Pornography As A Central Issue
Toward the end of the 1970s, much of the discourse in the feminist movement shifted from the discussion of lesbian feminism to focus on the new topic of sexuality. One of the primary concerns with sexuality was the issue of pornography, which caused a great divide among feminists. The two recognized sides of the debate were anti-pornography feminism and “pro-sex” feminism. One of the major influences of anti-pornography feminism was its predecessor, lesbian feminism. Anti-pornography movements developed from fundamental arguments displayed by lesbianism, such as the notion of patriarchal sexual relations. Ellen Willis described these relations as being “based on male power backed by force.” This means that pornography is created exclusively for men by men and is a direct reflection of the man-dominant paradigm surrounding sexual relations. Another idea taken from lesbian feminism by anti-pornography groups was that sexuality is about creating a compassionate bond and a lasting relation with another person, contrary to the belief of the purely physical nature of sex.
Andrea Dworkin expressed her views of pornography in her book, Pornography: Men Possessing Women. In it, she argued that the theme of pornography is male dominance and as a result is harmful to women and their well-being. Dworkin believed that pornography is not only damaging in the production but also in its viewing effects as men mentally internalize the misogynistic portrayal of women. Other prominent feminists, such as Robin Morgan, agree with Dworkin’s arguments. Morgan defines the link between the production of pornography and the violence of women in her statement, "pornography is the theory, rape is the practice."
On the opposite end of the spectrum, sex-positive feminists have criticized the anti-pornography movement as a repression of sexuality and a move towards censorship. Prominent liberal feminist Gayle Rubin offers a critique of anti-pornography in her article, “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality”, in which she characterizes sex liberation as a feminist goal and denounces the idea that anti-pornography feminists speak collectively for all of feminism. She offers the notion that what is needed is a theory of sexuality separate from feminism.
Read more about this topic: Feminist Sex Wars
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