Pornography and Social Policy: Three Feminist Approaches

Abstract

Arguments regarding sexuality and sexual expression have been central issues in feminist theory. This article explores three opposing feminist models for interpreting sexual imagery—the radical feminist, the libertarian feminist, and the socialist feminist-the conceptions of sexuality and representation on which each is based, and the resulting social policy positions regarding pornography. It analyzes the commonalities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses of each perspective and the corresponding policy argument and discusses the divisiveness of the feminist debates on pornography.

La pornografía a debate. Notas sobre sexualidad e identidad de género en los argumentos feministas

“…En relación con la pornografía, uno de los primeros análisis feministas radicales en relación con el tema, tal como señala Barbara Collins (1990), argumenta que las imágenes pornográficas reducen a las mujeres a objetos. El resultado, afirma, es socavar el eros femenino, caracterizado por la integridad física y emocional, la autonomía y la igualdad.…”

Reflexivity in the Pornographic Films of Candida Royalle

“…Probably the most often repeated criticism of pornography is that it produces harmful social consequences, especially for women (e.g. Collins, 1990). Researchers have failed to find evidence of a link between the consumption of pornography and negative attitudes or overt hostility toward women (Linz and Malamuth, 1993).…”

“…A number of scholars (e.g. Collins, 1990;Juffer, 1998;Laan et al, 1994;McElroy, 1995;Mosher and MacIan, 1994;Pearson and Pollack, 1997;Williams, 1989) have identified the films of Candida Royalle as a particular instance of pornography thought to be accessible to women. Recently, Gardos and Mosher (1999: 81) suggested that researchers need to study 'perceptual, linguistic, and interpretational differences between men and women' in order to better understand the anti-pornography/degradation debate.…”