at ur e and i nci t es vi ol ence. As Susan Br ownmi l l er decl ar ed : " Por nogr aphy i s t he undi l ut ed essence of ant i - f emal e pr opaganda . " 3 Though ant i - por nogr aphy t act i cs var y, f emi ni st s gener al l y agr ee t hat por nogr aphy i s a bad t hi ng, t hat i t does har mt o women, and t hat i f we have t r oubl e def i ni ng i t , 4 we st i l l r ecogni ze i t when we see i t . Thi s i s not unr easonabl e EI LEENMANI ON si nce t he por nogr aphy most f emi ni st s at t ack does not di sgui se i t sel f . However , when we l ook cr i t i cal l y at ot her cul t ur al pr oduct s - adver t i sement s, mai nst r eam movi es and t el evi si on pr ogr ams t hey of t en r esembl e por nogr aphy . One pr obl em wi t h t he f emi ni st consci ousness r ai si ng t hat has t aken pl ace ar ound por nogr aphy i s t hat i t i nt ends t o gener at e f ear and anxi et y, or t o br i ng t o t he sur f ace f ear s women al r eady exper i ence . ' I n our soci et y, ever y young gi r l ' s devel opi ng sexual i t y i s hedged wi t h awar eness of f r i ght eni ng possi bi l i t i es : vi ol ent assaul t and unpl anned pr egnancy . As adol escent s, we l ear n bot h t o f ear men and t o mi st r ust our own amor phous desi r es, whi ch may bet r ay us. Femi ni st di scussi ons of por nogr aphy addr ess t hese f ear s and emphasi ze por nogr aphy' s danger t o women, epi t omi zed i n Robi n Mor gan' s sl ogan : " Por nogr aphy i s t he t heor y, and r ape t he pr act i ce . " 6 Gl or i a St ei nem makes t he same poi nt i n her essay, " Er ot i ca vs . Por nogr aphy . " Fol l owi ng a br i ef di scussi on of t he f emi ni st movement ' s havi ng r ai sed i ssues such as r ape, wi f e bat t er i ng and enf or ced pr ost i t ut i on t o publ i c consci ousness, she says : " Such i nst ances of r eal ant i women war f ar e l ed us di r ect l y t o t he pr opaganda t hat t eaches and l egi t i mi zes t hem - por nogr aphy . Por nogr aphy makes us ner vous f or a number of ot her compl ex r easons . Beyond t he f ear t hat i t i nci t es vi ol ence, i t r epr esent s an anal ogue of what al cohol symbol i zed f or ni net eet h cent ur y f emi ni st s at a t i me when most r espect abl e women di d not dr i nk . Not onl y was al cohol f or t hema l ower cl ass soci al evi l cont r i but i ng t o domest i c vi ol ence and publ i c cor r upt i on ( associ at ed as dr i nki ng was wi t h par t y pol i t i cs) , but i t was al so, f or mor e power f ul men of t hei r own cl ass, a gl ue, a muci l age bondi ng mal es i n excl usi ve encl aves of f - l i mi t s t o " good" women. Ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s i magi ned t hat i f t hey coul d r emove t he al cohol , t hese mal e bast i ons woul d open up and admi t t hem. Si mi l ar l y f or f emi ni st s t oday, por nogr aphy r epr esent s a uni f yi ng f or ce i n mal e power gr oupi ngs . Por nogr aphy i s qui nt essent i al macho cul t ur e : one t hi nks of busi nessmen enj oyi ng an eveni ng at a st r i p cl ub - t he " good" women who aspi r e t o be par t ner s i n t he f i r m mi ght wel l f eel uncomf or t abl e . We ar e al so uneasy about por nogr aphy f or i t seems t o pr omot e i sol at i on of men f r om women, t he subst i t ut i on of f ant asy f or r el at i onshi p . I f soci al i zat i on i nt o macho val ues deni es t ender ness and compassi on, por nogr aphy pr omi ses sexual gr at i f i cat i on wi t hout t he necessi t y of t hose " ef f emi nat e" f eel i ngs . ,, " Real men, " we somet i mes suspect , don' t need women at al l ,9 or t hey want onl y t he compl i ant , pr e- packaged woman of t he ski n magazi ne . Por nogr aphy, l i ke adver t i si ng, appeal s t o a whol e r ange of i nsecur i t i es, evokes envy by suggest i ng somehow, somewher e, mor e pl easur e i s avai l abl e . I n addi t i on, f emi ni st s f ear t hat por nogr aphy not onl y di st or t s t he por t r ayal of f emal e sexual i t y by depi ct i ng women as no mor e t han obj ect s- f or - men, but t hat i t al so bl ocks expl or at i on of women' s " t r ue" sexual i t y . Just when women wer e begi nni ng t o di scuss what a sexual i t y emanci pat ed f r om doubl e st andar ds and pr ocr eat i ve t el eol ogy mi ght mean f or t hem, por nogr aphy t ur ned up i t s vol ume and dr owned out wi t h a quadr ophoni c bl ast women' s t ent at i ve whi sper s . Vi ol ence agai nst women exi st s and women must def end t hemsel ves agai nst W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT i t . Our ot her concer ns about por nogr aphy ar e equal l y ser i ous . However , f ocussi ng anal ysi s of por nogr aphy on pot ent i al vi ol ence or ot her sour ces of anxi et y makes i t di f f i cul t t o t hi nk cl ear l y i n t he ensui ng t ense, over - char ged at mospher e . I ' mnot ar gui ng t hat our anxi et y i s unj ust i f i ed . However , I do t hi nk t her e' s a r eal danger t hat t he cl i mat e of f ear we ar e hel pi ng t o cr eat e wi l l st r engt hen r epr essi ve soci al f or ces and t hat some of our demands wi t h r egar d t o por nogr ahy wi l l backf i r e and r esul t i n unant i ci pat ed l osses f or women . Thus as a f emi ni st I ' d l i ke t o t ake one st ep back f r om t he f emi ni st di scussi on of por nogr aphy and l ook at why we began t o per cei ve por nogr aphy as a pr obl em, what some of t he cont empor ar y r het or i c about por nogr aphy i s sayi ng, and how t he cont empor ar y ant i - por nogr aphy consensus' ° f i t s i nt o t he hi st or y of f emi ni st causes and demands . Si nce I am pr i mar i l y concer ned about por nogr aphy i n r el at i on t o t he women' s movement , I wi l l not deal wi t h t he separ at e t hough r el at ed quest i ons of chi l d por nogr aphy or gay mal e por nogr aphy . Once upon a t i me t her e wer e nor ms of cor r ect mascul i ne and f emi ni ne behavi our . A number of f act or s - economi c and soci al changes beyond t he cont r ol of any one gr oup - have ensur ed t hat t hese nor ms r emai n unchal l enged i n ver y f ew mi l i eus wi t hi n Nor t h Amer i ca t oday. Femi ni sm, needl ess t o say, has been di r ect l y i nvol ved i n over t hr owi ng r ecei ved i deas about bot h mal e and f emal e pr opr i et y . " Par al l el wi t h t hese changes, por nogr aphy, pr esumabl y t o cr eat e and sust ai n newmar ket s, has ext ended t he bounds of what can, wi t hout i ncur r i ng pr osecut i on, be shown and descr i bed . Por nogr aphy al l egedl y br eaks t aboos of accept abl e r epr esent at i on, of t en i n a cont ext whi ch cl ai ms t o be f unny, i r oni c, sel f - r ef er ent i al . Por nogr aphy pr ovokes t he shocked r esponse, t he censor i n our heads who t el l s us t he i mage i s bad or di r t y, and - t her ef or e pl easur abl e . Por nogr aphy cl ai ms t o push back bar r i er s i n or der t o cont i nue t o t i t i l l at e. Per haps por nogr aphy even needs censor shi p so t hat i t wi l l have nor ms t o vi ol at e . However , an i mpor t ant el ement i n t he f emi ni st anal ysi s of por nogr aphy has been t he ar gument t hat por nogr aphy does not , i n f act , vi ol at e nor ms of mal e domi nance and f emal e submi ssi veness, but oper at es t o sust ai n t hem. I n t hi s vi ew, por nogr aphy onl y seems t o have a r adi cal , l i ber at or y appeal t o t he unconsci ous . I n r eal i t y, por nogr aphy gi ves us t he same ol d wor l d vi ew we see ever ywher e el se : men ar e subj ect s, women ar e obj ect s, not even obj ect s t o be " known, " but di scr et e i t ems t o be scanned, vi ewed, t aken i n, or exchanged, l i ke bi t s of i nf or mat i on . But t hen, so what ? Why di d f emi ni st s become concer ned about por nogr aphy i f i t s val ues ar e j ust t he same as t hose we see ever ywher e el se i n t he cul t ur e? Why i sol at e por nogr aphy f or speci al at t ent i on? I f we' r e not af f l i ct ed wi t h hi st or i cal amnesi a or gui l t y sel f - deni al , we must r emember t hat i n t he si xt i es most of us assumed sexual openness and expl i ci t ness had somet hi ng t o do wi t h human l i ber at i on : we wer e cr eat i ng a j oyous emanci pat or y f est i val whi ch woul d l i ber at e us f r omour f ear s, t i mi di t i es, hang- ups, doubl e st andar ds . I n t he pr esent cl i mat e, when so many of us see our sel ves as t he wal ki ng wounded of t he sexual r evol ut i on, t hat vi ew at best seems nai ve, at wor st a mal e- conspi r at or i al r i p- of f . 67 EI LEENMANI ON Femi ni st s of t en suggest t hat t he sevent i es' pr ol i f er at i on of por nogr aphy, as wel l as i t s i ncr eased expl i ci t ness and vi ol ence, i s a mal e chauvi ni st backl ash t o t he women' s movement . I n por nogr aphy men t ake r evenge on uppi t y women . Mal e consumer s buy i nt o t he f ant asy and keep " t hei r " women of f bal ance by br i ngi ng home por nogr aphy or by goi ng out openl y t o vi ew i t . Rel i gi ous f undament al i st s bl ame t he women' s movement mor e di r ect l y f or augment i ng t he avai l abi l i t y and popul ar i t y of por nogr aphy . Di dn' t we ur ge women t o be " l i ber at ed, " i ndependent of men and mar r i age? Many Nor t h Amer i cans can' t di st i ngui sh t he i dea of l i ber at i on pr omot ed by Gl or i a St ei nem f r om t he or e mar ket ed by Hel en Gur l ey Br own . Di dn' t f emi ni st s r ai se " new" i ssues r el at ed t o sexual i t y t o publ i c consci ousness? Di dn' t we say t hat " t he per sonal i s pol i t i cal " ?' z For many t hat t r ansl at es i nt o " t he pr i vat e i s publ i c" - so t her e we get por nogr aphy t aki ng us at our wor d and maki ng women' s pr i vat es publ i cal l y vi si bl e j ust about ever ywher e we t ur n . How can we obj ect t o t hat ? mi ght t he j er emi ahs ask, and howshal l we r espond t o such a ni ght mar i sh per ver si on of our message? For f emi ni st s, t her e i s not hi ng l i ber at ed, l i ber at i ng, or l i ber t ar i an i n t he cur r ent avai l abi l i t y of expl i ci t sexual i mages cat er i ng t o al l speci al i zed t ast es . At best t hi s wi de open mar ket const i t ut es " r epr essi ve t ol er ance ; " at wor st , sexi st pr opaganda as nef ar i ous as Mei n Kampf . On t he evi l ness of por nogr aphy, f emi ni st s and f undament al i st s ar e at one . They di f f er , of cour se, on why i t ' s so bad . Femi ni st s have i sol at ed por nogr aphy as a pr obl em as a r esul t of t wo par al l el t r ends wi t hi n t he women' s movement . One i s t he f ocus on mal e vi ol ence, whi ch I ment i oned ear l i er , and t he ot her i s t he at t empt t o devel op a women' s per spect i ve t hat cal l s i nt o quest i on mal e " uni ver sal " val ues . Whet her or not connect i ons bet ween por nogr aphy and r ape can be demonst r at ed " sci ent i f i cal l y" i n l abor at or y exper i ment s wi t h bi zar r e met hodol ogi es and dubi ous t heor et i cal assumpt i ons, women asser t t hat t he degr adat i on of women i mmedi at el y vi si bl e t o t hem i n por nogr aphy i s r eason enough t o bel i eve t hat boys and men who r egul ar l y consume i t must be cor r upt ed . Beyond t hat , women quest i on t he way por nogr aphy depi ct s sexual i t y, cl ai mi ng t hat i t ' s not about sex at al l , but onl y about domi nance, or t hat i t r epr esent s onl y mal e sexual i t y . Thi s concer n wi t h por nogr aphy can be cor r el at ed wi t h escal at i ng f r ust r at i on over t he r esi st ance of " t he syst em" t o gr ant our j ust and r easonabl e demands . Dur i ng t he l at e si xt i es and ear l y sevent i es, enor mous amount s of i nvest i gat i ons wer e done, i nf or mat i on was col l ect ed, anal yses wer e made; we di scover ed and demonst r at ed how empt y was t he egal i t ar i an r het or i c of our soci et y when i t came t o men and women' s r eal l i f e pr i vi l eges and oppor t uni t i es . Then by t he l at e sevent i es, many t hi ngs seemed t o be get t i ng wor se i nst ead of bet t er . I ncr eased di vor ce r at es and t he j ump i n si ngl e par ent f emal e- headed househol ds, we r eal i zed, wer e l i ber at i ng many women i nt o pover t y . ' 3 However , j ust as ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s over est i mat ed t he pot ency t hat woul d accr ue t o t hemwi t h t he vot e, we al so may at f i r st have exagger at ed t he power of l egal change . Hi st or i cal l y f emi ni st s of t en conf l at ed l egal r i ght s wi t h pol i t i cal power and assumed one devol ved di r ect l y f r om t he ot her . 14 Per haps we W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT al so assumed, i n t he ear l y days of t he cont empor ar y movement , t hat cogent ar gument , al ong wi t h t i dyi ng up of t he l aw, woul d be enough, or al most enough, t o af f ect change . Our ear l y opt i mi sm has si nce gi ven way t o r age, and we have been f or ced t o exami ne aspect s of our cul t ur e whi ch mai nt ai n mal e domi nance at t he i r r at i onal l evel and under cut our r at i onal demands . Thi s sear ch has l ed some f emi ni st s l i ke Nancy Chodor ow and Dor ot hy Di nner st ei n 1 5 t o t ake a cl oser l ook at mot her i ng and use psychoanal yt i c t heor y t o expl or e mi sogyny and per sonal / cul t ur al ambi val ence t owar d women . I t has l ed ot her s t o por nogr aphy, whi ch, i nsof ar as i t bl at ent l y sneer s at us, t edi ousl y i nsi st s we ar e not hi ng but cunt s, bunni es, pussi es, and chi cks, seems l i ke t he gr andi ose r evenge of t he ( mal e) i nf ant i l e i magi nat i on . For , adopt i ng t he vi si on por nogr aphy pr esent s of women, who woul d t r ust us wi t h any aut hor i t y i f al l we r eal l y want , no mat t er what our pr et ensi ons, i s a good l ay? But t hen who woul d t r ust t he men we see i n por nogr aphy ei t her ? Woul d we buy used car s f r omt hem or el ect t hem t o pol i t i cal of f i ce? No mat t er what t hei r pr et ensi ons, al l t hey want i s a good l ay . Suppose we as women r eal l y do l ook at por nogr aphy wi t h our own eyes and not as we i magi ne men l ook at i t . Thi s may seem l i ke a r i di cul ous, ut opi an wi sh, gi ven t he power r el at i ons of our cul t ur e . But t hen who can endow us wi t h t he l egi t i macy of our own per spect i ve? I f we do l ook agai n at por nogr aphy, I t hi nk we' l l see not onl y women' s degr adat i on, but al so human pat hos and pai n . Par adoxi cal l y, f emi ni st condemnat i on of por nogr aphy acccept s t he br i t t l e mal e f ant asy - t hat t he r eal l i f e, unr el i abl e peni s i s magi cal , power f ul , i r r esi st i bl e - and over l ooks t he f ear s and i nsecur i t i es such f ant asy i s meant t o di ssol ve . I r eal i ze t hat I ' ve st r ayed her e f r om f emi ni st or t hodoxy and r ai sed pr ovocat i ve quest i ons whi ch some may r egar d as f r i vol ous . Nonet hel ess, i n t aki ng up por nogr aphy as a pol i t i cal i ssue, I t hi nk we have not t aken account of hi st or i cal par al l el s wi t h var i ous ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s' mor al and pol i t i cal concer ns . For a f ew moment s, I woul d l i ke t o expl or e some of t hese and t hen r et ur n t o cont empor ar y f emi ni sm and por nogr aphy . Ni net eet h cent ur y f emi ni sm was not l i mi t ed i n scope t o a uni di mensi onal st r uggl e f or women' s suf f r age, as hi st or i ans woul d have had us bel i eve f or many year s . Women' s demands f or ci vi l r i ght s and expanded par t i ci pat i on i n t he wor l d out si de t he home wer e l i nked wi t h a wi de r ange of ot her i ssues, i ncl udi ng concer ns r el at ed t o sexual i t y . Di scussi ons of " vol unt ar y mot her hood" r ai sed t he possi bi l i t y of women' s sexual aut onomy wi t hi n mar r i age . ' 6 A f ew ut opi an communi t i es and f r ee l ove advocat es went f ur t her , quest i oned t he sanct i t y of mar r i age and champi oned women' s r i ght t o a sexual i t y f r ee of mar r i age' s excl usi vi t y . Nonet hel ess, most f emi ni st s f or esaw a t r ansf or med i nst i t ut i on of mar r i age, pur ged of bot h mal e supr emacy and sexual i gnor ance . " However , on t he dar ker si de, women di d r ecogni ze t hat sexual i t y coul d pose a t hr eat , and t hei r f ear s became or gani zed ar ound var i ous campai gns deal i ng wi t h pr ost i t ut i on, whi t e sl aver y and " soci al pur i t y . " El l en Duboi s and Li nda Gor don have poi nt ed out t hat f or ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s t he pr ost i t ut e r epr esent ed t he " qui nt essent i al sexual t er r or , " ' 8 f or she epi t omi zed f emal e vi ct i mi zat i on at t he hands of l ust f ul , . expl oi t at i ve men . 69 EI LEENMANI ON Ref or mer s i n bot h Br i t ai n and t he Uni t ed St at es f ocussed t hei r ener gy bot h on r escui ng pr ost i t ut es f r omt hei r degr aded l i f e and on opposi ng st at e r egul at i on of pr ost i t ut i on . Li censi ng pr ost i t ut es and coer ci ng t hem i nt o physi cal exami nat i ons, r ef or mer s ar gued, cyni cal l y at t empt ed t o pr ot ect men f r om vener eal di sease at t he expense of t he women' s ci vi l r i ght s . Si nce t he def i ni t i on of pr ost i t ut i on even at t he t ur n of t he cent ur y was not or i ousl y vague, ' 9 and coul d i ncl ude non- commer ci al ext r amar i t al f emal e sexual act i vi t y, t he danger of i nf r i ngement on any woman' s ci vi l r i ght s was evi dent . However , many f emi ni st s al so i magi nat i vel y i dent i f i ed wi t h t he act ual pr ost i t ut e and made her out r age t hei r own . I n Br i t ai n, Josephi ne But l er l ed t he f emi ni st wi ng of t he ant i - Cont agi ous Di seases Act s movement . The Cont agi ous Di seases Act s, a ser i es of l aws passed bet ween 1864 and 1869, pr ovi ded f or t he " sani t ar y i nspect i on" of al l eged pr ost i t ut es near desi gnat ed mi l i t ar y depot s i n Engl and and I r el and . Some doct or s and pol i t i ci ans want ed t o see t he Act s ext ended t o t he ci vi l i an popul at i on. Si mi l ar l y i n ni net eet h cent ur y Amer i ca, f emi ni st s t ook par t i n st r uggl es t o oppose t he passage of such r egul at or y l egi sl at i on. 2° I n Canada, a Pur i t y Educat i on Associ at i on exi st ed i n Tor ont o bet ween 1906 and 1915, and a Nat i onal Counci l f or t he Abol i t i on of Whi t e Sl aver y was f ounded i n 1912, but most of t he act i vi t y ar ound sexual concer ns was connect ed wi t h t he Women' s Chr i st i an Temper ance Uni on .21 The pr ost i t ut e, however , was not onl y a symbol f or f emi ni st s of women' s oppr essi on ; she was al so a symbol f or mor al i st s of t he soci al di sl ocat i on caused by i ndust r i al i sat i on . When we l ook at t he ant i - Cont agi ous Di seases Act s campai gn i n Br i t ai n or t he ant i - r egul at i on campai gns i n t he Uni t ed St at es, we see t hat mor al i st s and f emi ni st s had concer ns t hat bot h di f f er ed and over l apped . Femi ni st s want ed t o abol i sh pr ost i t ut i on by " savi ng" pr ost i t ut es and r echannel i ng men' s sexual i mpul ses i nt o " accept abl e" r el at i onshi ps . They r ej ect ed t he vi ew t hat t he pr ost i t ut e was a " f al l en woman, " a per pet ual out cast , a pot ent i al pol l ut er of men . I nst ead she was a vi ct i m of " mal e pol l ut i on . . . who had been i nvaded by men' s bodi es, men' s l aws, and by t hat ' st eel peni s, ' t he specul um. " 22 Femi ni st s deepl y r esent ed t he sexual l i cense men cl ai med f or t hemsel ves and condemned i n women . Bot h f emi ni st s and ot her s i n t he pur i t y movement advocat ed a " si ngl e st andar d of mor al i t y" f or bot h men and women . I n addi t i on, f emi ni st s coul d use t he assumed mor al super i or i t y and " passi onl essness" of good women t o ar gue t hat t hey shoul d wei l d pol i t i cal power t o cl ean up t he cor r upt publ i c wor l d . 23 However , t hi s st r at egy under mi ned at t empt s t o make posi t i ve cl ai ms f or women' s sexual i t y. Ent husi asm f or t he t emper ance, soci al pur i t y and ot her r ef or m movement s whi ch ai med at mor al i mpr ovement t hr ough l egi sl at i ve i nt er vent i on was f uel ed par t l y by what we mi ght see as f emi ni st concer ns, and par t l y by anxi et y over ur bani zat i on, commer ci al i zat i on, i ndust r i al i sat i on - al l t he " - i zat i ons" t hat t hr eat ened f ami l y and r ur al val ues wi t h r ampant , expl oi t at i ve i ndi vi dual i sm. 24 Ver y of t en ot her anxi et i es wer e di spl aced ont o sexual i ssues, whi ch ar e guar ant eed t o pr ovoke at t ent i on and i ndi gnat i on . However , as we' l l see, women di d not necessar i l y benef i t f r om t he r esul t i ng cl i mat e and/ or r ef or ms . W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT By emphasi zi ng t he Vi ct or i an not i on of women' s passi onl essness and mor al super i or i t y women wer e abl e t o chal l enge mal e sexual pr er ogat i ves wi t hi n and out si de t he f ami l y and f or ge an ar gument i n f avor of t hei r own pol i t i cal power . However , t hi s l ed f emi ni st s t o sacr i f i ce f or sever al decades an oppor t uni t y t o def i ne t hei r sexual i t y on t hei r own t er ms . ( As we know, numer ous " exper t s" r ushed i n t o f i l l t he v ac c uum. ) Even ear l y bi r t h cont r ol advocat es r an up agai nst t he f ear t hat cont r acept i on woul d l eave women mor e vul ner abl e t o mal e sexual expl oi t at i on . Thi s r est r i ct ed vi ew of women' s sexual i t y al so made i t i mpossi bl e f or many f emi ni st s t o under st and t he c ompl ex r eal i t y of t he pr ost i t ut e her sel f . Consequent l y t hey coul d be s hoc k ed by pr ost i t ut es who r ef used t o behav e l i ke pr oper vi ct i ms and accept " r escue . " They wer e al so hi ghl y suspi ci ous of wor ki ng cl ass cul t ur e and mor es, and coul d t ake a r epr essi ve at t i t ude t owar d sexual act i vi t y on t he par t of y oung wor ki ng gi r l s . One mi ght even go so f ar as t o ar gue t hat many or di nar y women wer e put of f by a vi ew of f emal e sexual i t y t hat di d not cor r espond t o t hei r own exper i ence . " Consequent l y, al t hough f emi ni st s succeeded i n Br i t ai n i n havi ng t he Cont agi ous Di seases Act s r epeal ed, and bl ocked i n many i nst ances t he passage of r egul at i oni st l egi sl at i on i n Amer i ca, t hey ul t i mat el y di d not cont r ol t he di r ect i on of t he pur i t y mov ement s and t hei r wor k i r oni cal l y hel ped pave t he way f or l egi sl at i on ai med at r epr essi ng pr ost i t ut i on, whi ch, t hough i t di d not el i mi nat e t he " soci al evi l , " made t he l i f e of t he pr ost i t ut e her sel f l onel i er , har der , and r i ski er . As l ong as pr ost i t ut i on had been i nf or mal l y t ol er at ed, pr ost i t ut es coul d l i ve among or on t he f r i nges of t he casual l abor i ng poor . They had a degr ee of aut onomy, and wer e not usual l y expl oi t ed by pi mps . However , i n Br i t ai n t he debat e over pr ost i t ut i on was r ai sed t o a mor e i mpassi oned l evel wi t h t he publ i cat i on of W . T. St ead' s i nf amous " Mai den Tr i but e of Moder n Babyl on" ser i es i n 1885 . St ead' s document at i on of t he sal e of " f i ve pound vi r gi ns" t o ar i st ocr at i c r akes, al ong wi t h ot her sensat i onal i st i c account s of " whi t e sl ave" t r af f i c, l ed t o t he passage of t he Cr i mi nal Law Amendment Act ( 1885) whi c h r ai sed t he age of consent f or gi r l s f r om t hi r t een t o si xt een . However , i t al so gave t he pol i ce i ncr eased j ur i sdi ct i on over wor ki ng cl ass gi r l s and women and enabl ed t hem t o car r y out r ai ds on l odgi ng hous e br ot hel s . The cl osi ng of br ot hel s f ai l ed t o el i mi nat e pr ost i t ut i on, but i t di d r ender pr ost i t ut es subj ect t o ar bi t r ar y exer ci ses of pol i ce power and i t f or ced t hem t o seek pr ot ect i on f r om pi mps and ot her under wor l d men . I n 1912 Syl vi a Pankhur st r emar ked of t he Whi t e Sl aver y Act : " I t i s a st r ange t hi ng t hat t he l at est cr i mi nal Amendment Act , whi c h was passed ost ensi bl y t o pr ot ect women, i s bei ng used excl usi vel y t o puni sh women . " 26 I t i s al so wor t h not i ng t hat t he ear l i er 1885 Act pr ohi bi t ed " i ndecent act s" bet ween mal e consent i ng adul t s, al l owi ng f or t he pr osecut i on of homos ex ual s . Par adoxi cal l y, t he pur i t y mov ement , i n i t s ef f or t s t o est abl i sh " ci vi l i zed mor al i t y, " a pr e- Fr eudi an not i on of t he passi ons under t he t ot al cont r ol of wi l l and r eason, hel ped t o l aunch an ai r i ng of t opi cs f or mer l y unt ouchabl e . I r oni cal l y i n i t s ver y desi r e t o suppr ess passi on and di sr upt i ve sexual i t y i t cont r i but ed t o a cl i mat e i n whi c h such i ssues coul d be r esear ched and i nvest i gat ed . Nonet hel ess, t hi s " openness" al so meant behavi our mus t be mor e EI LEENMANI ON car ef ul l y scr ut i ni zed . As I have not ed, f or women, especi al l y young wor ki ng cl ass women, ext r amar i t al sexual act i vi t y of t en became not onl y unaccept abl e and i mmor al , but al so cr i mi nal , and mor e l i kel y t o r esul t i n ar r est and i mpr i sonment . 27 Thus i n t he Uni t ed St at es, ni net eent h cent ur y evangel i cal movement s t o r escue pr ost i t ut es gave way t o Pr ogr essi ve Er a soci al wel f ar e ef f or t s t o " r ef or m" t hem. Dur i ng t he post - bel l um er a, f or mer abol i t i oni st s t ur ned t hei r at t ent i on t o pr ost i t ut i on and br ought t o t he cr usade agai nst " whi t e sl aver y" al l t he ener gy and mor al ent husi asm t hey' d devel oped i n t he f i ght f or bl ack emanci pat i on . However , as i n Engl and, l egi sl at i on passed t o el i mi nat e pr ost i t ut i on l ed t o ar bi t r ar y pol i ce r ai ds, pr essur i ng pr ost i t ut es i nt o dependence on pi mps . I r oni cal l y t he newr ef or mat or i es i nst i t ut ed af t er t he t ur n of t he cent ur y t o puni sh devi ant f emal e sexual behavi our cr eat ed condi t i ons wher eby gi r l s l i ke Mai mi e Pi nzer , whose l i f e has become known t hr ough publ i cat i on of her l et t er s t o Fanny Qui ncy Howe, 28 mi ght be pushed i nt o pr ost i t ut i on by t he ver y j ust i ce/ soci al wel f ar e syst em desi gned t o r edeem t hem. The ul t i mat e r esul t of t he al l i ance of f emi ni st s and ot her soci al pur i t y advocat es was t hat t he f emi ni st di mensi on of t he at t ack on pr ost i t ut i on was l ost and onl y t he at t ack on t he pr ost i t ut e her sel f sur vi ved . Thi s can be seen at i t s most vi r ul ent af t er Amer i can ent r ance i nt o Wor l d War 1 . The f eder al gover nment was so concer ned wi t h mai nt ai ni ng a " pur e" ar my t hat i t ar r est ed and det ai ned mor e t han 15, 000 suspect ed pr ost i t ut es . I n addi t i on, i t ' s wor t h not i ng t hat t he soci al pur i t y campai gns agai nst obsceni t y i n l i t er at ur e, ar t , and popul ar cul t ur e l ed by Josi ah Leeds and Ant hony Comst ock cr eat ed t he l egi sl at i on ( 1873) under whi ch t he Sanger s wer e l at er pr osecut ed f or sendi ng women bi r t h cont r ol i nf or mat i on . Thi s l egi sl at i on al so made i t di f f i cul t f or f emi ni st s t o wr i t e openl y about t opi cs l i ke r ape and i ncest . We can see t hat ni net eent h and t ur n of t he cent ur y campai gns ar ound sexual t hemes coagul at ed anxi et i es pr ovoked by i ncr eased commer ci al i zat i on, commodi f i cat i on, and ot her t ypes of soci al change, and ul t i mat el y, i n or der t o al l ay f ear s, l egi t i mat ed mor e gover nment i nt er vent i on, mani pul at i on and cont r ol . Al t hough we must be car ef ul about dr awi ng hi st or i cal par al l el s i n a f aci l e way, one t hi ng we can not e i s t hat publ i c di scussi ons of sexual i ssues ar e ext r emel y vol at i l e, encour age di spl acement , and pr ovoke r epr essi on as wel l as per mi t enl i ght enment . Twent i et h cent ur y f emi ni st s cer t ai nl y do not cl ai m, as di d so many of our ni net eent h cent ur y si st er s, t hat women ar e " passi onl ess" or " sexl ess" and f or t hat r eason deser vi ng of mor e power and aut hor i t y . However , i n t he f emi ni st di scussi on of por nogr aphy we f i nd t he assumpt i on t hat men' s sexual i t y i s essent i al l y di f f er ent f r om women' s and mor e pat hol ogi cal . I n Susan Gr i f f i n' s anal ysi s, sexual i t y i t sel f i s nat ur al and good but men have cor r upt ed i t wi t h bad cul t ur al const r uct i ons . 29 I n Andr ea Dwor ki n' s vi ew, por nogr aphy l i es about f emal e sexual i t y, r epr esent i ng woman as " a l ewd, di ssol ut e br azen. t hi ng, a whor e al ways sol i ci t i ng, " but i t t el l s t he t r ut h about mal e sexual i t y : " That men bel i eve what por nogr aphy says about women . . . Fr om t he wor st t o t he best of t hem, t hey do . " 3° To t ake t hi s poi nt one st ep f ur t her , por nogr aphy por t r ays W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT women and t hei r sexual i t y as essent i al l y cont r ol l abl e by men ( bondage por nogr aphy i s t he l ogi cal r esul t ) ; f emi ni st di scour se on por nogr aphy por t r ays men and t hei r sexual i t y as essent i al l y cont r ol l abl e by por nogr aphy . Thi s mi r r or i ng of what i s a di st or t ed i dea of our own sexual i t y ought t o gi ve us pause . Al t hough f emi ni st wr i t er s on por nogr aphy do not pr esume women ar e sexl ess, t hey do i mpl y t hat , l ef t t o our own devi ces, f r ee of mal e coer ci ve i nt er f er ence, women ar e r easonabl e, sel f - det er mi ni ng bei ngs wi t h a sexual i t y t hat i s unpr obl emat i c, unpat hol ogi cal , gent l e and good . 3 ' I n f emi ni st di scour se on por nogr aphy al l danger ous, di sr upt i ve aspect s of sexual i t y ar e pr oj ect ed ont o men or " mal e cul t ur e . " I nt er est i ngl y, t hi s pr oj ect i on mi r r or s what Susan Gr i f f i n t el l s us por nogr aphy does wi t h men' s " good" f eel i ngs ; por nogr aphy pr oj ect s men' s vul ner abi l i t i es ont o women so t hat t hese f eel i ngs can be cont r ol l ed. We r ever se t he pr ocess and pr oj ect our unf emi ni ne nast i ness and aggr essi on ont o men . I nsof ar as such human nast i ness sur f aces i n por nogr aphy, we' d l i ke t o suppr ess i t . Lor enne Cl ar k pr ovi des a good exampl e of t hi s at t i t ude when she says : " We ar e not i n any way opposed t o t he manuf act ur e, sal e, or di st r i but i on of mat er i al s whi ch st r ess t he posi t i ve aspect s of human sexual i t y . " 32 As f emi ni st s, can we r eal l y set our sel ves up as cul t ur al commi sar s, deci di ng what i s and what i s not " posi t i ve" enough about sex t o be r epr esent ed? We may not pr eci sel y be passi onl ess anymor e, but some of t hese hi dden assumpt i ons about our sexual i t y ar e equal l y di st or t i ng. They accompany a not i on of t he sel f as an - ent i t y di st i nct f r om t he body ; f or Andr ea Dwor ki n : " Al l st r uggl e f or di gni t y and sel f - det er mi nat i on i s r oot ed i n t he st r uggl e f or act ual cont r ol over one' s own body, especi al l y cont r ol over access t o one' s own body. " 33 But , we mi ght ask her e, ar e women embodi ed bei ngs or ar e we owner s of bodi es who make r at i onal deci si ons about ot her s' r i ght s of way? Thi s i s not a f r i vol ous, hai r - spl i t t i ng quest i on, i f , af t er al l , we don' t l i ke por nogr aphy because i t mar ket s women as sal abl e obj ect s or mal e publ i c pr oper t y accessi bl e t o anyone . I f we posssess our bodi es, sur el y we can sel l t hem i n a commodi t y cul t ur e . Onl y i f , as f emi ni st s, we devel op a ver y di f f er ent vi ew of t he sel f , and ar gue f r om t hat , can sel f - sal e be unt hi nkabl e . Anot her poi nt of cont i nui t y bet ween ni net eent h and t went i et h cent ur y f emi ni st s r evol ves ar ound t he wor d " pr ot ect i on . " One of t he most i mpor t ant emphases on whi ch f emi ni st s and ot her s i n t he soci al pur i t y movement agr eed was t he pr ot ect i on of t he f ami l y, whi ch seemed t hr eat ened by any waywar d and/ or commer ci al i zed sexual i t y . Gi ven t hat t he ni net eent h cent ur y f ami l y was al r eady an abst r act i on f r om t he l ar ger communi t y, i t ' s a measur e of j ust how at omi zed our soci et y has become t hat we hear l i t t l e f r om moder n f emi ni st s about pr ot ect i on of t he f ami l y, t hough we do hear a good deal about pr ot ect i ng women and chi l dr en f r om har m r esul t i ng di r ect l y or i ndi r ect l y f r om por nogr aphy . The at t empt t o demonst r at e such har m empi r i cal l y has been cr eat i ng t he r eput at i ons of l ar ge number s of behavi our al psychol ogi st s t hese days . 34 Concer n shi f t s f r om what por nogr aphy mi ght encour age men t o do t o women t o what por nogr aphy encour ages men t o t hi nk about women and sexual i t y. Al l EI LEEN MANI ON such exper i ment s i sol at e por nogr aphi c i mages of women and t hen post ul at e an ext r emel y si mpl i st i c r el at i onshi p bet ween r epr esent at i on and act i ons or at t i t udes . They pr esume, as do many f emi ni st s who base t hei r anal yses on si mi l ar assumpt i ons, t hat seei ng cer t ai n ki nds of i mages " condi t i ons" men t o degr ade and despi se women . Lor enne Cl ar k makes t hi s poi nt when she says : " Por nogr aphy i s a met hod of soci al i zat i on . " 35 Such use of t he wor d " soci al i zat i on" r educes i t t o t he t hi nnest , most psychol ogi cal l y super f i ci al behavi our i st model . I n t hi s vi ew sexual i t y - or mor e speci f i cal l y mal e sexual i t y - i s l i f t ed ent i r el y out of t he f abr i c of f ami l y or ot her deep emot i onal r el at i onshi ps and i s vi ewed as i nf i ni t el y mal l eabl e . I r oni cal l y, t hi s t hi n, cont i gent vi ew of human r el at i onshi ps i s j ust t he por t r ai t we get i n por nogr aphy i t sel f . ' I n addi t i on, exper i ment s deal i ng wi t h por nogr aphy assume t hat por nogr aphi c i mages and nar r at i ves af f ect vi ewer s/ r eader s i n a way t hat i s ent i r el y di f f er ent f r om ot her t ypes of nar r at i ves and i mages so t hat audi ences wi l l t r eat por nogr aphy much mor e l i ke " i nf or mat i on" t han t hey wi l l ot her t ypes of popul ar cul t ur e, t hat t hey wi l l br acket i t i n an ent i r el y di f f er ent way f r om say, west er ns or sci ence f i ct i on . 36 Por nogr aphy i n t hi s vi ew becomes a ki nd of " how t o" manual : " I t i s a vi vi d depi ct i on of how t o depl oy mal e sexual i t y i n j ust t he way t hat wi l l achi eve maxi mum ef f ect i n mai nt ai ni ng t he st at us quo . " 37 Per haps t he under l yi ng concer n her e i s t he f ear of a ki nd of epi demi c degener at i on of i nt er pr et i ve ski l l s . We l i ve i n a wor l d whi ch demands an abi l i t y t o scan mat er i al f or f act s and ar gument s, whi ch encour ages t he di f f usi on of at t ent i on or concent r at i on, whi ch r el egat es " i nt er pr et at i on, " f or mer l y at t he cul t ur al cent r e, at l east i n r el i gi on, t o t he r el at i ve per i pher y of l i t er ar y cr i t i ci sm and psychoanal ysi s . Have most peopl e' s i nt er pr et i ve ski l l s degener at ed t o such a degr ee t hat t hey can no l onger di st i ngui sh, at t he most basi c l evel , l i t er al f r om symbol i c meani ng? Or i s t hi s a pecul i ar l y mal e f oi bl e i n t he r eal m of por nogr aphy? I f we ask t hat quest i on, however , we mi ght al so ask our sel ves how sophi st i cat ed f emi ni st cr i t i ques of por nogr aphy have been? I s t her e r oomf or i mpr ovi ng our own i nt er pr et at i ons? Does t hi s mat t er i f what we ar e engaged i n i s a st r uggl e f or power ? One t hi ng t hat di st ur bs me about t he f emi ni st di scussi on of por nogr aphy i s t he way al l por nogr aphy i s l umped t oget her and f l at t ened out . Woul d we make t he bl anket st at ement s we make about por nogr aphy i f we wer e di scussi ng any ot her popul ar genr e? Some f emi ni st s do di st i ngui sh bet ween vi ol ent and nonvi ol ent por nogr aphy, ar gui ng t hat onl y t he l at t er i s danger ous, but mor e commonl y we see t he cont ent i on . t hat al l por nogr aphy i s obj ect i f yi ng, degr adi ng, and t her ef or e vi ol ent . I f a young man begi ns by subscr i bi ng t o Pl ayboy, he wi l l end wi t h a cr avi ng f or snuf f movi es, much t he way we wer e war ned about t he danger of mar i j uana' s l eadi ng us i nevi t abl y t o her oi n addi ct i on . Cer t ai nl y t he por t r ayal of women i n por nogr aphy i s, by and l ar ge, i nsul t i ng, i r r i t at i ng and wor t hy of cr i t i que . However , when we i nvoke mor e " pr ot ect i on" f r om t he st at e, we must be car ef ul how we do i t . I t hi nk t hat t he ver y wor d W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT " pr ot ect i on, " gi ven what i t i mpl i es f or women, shoul d make us hesi t at e, f or t he hi st or i cal r ecor d of " pr ot ect i ve" l egi sl at i on - whet her i n t he r eal mof mor al s or t he l abour mar ket - i s cer t ai nl y an ambi guous one . When we demand gover nment pr ot ect i on f r om por nogr aphy, gi ven t he ar bi t r ar y, pat er nal i st i c, aut hor i t ar i an modes such l egi sl at i on and i t s enf or cement al ways t ake, ar en' t we aski ng f or mor e of what we don' t l i ke i n ot her ar eas? I nsi st i ng on our need t o be pr ot ect ed, we hol d ont o t he r ol e of vi ct i mor pot ent i al vi ct i m, t he ver y posi t i on f r om whi ch our ef f or t s as f emi ni st s ar e desi gned t o ext r i cat e US . 31, Our st at us as vi ct i ms of mal e vi ol ence may seem t o gi ve us a ki nd of mor al aut hor i t y . And t he det achment we cl ai m f r om mal e sexual pat hol ogy may gi ve us an ar gument f or appr opr i at i ng mor e power . But hi st or i cal l y i n t he gender bat t l es we have seen how l i mi t i ng and under mi ni ng t hese t act i cs wer e, as wel l as how t hey of t en backf i r ed i n t hei r ul t i mat e ef f ect s . I t hi nk t oday we shoul d j et t i son t hemi n our cur r ent st r uggl es . Of cour se women do suf f er r eal l i f e act s of vi ol ence ever yday . Thi s i s a f act whi ch bei ng f ast i di ous about wor ds l i ke " pr ot ect i on" wi l l not make go away . Cer t ai nl y a good deal of our anger about por nogr aphy r esul t s f r om our f ear t hat we may be vi ct i mi zed ei t her by t he man whose f r ee- f l oat i ng psychot i c mi sogyny has been set of f by por nogr aphy, or by t he mor e or di nar y mal e who sees r ape as a mi nor peccadi l l o, f or i f sex i s a commodi t y, i sn' t r ape j ust pet t y t hef t ? Si nce our cul t ur e const i t ut es i t sel f t o such an ext r eme degr ee f r om i mages and spect acl e, i t ' s i nevi t abl e t hat pol i t i cal st r uggl e wi l l r evol ve ar ound j ust such i ssues . For t he i mage of woman as mor oni c sex obj ect , we woul d l i ke t o subst i t ut e t he i mage of woman as compl ex per son, act i ve subj ect - someone t o be r eckoned wi t h and r egar ded ser i ousl y . I t ' s qui t e obvi ous t hat i n t hi s st r uggl e over i mages we can' t st op wi t h por nogr aphy ; we al so have t he whol e domai n of adver t i si ng t o cont end wi t h, not t o ment i on a st agger i ng pr opor t i on of our t el evi si on, movi es and books . Af t er al l , one coul d ar gue t hat many mai nst r eam movi es ar e mor e danger ous t han por nogr aphi c ones . I nsof ar as t hey ar e bet t er made, wi t h mor e t al ent ed di r ect i on and act i ng, mor e sophi st i cat ed nar r at i on and f i l mi ng, t hey ought t o be mor e power f ul , mor e compel l i ng t han t he l ow budget dr i vel r egul ar l y t ur ned out by t he ski nf l i ck t r ade . Thi s i s not t o say t hat j ust because humi l i at i ng i mages per vade our cul t ur e we ought t o f or get about por nogr aphy as an i ssue, but we shoul d be car ef ul not t o l egi t i mi ze ot her sexi st i mages by f ocussi ng excl usi vel y on por nogr aphy . I don' t t hi nk we can sol ve our " i mage pr obl em" wi t h bet t er def i ni t i ons of obsceni t y, i ncl usi on of an accept abl e def i ni t i on of por nogr aphy i n t he cr i mi nal code, or mor e censor shi p . I nst ead of demandi ng mor e r est r i ct i ons f r om t he st at e, we shoul d demand mor e r esour ces - f or women ar t i st s, f i l mmaker s, publ i sher s . " Bet t er " censor shi p wi l l not benef i t women, but i t wi l l cer t ai nl y benef i t pol i ce f or ces and pr osecut or s who wi l l see t hei r al r eady f at budget s swel l . A new appr oach t o l egi sl at i on on por nogr aphy has been pr oposed i n Mi nneapol i s by Cat her i ne MacKi nnon and Andr ea Dwor ki n . Thei r or di nance woul d per mi t ci vi l l i t i gat i on agai nst por nogr apher s by women who cl ai med t hat har m had occur r ed t o t hem: t hat t hey had been coer ced i nt o maki ng EI LEENMANI ON por nogr aphy ; t hat t hey had been f or ced t o vi ew i t ; or t hat t hey had been assaul t ed due t o por nogr aphy . MacKi nnon' s pur pose i s t o t r ansf er t he debat e out of i t s cur r ent l egi sl at i ve cul de sac and r ai se i n t he cour t s t he i ssue t hat por nogr aphy vi ol at es women' s ci vi l r i ght s . Thi s appr oach has some at t r act i ve f eat ur es, si nce i t does shi f t emphasi s f r om t he i dea t hat sexual expl i ci t ness per se i s of f ensi ve t o t he not i on t hat cer t ai n ki nds of sexual r epr esent at i on ar e har mf ul because t hey pr omot e i nequal i t y . Nonet hel ess, I st i l l wonder whet her we can or want t o l egi sl at e onl y a cer t ai n ki nd of sexual r epr esent at i on - i . e ., sex under condi t i ons of mut ual i t y, r eci pr oci t y, equal i t y . Do we r eal l y want t o say t hat our ci vi l r i ght s i ncl ude t he r i ght t o see onl y cer t ai n ki nds of i mages? Sexual i t y has shoul der ed an enor mous wei ght of expect at i ons i n our cul t ur e, 39 expect at i ons t hat sexual " f ul f i l l ment " wi l l compensat e f or t he sensual i mpover i shment of ur ban l i f e, t he emot i onal i mpover i shment of a cul t ur e t hat pr omot es t hi n soci abi l i t y at t he expense of l ong- t er m deep connect i on, t he spi r i t ual i mpover i shment r esul t i ng f r om t he abst r act qual i t y of most wor k . 4° Por nogr aphy capi t al i zes on t hese expect at i ons, i nduci ng us t o bel i eve t hat sexual " f ul f i l l ment " i s avai l abl e but el usi ve, j ust l i ke t he gr at i f i cat i on of a Sal em, a Budwei ser - i t ' s t her e f or sur e, i n t he next , al ways t he next act of consumpt i on . As women, we ar e mor e awar e of t he f r aud her e ; we not onl y r ecei ve t he i l l usor y pr omi se of f ul f i l l ment , we ar e t he pr omi se . The t er r i bl e i r ony of f emal e sexual i t y i s t hat women ar e expect ed t o embody a oneness wi t h t he body, a physi cal sel f - conf i dence associ at ed wi t h i deal mot her hood - t hi s t hey ar e supposed t o gi ve t o men . However , i t ' s r ar e f or women t o devel op a t r ue conf i dence i n t hei r own desi r e and desi r abi l i t y si nce f emal e sexual devel opment i s so per meat ed wi t h f ear , and ever ybody' s i dent i t y i s const ant l y under mi ned i n t hi s cul t ur e of envy . Por nogr aphy conf r ont s us not onl y wi t h mal e power , but al so wi t h mal e r esent ment , r esent ment at what has seemi ngl y been pr omi sed and t hen wi t hhel d . We, on t he ot her hand, shoul d know t hat t hi s sensual pl easur e does not bel ong t o us, i s not our s t o gi ve or deny f or i t i s not a t hi ng, not a pr oduct , but , wher e i t exi st s, i s act i vi t y, pr ocess, f eel i ng, r el at i onshi p . I n sexual i t y we woul d l i ke t o pr eser ve some pr i vi l eged ar ea, some space f r ee f r om t he commodi f i cat i on of so much of t he r est of our l i ves. When sexual i t y seems l i ke t he l ast vest i ge of our r omant i c i ndi vi dual i t y, por nogr aphy i nsi st s t hat her e t oo t her e' s not hi ng but a ki nd of Eat on' s cat al ogue of i mages - a r est r i ct ed code r educi ng al l " sel f - expr essi on" t o gr ot esque banal i t y . Thi s paper i s meant t o be pr ovocat i ve . I t may seem l i ke a bet r ayal of t he f or ces of good, an over - i nt el l ect ual i zed sel l - out t o t he por nocr at s . However , I ' m wr i t i ng i t because as a f emi ni st I ' m concer ned about our di r ect i ons, demands and al l i ances . We shoul d keep i n mi nd when f or mi ng pol i t i cal al l i ances on t hi s i ssue t hat , no mat t er what we say, most peopl e wi l l become i ndi gnant about por nogr aphy, not because t hey see i t as mi sogyni st i c, but because t hey see i t as sexual , and f or t hat r eason i t r ai ses al l ki nds of anxi et i es about " pr oper " gender r el at i ons we cal l i nt o quest i on i n ot her cont ext s . W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT As we sawwi t h t he f i r st wave of f emi ni sm, sexual i ssues f ocussed al l ki nds of ot her f ear s . Today we have even mor e t o be af r ai d of - aci d r ai n, nucl ear r eact or s, chemi cal wast es - t o name but a f ew at r andom. To even t he most opt i mi st i c, our wor l d seems qui t e out of cont r ol . A r e- or der i ng of gender r el at i ons, al ong wi t h suppr essi on of sexual expl i ci t ness, can t ake on power f ul at t r act i on . We see t hi s i n Amer i can r i ght - wi ng ant i - f emi ni sm. A number of ot her t hi ngs di st ur b me about f emi ni st di scour se on por nogr aphy . Of t en we cat ch an echo of t he ni net eent h cent ur y t emper ance movement ' s assumpt i on t hat el i mi nat i ng dr i nk woul d abol i sh wi f e beat i ng i n moder n f emi ni st s' not i on t hat suppr essi ng por nogr aphy woul d r educe r ape and ot her f or ms of act ual mal e vi ol ence . I n addi t i on, a cont empt f or " f r eedom of expr essi on" cr eeps i nt o many f emi ni st s' wr i t i ngs . " Ci vi l l i ber t ar i an" i s becomi ng an i nsul t , not yet qui t e equi val ent t o " f asci st . " Al t hough we may be di si l l usi oned wi t h l i ber al pol i t i cal phi l osophy and agr ee t hat " f r eedomof expr essi on" i s at best an abst r act i on and at wor st a cyni cal def ense when we' r e t al ki ng about a mul t i mi l l i on dol l ar i ndust r y l i ke por nogr aphy, i t st i l l seems t o me danger ous t o encour age gover nment t o get mor e i nvol ved i n t he busi ness of def i ni ng what we ar e al l owed t o see or r ead . I f we concer n our sel ves wi t h por nogr aphy as an i ndust r y r at her t han as a pur veyor of bad i deas, we mi ght t hi nk i n t er ms di f f er ent f r om censor shi p : e . g ., uni oni zi ng wor ker s i n t he i ndust r y, pr event i ng monopol i es, i nvest i gat i ng di st r i but i on net wor ks, t axi ng pr of i t s mor e r i gor ousl y . We shoul d never l ose si ght of t he f act t hat t he por nogr aphy i ndust r y coul d not exi st wi t hout i t s women wor ker s . Women who wr i t e about por nogr aphy must not i dent i f y wi t h t hese women sol el y at an abst r act l evel , as di d many ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s wi t h pr ost i t ut es . We know what ki nds of pr essur es dr i ve women i nt o t he sex t r ades ; we know how expl oi t ed t he women who wor k i n t he st r i p cl ubs, sex act s, and ski n f l i cks ar e . I n maki ng demands on t he st at e, we shoul d be ver y war y of f al l i ng i nt o t he same t r ap as f i r st wave f emi ni st s . I nst ead we need t o f i nd ways of suppor t i ng t hese women . Pushi ng por nogr aphy f ur t her i nt o a shadow wor l d wher e, l i ke dr ugs, por nogr aphi c mat er i al s ar e i l l egal but cl andest i nel y avai l abl e wi l l onl y make t he l i ves of t he women i n t he i ndust r y mor e r i sky, mor e endanger ed4' I n addi t i on, I t hi nk we must be car ef ul as women, who have never had t he same " f r eedom of expr essi on" as men, ei t her because we wer e not al l owed t o speak i n publ i c f or ums, or because when we di d speak our wor ds car r i ed no aut hor i t y, wer e di smi ssed as hyst er i cal r avi ngs, we must be car ef ul at t hi s j unct ur e, not t o deni gr at e " f r eedom of expr essi on, " but t o demand i t , sei ze i t , appr opr i at e i t , al l ow i t t o one anot her . Hi st or i cal l y as women we have been si l enced, and t oday we do not have t he access or deci si on maki ng power i n r el at i on t o mai nst r eammedi a we need . Por nogr aphy has become symbol i c f or us of t he bl at ency of mal e supr emacy, act ed out , r epr esent ed and enj oyed . I t seems par t i cul ar l y i nsi di ous because i t di r ect s i t s appeal t o t he most vul ner abl e ar eas of t he psyche . The pr ol i f er at i on of por nogr aphy i s cer t ai nl y par t of a whol e cul t ur al or der t hat under mi nes our sense of secur i t y and aut hor i t y, but di spl aci ng t oo much anxi et y ont o i t may not onl y wast e some of our t i me and ener gy, but al so may encour age t he st at e t o t hi nk i t can t hr ow us a censor shi p EI LEEN MANI ON sop and keep us happy, may even backf i r e i n an unexpect ed wave of r epr essi on pr ovoked by f ear s we' ve hel ped t o gener at e. Depar t ment of Engl i sh Dawson Col l ege Not es 1. For Amer i can f emi ni st di scussi ons of por nogr aphy, see: Susan Br ownmi l l er , Agai nst Our Wi l l W omen and Rape ( New Yor k : Si mon and Schust er , 1975) ; Robi n Mor gan, " Theor y and Pr act i ce: Por nogr aphy and Rape, " i n Goi ng Too Far - The Per sonal Chr oni cl e of a Femi ni st ( New Yor k : Vi nt age Books, 1978) , pp . 163- 169; Kat hl een Bar r y, Femal e Sexual Sl aver y ( New Yor k : Avon, 1979) ; Andr ea Dwor ki n, Por nogr aphy . Men Possessi ng Women ( New Yor k: Per i gr ee Books, 1979) ; Laur a Leder er , ed. , Take Bac k t he Ni ght : Women on Por nogr aphy ( New Yor k: Wi l l i amMor r ow and Company, I nc ., 1980) ; Susan Gr i f f i n, Por nogr aphy and Si l ence: Cul t ur e' s Revenge agai nst Nat ur e ( New Yor k : Har per & Row, 1981) ; Gl or i a St ei nem, " Er ot i ca vs. Por nogr aphy, " i n Out r ageous Act s some and Ev er y day Rebel l i ons ( New Yor k : Hol t , Ri nehar t and Wi nst on, 1983) , pp . 219- 230 . For f emi ni st di scussi ons of por nogr aphy publ i shed i n Canada, see: Myr na Kost ash, " Power and Cont r ol , a Femi ni st Vi ew of Por nogr aphy, " Thi s Magaz i ne 12 : 3, pp . 5- 7 ; Thel ma McCor mack, " Passi onat e Pr ot est s : Femi ni st s and Censor shi p, " Canadi an For um 59 : 697, pp . 6- 8 ; Lor enne Cl ar k, " Por nogr aphy' s Chal l enge t o Li ber al I deol ogy, " Canadi an For um 59 : 697, pp . 9- 12 ; Maude Bar l ow, " Por nogr aphy and Fr ee Speech. " Common Gr ound 2 : 3, pp . 28- 30 ; Ji l l i an Ri ddi ngt on, " Por nogr aphy : What Does t he New Resear ch Say" ' St at us of Women News 8 : 3, pp . 9- 13 ; Mi chel i ne Car r i er , La por nogr aphi e. base i deol ogi que de ( ' oppr essi on des f emmes ( Si l l er y, Quebec : Apost r ophe, 1983) ; Sar a Di amond, " Of Cabbages and Ki nks : Real i t y and Repr esent at i on i n Por nogr aphy, " Pi nk I nk 1 : 5, pp . 18- 23 ; Canadi an Woman St udi es 4 : 4 ( i ssue on vi ol ence) . Men, 2. Gr i f f i n, p . 83. 3. Br ownmi l l er , p . 394 . 4. Davi d Copp has a usef ul di scussi on of t he pr obl emof def i ni ng por nogr aphy i n hi s i nt r oduct i on t o Por nogr aphy and Censor shi p, ed . Davi d Copp and Susan Wendel l ( New Yor k : Pr omet heus Books, 1983) , pp . 15- 41 . 5. El l en Duboi s and. Li nda Gor don make a si mi l ar poi nt i n t hei r ar t i cl e, " Seeki ng Ecst asy on t he Bat t l ef i el d : Danger and Pl easur e i n Ni net eent h Cent ur y Femi ni st Sexual Thought , " Femi ni st St udi es 9 : 1, p . 8 . Accor di ng t o Duboi s and Gor don, " The f emi ni st movement has pl ayed an i mpor t ant r ol e i n or gani zi ng and even cr eat i ng women' s sense of sexual danger i n t he l ast one hundr ed and f i f t y year s . " For a di scussi on of ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s' or gani zat i onal r esponses t o t hi s sense of danger f r ommal e vi ol ence, see El i zabet h Pl eck, " Femi ni st Responses t o ' Cr i mes agai nst Women, ' 1868- 1896, " Si gns 8 : 3 . pp . 451- 470 . 6. Mor gan, p . 169 . 7. St ei nem, p . 221 . 8. Susan Gr i f f i n makes t hi s poi nt : por nogr aphy " woul d have sexual i t y and puni sh f eel i ng . " Por nogr aphy and Si l ence, p . 178 . 9. Accor di ng t o Kat hl een Bar r y: " One of t he ef f ect s of wi despr ead por nogr aphy has been t o i nt r oduce movi es, books, or pi ct ur es as t he er ot i c st i mul ant bet ween t wo peopl e, t her eby r educi ng t he need f or peopl e t o r el at e t o each ot her . " Femal e Sexual Sl aver y, p . 213 . W E OBJ ECTS OBJ ECT 10 . Not al l f emi ni st s have j umped on t he ant i - por nogr aphy bandwagon . I n 1979 El l en Wi l l i s wr ot e a cr i t i que of W omen agai nst Por nogr aphy ent i t l ed, " Femi ni sm, Mor al i smand Por nogr aphy, " or i gi nal l y publ i shed i n The Vi l l age Voi ce and r epr i nt ed i n Power s of Desi r e. The Pol i t i cs of Sexual i t y, ed . Ann Sni t ow, Chr i st i ne St ansel l and Shar on Thomps on ( New Yor k : Mont hl y Revi ew Pr ess, 1983) , pp . 460- 467 . Dei r dr e Engl i sh al so publ i shed a si mi l ar cr i t i que, " The Pol i t i cs of Por n, " i n Mot her Jones 5 : 3, pp . 20- 23, 43- 49 . Bet t y Fr i edan di smi ssed t he ant i - por nogr aphy mar ches i n NewYor k as " i r r el evant " i n The Second St age ( New Yor k: Summi t Books, 1981) , p. 20 . Her e i n Canada Thel ma Mc Cor mac k has been cr i t i cal of f emi ni st s who advocat e censor shi p of por nogr aphy. She makes t he poi nt t hat such advocacy " mani pul at es women' s anxi et i es about r ape and t he saf et y of chi l dr en whi l e st r engt heni ng a syst em whi ch cr eat es t hese f ear s. " " Passi onat e Pr ot est s : Femi ni st s and Censor shi p, " Canadi an For um 59: 697, p. 8 . 11 . Bar bar a Ehr enr ei ch i n The Hear t s of Men. Amer i can Dr eams and t he Fl i ght f r omCommi t ment ( Gar den Ci t y : Doubl eday, 1983) ar gues t hat mal e r ebel l i on agai nst t he " br eadwi nner r ol e" pr eceded t he women' s mov ement . I n t hi s cont ext she has an i nt er est i ng di scussi on of Pl ayboy whi ch, i n pr omot i ng a " new" consumer i sm f or men emanci pat ed f r om f ami l i es, needed t he nudes t o demonst r at e t hat t hese men wer e not ef f emi nat e . Pl ayboy popul ar i zed t he not i on t hat " r eal men" di d not need t o be heads of househol ds . 12 . I n Publ i c Man. Pr i vat e Woman: Woman and Soci al andPol i t i cal Thought ( Pr i ncet on, N. J . : Pr i ncet on Uni ver si t y Pr ess, 1981) Jean Bet hke El sht ai n has an i nt er est i ng and cr i t i cal di scussi on of t hi s sl ogan . 13 . Dei r dr e Engl i sh di scusses t hi s i n " The Fear t hat Femi ni sm Wi l l Fr ee Men Fi r st , " i n Power s of Desi r e, pp . 477- 483 . 14 . El sht ai n, p . 236 . 15 . Nancy Chodor ow, The Repr oduct i on of Mot her i ng: Psychoanal ysi s and t he Soci ol ogy of Gender ( Ber kel ey : Uni ver si t y of Cal i f or ni a Pr ess, 1978) . Dor ot hy Di nner st ei n, The Mer mai d and t he Mi not aur Sexual Ar r angement s and Human Mal ai se ( New Yor k : Har per & Row, 1976) . 16 . See Li ndaGor don' sdi scussi oni nWoman' sBody, Woman' sRi ght : ASoci al Hi st or yof Bi r t hCont r ol i n Amer i ca ( Har mondswor t h : Pengui n Books, 1974) . 17 . See Wi l l i amLeach, Tr ue and Per f ect Uni on: The Femi ni st Ref or mof Sex and Soci et y ( New Yor k: Basi c Books, 1980) . 18 . Duboi s and Gor don, p. 9 . 19 . Mar k Connel l y di scusses t he pr obl emof def i ni ng pr ost i t ut i on and measur i ng i t s ext ent i n The Response t o Pr ost i t ut i on i n t he Pr ogr essi ve Er a ( Chapel Hi l l : Uni ver si t y of Nor t h Car ol i na Pr ess, 1980) , p. 16 . 20. See Davi d Pi var , Pur i t y Cr usade: Sexual Mor al i t y and Soci al Cont r ol 1868- 1900 ( West por t , Conn . : Gr eenwood Pr ess, 1973) . 21 . See James H. Gr ay, Red Li ght s on t he Pr ai r i es ( Tor ont o : Macmi l l an of Canada, 1971) and Car ol Lee Bacchi , Li ber at i on Def er r ed? The I deas of t he Engl i sh Canadi an Suf f r agi st s, Uni ver si t y of Tor ont o Pr ess, 1983) . 22 . 1877- 1918 ( Tor ont o : Judi t h R. Wal kowi t z, " Mal e Vi ce and Femal e Vi r t ue : Femi ni smand t he Pol i t i cs of Pr ost i t ut i on i n Ni net eent h Cent ur y Br i t ai n, " i n Power s of Desi r e, p. 442 . 23 . Thi s ar gument i s made by Judi t h R. Wal kowi t z wi t h r egar d t o Br i t ai n i n her book Pr ost i t ut i on and Vi ct or i an Soci et y ( Cambr i dge Uni ver si t y Pr ess, 1980) . p. 117, and i n r el at i on t o t he Uni t ed St at es by Car l Degl er i n At Odds: Women and t he Fami l y i n Amer i ca f r omt he Revol ut i on t o t he Pr esent ( New Yor k : Oxf or d Uni ver si t y Pr ess, 1980) , p. 258 . 24. Connel l y, p. 30 . EI LEENMANI ON 25 . Pet er Gay ar gues t hat many Vi ct or i an women acknowl edged and expect ed sexual pl easur e i n The Bour geoi s Exper i ence: Vi ct or i a t o Fr eud Vol ume One Educat i on of t he Senses ( New Yor k : Oxf or d Uni ver si t y Pr ess, 1983) . 26 . Quot ed i n Wal kowi t z : " Mal e Vi ce and Femal e Vi r t ue: Femi ni sm and t he Pol i t i cs of Pr ost i t ut i on i n Ni net eent h Cent ur y Br i t ai n, " p . 443 . 27 . See Rut h Rosen, The Lost Uni ver si t y Pr ess, 1982) . 28 . Rut h Rosen and Sue Davi dson, eds ., 1977) . 29 . Gr i f f i n, passi m. 30 . Dwor ki n, p . 167 . 31 . Ther e has been some f emi ni st expl or at i on of t he " dar ker " si des of f emal e sexual i t y : see Her esi es 12 ( Sex I ssue) and Comi ng t o Power Wr i t i ngs and Gr aphi cs on Lesbi an SI M, publ i shed by Samoi s, a l esbi an f emi ni st S/ M or gani zat i on ( Bost on : Al yson Publ i cat i ons, I nc . , 1981) . 32 . Lor enne Cl ar k, " Por nogr aphy' s Chal l enge t o Li ber al I deol ogy, " 33 . Dwor ki n, p . 203 . Dwor ki n' s vi ew r esur r ect s t he " possessi ve i ndi vi dual i sm" t o whi ch many ni net eent h cent ur y f emi ni st s saw t hemsel ves opposed i n t hei r at t empt t o f ashi on a mor e communi t ar i an soci al vi si on . See Leach, p . 10 . 34 . SeeMi chael i . Gol dst ei nandHar ol dS. Kant , eds . , Por nogr aphyandSexual Devi ance . ARepor t of t he Legal and Behavi or al I nst i t ut e. Bever l y Hi l l s Cal i f or ni a ( Ber kel ey : Uni ver si t y of Cal i f or ni a Pr ess, 1973) ; Maur i ce Yaf f e and Edwar d C. Nel son, eds . , The I nf l uence of Por nogr aphy on Behavi our ( London : Academi c Pr ess, 1982) ; Davi d Copp and Susan Wendel l , eds . , Por nogr aphy and Censor shi p ( New Yor k : Pr omet heus Books, 1983) . 35 . Lor enne Cl ar k, " Li ber al i sm and Por nogr aphy, " i n Por nogr aphy and 36 . Susan Sont ag makes t hi s poi nt i n her essay, " The Por nogr aphi c I magi nat i on, " i n Per spect i ves on Por nogr aphy, ed . Dougl as A. Hughes ( New Yor k: St . Mar t i n' s Pr ess, 1970) , pp . 131- 169 . 37 . Cl ar k, " Li ber al i sm and Por nogr aphy, " p . 53 . 38 . El sht ai n, p . 225 . 39 . See Jessi ca Benj ami n' s essay, " Mast er and Sl ave : The Fant asy of Er ot i c Domi nat i on, " Desi r e, pp . 280- 299 . 40 . Meg Luxt on di scusses t he connect i on bet ween t he wor k l i ves and sexual i t y of her subj ect s i n Mor e Than a Labour of Love: Thr ee Gener at i ons of Women' s Wor k i n t he Home ( Tor ont o: The Women' s Pr ess, 1980) , pp . 55- 65 . 41 . See Anne McLean, " Snuf f i ng Out Snuf .f Femi ni st s React , " Canadi an Si st er hood Pr ost i t ut i on i n Amer i ca, 1900- 1918 ( Bal t i mor e : Johns Hopki ns TheMai mi ePaper s ( Ol d West bur y, N. Y. : The Femi ni st Pr ess, Canadi an For um 59: Censor shi p, Di mens i ons 697, p. 10. p. 53 . Power s of 12 : 8, pp . 20- 2 3 .