Anti-porn advocates recast growing acceptance of pornography as public health problem

NewsOK.com

http://m.newsok.com/article/5457916/

When Robert Jensen talks to his college classes about pornography, his female students say they're not bothered by it — mostly because they don't see any way to avoid it.

"The vast majority of men they may date are using porn, so to resist that is to essentially put yourself in opposition to the entire culture that you are a part of," says Jensen, a professor in the school of journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. "That's hard for people to do, (so they say) 'Porn is not that big of a deal.'"

Public opposition against pornography has declined in the past 40 years. In 1975, 53 percent of women and 34 percent of men believed there should be laws against the distribution of pornography, according to a recent study. By 2012 it had fallen to 43 percent of women and 23 percent of men.

However, after accounting for differences between men and women in things like education, religion and political views, researchers at the University of Maryland found that men's opposition fell 13 percent (from 37 to 24), and women's fell just 8 percent (from 50 to 42) — over the last 40 years.

"What's interesting about that, with porn becoming so ubiquitous, is you might think (that because) men and women are exposed to the same culture that they would be increasingly similar in the way they see things," said study co-author Philip N. Cohen, a sociology professor at the University of Maryland. "That fact that the lines are spreading apart … is a clue that all is not well in acceptance-of-pornography land."

Cohen and lead author Lucia Lykke, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology, argue that this gender gap exists because men are increasingly “groomed” into becoming pornography consumers, while women struggle to reconcile their feelings about the ever present, but increasingly offensive, form of entertainment. Women's feelings are also often complicated by competing feminist ideologies that both support and oppose pornography.

To address the increasing acceptance of pornography and its impact on women, a growing number of scholars and activists are framing their opposition as a public health concern, noting that talking about porn's impacts on relationships, families and communities is a more effective approach than opposing it on religious or moral grounds.

"The reason (women) are conflicted is they don't have a competing narrative available to them that allows them to develop a healthy sexuality" without pornography, says Jennifer A. Johnson, an associate professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies gender, sexuality and networks. "We've just left them vulnerable to the predatory practices of the pornography industry."

A changing culture

Public opinion of pornography has evolved over the past four decades amid an increase in permissive attitudes surrounding sexuality, gender and free speech; a huge increase in free, online pornography; and increasingly violent and phallocentric-themed pornography, according to the study.

This combination has created the appearance of cultural “pornographication,” which makes it seem like everyone is OK with pornography, says Lykke. But data show there are still a quarter of men and more than a third of women who think porn should always be illegal.

"Just because the Internet says (porn) is normal or desirable doesn’t mean that individual people do or should feel that way," Lykke said.

But the ease of access to the magnitude of pornography available online makes it difficult to avoid, especially for men, to whom it is primarily marketed, says Johnson.

And when men view salacious images paired with sexual pleasure those images become difficult to want to question, says Jensen.

"People won't question (porn) until the use of that material is so evidently intervening in (their) ability to have meaningful relationships … that even (they) have to recognize that the continued use of it is self-destructive," he says.

As pornography becomes a larger part of men’s sexual experiences — one study found that 87 percent of college-aged men reported using pornography — the conflict for women only increases, much of it based on concerns about the violence in today's mainstream porn, according to the study.

Research has found that physical or verbal violence is present in a large majority of popular pornographic movies. And nearly all violence is directed at women, thus “providing a cultural context for grooming of viewers into believing that the women of pornography enjoy sexual degradation and violence,” according to the study.

“We need a movement that demands space free from pornography and recognizes the pornography industry as propaganda for violence against women,” said Meagan Tyler, vice chancellor’s research fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Organisations and Work at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, who researches social construction of gender and sexuality. “We need a consumers' revolt.”

But the porn industry contends that its content is actually more woman-centered than ever before, both in consumption and production, because of the increasing number of female producers, and the ability for women to become famous by uploading their own videos, or webcamming, rather than relying on a production studio, said Diane Duke, CEO of the Free Speech Coalition, the trade association for the adult entertainment industry.

"Women are the fastest growing market in our industry," Duke said. "'Fifty Shades of Grey' made (porn) a very public conversation. Women always have been interested, (and now it's) easier for women to access sexual content … and find what they want."

A feminist critique

Yet for women who are not interested, speaking out against pornography can be difficult, because they run the risk of "appearing hostile to men," or being "branded as feminists," according to the study, which in today's postfeminist age is often a label many try to avoid.

While feminism has never been defined by a single ideal, the last several decades have seen a dramatic shift in how feminists think about sexuality and pornography.

Roughly broken down into three historical "waves," the first feminists focused on citizenship and getting the vote, while the second wave focused on legal equality. The third (and sometimes fourth) wave or post-feminism movement has been an intrafeminist critique where issues of gender, sexuality and identity are more fluid concepts, not rigid roles, explained Jennifer Baumgardner, an author, activist and executive director and publisher of The Feminist Press at CUNY.

That means many of today's feminists (who may or may not use that label) see pornography as a positive development — a chance for women to be liberated from the sexual repression and male-dominated society of the past.

"Porn becomes an outlet for exploration," Baumgardner says. "I don't think it's in any way uniformly positive or fun, but at least it's an outlet, it's an expression. I think we need to be having more conversations about sexuality as an affirmative thing, and less about pornography and how we need to control sexuality."

While struggles surrounding sexual identity and roles are real, particularly for college-aged women, trying to understand one's sexuality through the lens of pornography is skewed, contends Johnson, because it erroneously leads women to believe that pornography equals sexuality.

“Pornography is commerce," Johnson emphasizes, "Sexuality is behavior."

Given this rise of a pro-porn feminist movement, it's more important than ever to clearly define the feminist critique of pornography, says Jensen.

"The feminist critique is that porn is not just sex on film," he says. "It's sex in the context of male domination and female subordination. Porn sexualizes male power and eroticizes male domination. I think that was clearly true when Andrea (Dworkin) in the ’70s, ’80s made that critique and it's even more true today. And I think (critiquing) that in the public health framework can be productive."

Reframing the discussion

For the past two decades, Gail Dines has dedicated herself to researching the harms of pornography. But not until she began framing the issue as a public health problem did the interest in her findings begin to skyrocket. In the past two years, she's visited with government officials in Iceland, the U.K., Canada and Sweden, spoken with the U.S. Departments of Justice and Defense, and next month she's heading to a conference on pornography and public health in Norway.

"Everyone is overwhelmed," says Dines, a professor of sociology and women’s studies at Wheelock College in Boston and a leading anti-porn activist. "In the vacuum of a discussion about healthy sexuality, pornographers have come in and become the sex educators of the Western world."

Research has shown that youth who see today's violent pornography are more likely to have sex at younger ages, engage in risky sexual behavior and exhibit sexually aggressive behavior, while men are less likely to intervene when witnessing college sexual assault, more likely to accept violence against women, and often struggle in relationships.

To counter that, Dines and a handful of specialists from across the academic, professional and medical spectrum will soon officially launch their international nonprofit, "Culture Reframed," to provide education and "address pornography as the public health crisis of the digital age."

Such education should be open, honest and respectful discussions of women and their bodies, as well as the understanding that pornography is not a natural expression of boy's and men's sexuality either, Johnson said.

"I'd also encourage schools to start thinking about including pornography in their sexual health and family health discussions," Johnson said. "Because it is a matter of public health — it negatively impacts families and communities."

Parents should be leading out in these discussions, which is why a large part of Culture Reframed focuses on teaching moms and dads individually how to talk to kids about pornography. A professionals' program will offer insight for those who work with children, with the goal to "build resilience in kids," Dines says.

Duke, with the Free Speech Coalition, agrees that parents need to be talking to their children about sex, to break through the country's puritanical silence on the topic, and she credits pornography with helping to bring that discussion to the forefront. In her mind, opposing porn from a public health perspective is missing the point.

"Everyone likes to blame (porn) for the world's ills," she said. "If you have a relationship where porn is getting in the way, then I think it's a little deeper. Porn is just a tool and there (must be) something lacking in the relationship. It's important to take that aside and look at what the real issue is. There are people who compulsively shop, do you want to close down all the malls? No. (You look at) why that person is compulsively shopping."

While Lykke and Cohen's study doesn't offer any sweeping solutions to the diverging opinions on pornography, the study itself may serve as an ice breaker for an uncomfortable topic.

"Because (porn) is so out in the open now … it can be a conversation," said Cohen. "Even if you don't think it's a good thing, you should be able to talk about it without (that conversation) being a bad thing."

We could discuss the difference between the definitions of 'normal' & 'the norm' & what defines 'normal'... But I don't want to post on a thread that long.
Most of us (might) agree, that TV & movies shapes society & is not a reflection of it.
Over the years, as I have noticed this more & more often, so the less & less TV. I watched, until finally.. None at all.

As I read this article, it reminded me of lines from an HBO mini series. The main characters were 18-22 women (in the show). And one character (the promiscuous one), is giving another character (the innocent one), unsolicited boyfriend advice & as to why she can't see him that night, (because she had to work) & says.. "Why can't he do what normal guys do & watch porn & j@rk off"

I immediately thought, 'some horney old man wrote this'
( tea..it was), 'this was intentional' & ' and how many girls & young women just had the seed planted in their head, that this is normal?'

Yea..no more no TV. And I am very very selective with movies now as well.

BTW: 50 Shades Of Gray is not porn for women. There have been articles on how many men took their girlfriends/wives to see it on date night.
* If women really wanted to see it..they would of went without their men*
There has also been articles & threads here on how women hated the movie & books.
Saying..." Porn for women " ...is probably men talking.

Canada: Concerns On Sexual & Violent Cultures



Interesting title. I did note however that there is only one mention of Canada in the article. Where Gail Dines, a professor of sociology and women’s studies at Wheelock College in Boston, went to Canada.

The actual title of the article "Anti-porn advocates recast growing acceptance of pornography as public health problem" makes no mention of Canada at all. All research seems to have been done at American educational institutions as well.


As to the very subject of the article. Pornography has been around for centuries. There are findings of it from Ancient Rome and the ancient Greeks. Society / Culture evolves, changes with each generation. At one time the bikini was a shock as was the mini skirt. Opiates were available in general stores. Taverns were for men only. As society changes some things become more acceptable while others are not.

Case in point would be Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Colorado legalizing recreational marijuana. Canada and Mexico possibly soon to do same. While the U.S. Federal government continues to have it illegal.

Television and cinema push the limits of what is acceptable. Society as a whole becomes used to what they see / hear and changes more, allowing more.

-------------------------------------
Your critiquing my thread title?
Have you seen some up the thread titles by men ? I think you should tell them about it.

I always list the country as a courtesy.
This was Canadian news.
But no matter.. the title. It brought a 60 year old American male in to correct the little lady & try to give her a ' History of Porn' lesson, in defense of it.
I am sure women are looking forward to a thread from you on North American Sexuality. How about this title ? " Just accept it ladies "

<---- slowly slides a saucer of milk over to Sassy. *meow*

I seem to recall a stat from maybe 5-6 years ago that in the U.S. women 'consumed' 50% of the porn. That was defined to mean the women purchased it, but may not have actually watched it.

So they were buying the DVD's, the magazines, and renting adult channel programming via home cable systems for their men. I have no doubt a percentage watched it by themselves, or shared it with someone else.

In the 90's there was a push by female adult film personalities to start their own production houses, and to direct films so that they could provide the 'women's perspective' of porn. The premise was there would be more 'story' as opposed to simply filming the mechanics at close range.

Women have always had better imaginations than men, hence the endless sales of 'bodice rippers' from publishers like Harlequin. Men are more tactile and need to see and touch. No big surprise men watch more porn.

I know for a while it became a 'thing' for you and the girlfriend/wife to go to a strip club where she would watch you get a table dance. The stripper basically drapes herself over you for $20/30/40 a song depending on the level of touching she'll allow you to engage in.

The raunchier clubs allowed the dances to transition into sex in the back room, or an upstairs room where privacy and more money was ensured. So you, the wife and the dancer? Hmmmm.

In most large (and some small) cities you can usually find 'swapping' clubs where you can engage in sex with someone else's wife or husband. Any seasoned traveller knows a call down to the concierge in your hotel can be used to arrange a 'discreet' conversation in your room for adult entertainment, drugs, booze, even a gun for the duration of your stay. Walk out of your hotel to the taxi stand and ask a cabby for information on all of the above. A $50 bill gets most of them pretty chatty in short order.

Porn is only as a big a problem as you allow it to be. Most women are offended to start with when they find out their guys watch it. They quickly realize they can't physically compete with someone who's had $50-100k in surgeries. Then they realize they really don't need to since their man already chose them. Porn for guys is the naked version of "Oh, a squirrel!". How many guys leave their wives so they can track down, date, and marry their porn babe? Zero.

Women watch it and see the guy with the 10"-12" package, and now look at the hubby with a slightly disappointed expression. How many women leave their husbands to track down huge porn penis guy? Zero.

So relax people. As long as it isn't consumed in a way that physically hurts or demeans people, it's simply entertainment. What you do in the privacy of your home is your business.

Gotta admit, given the title, I was expecting to at least see reference to Paul and Carla.

Yassee, Paul was the Scarborough rapist.

Carla was his wife. Aiding and abetting wife.

Together, they concocted a plan, to rape Carla's younger sister.

During the rape of Carla's little sister, in which Carla took an active part in, Carla's little sister died.

For her role in the rape and murder of her little sister, Carla was sentenced only to 12 years in a Canadian prison.
Last I heard, Carla was breathing free air, and walking around, a free woman.

Paul, well, his prison sentence was a bit longer.

Scarborough, being a suburb of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and all...

I'm surprised, given the title, that 'this' wasn't referenced.

Btw, not b!tchin at the OPie.
She does an outstanding job of bringing women's issues to light.

In regards to Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, there was a huge outcry over how the case was handled.

Paul slapped around Karla one night while the cops were in the middle of the investigation into two murders they liked Paul for. Karla was in part beaten with a MagLite flashlight, (which is like a club) and figured he would kill her if she didn't get out of the relationship.

She surrenders to the cops and cuts a deal to rollover on Paul. She claims 'battered wife syndrome' and that her participation in the deaths was strictly out of fear for her own safety, so she went along. One of the victims was her own younger sister, who she drugged and got drunk and then handed to Bernardo as a sex toy.

After several months, and exhaustive police searches of the house, Bernardo contacts his lawyer and says there's a video hidden in the house which he doesn't want the cops to find, and he needs the lawyer to retrieve it, and keep it under wraps.

His lawyer reviews the tape and discovers that Karla was actually a very animated and active participant in the crimes. The lawyer shows it to the cops who then tried to get out of the deal they made with her, but it was too late.

She got out a couple years ago, and I believe lives in the Caribbean somewhere, and wants a career teaching kids. What I always thought was a little creepy about these two is that even though they had committed these horrendous crimes, there were still men and women who if you asked said "Oh yeah, I'd do him or her." Wow. Exactly how LOW are your standards that you'd happily date a rapist and serial killer?

Sometimes I forget that on this site, women don't post in political & the sociological reasons why.

I may have to do some outside recruiting


I shouldn't of assumed people already know & accept the direct correlation between porn & violence.
(Geez..it is the first thing cops look for )

But let's keep talking about the title
* grunting in my best Neanderthal dialect * because "Porn Gooood "
I say * With one hand on my d@ck & the other on the remote *

We got idiots here, who send love letters to Richard Ramirez (night stalker).

We got idiots here, who wanna bang that chick from Florida, who murdered her own kid.

I agree, there are sick people in the world, who idolize and adore, those who harm others.

Okay, OPie.

Let's discuss porn, and it's connection to violence.

I'll admit, I've watch porn a time or two... usually *with* whichever woman I'm committed to at the time.

I'm neither fan, nor purveyor.
Some porn, is quite clumsy, with bad dialogue. Therefore, making it quite comical.

The first actual "rape" porn created in the U.S., was titled 'Behind the Green Door' (1977). Since that time, the U.S., has banned the manufacture of "rape" porn, within its borders.

States, such as California, have stepped up to the plate, and have gone as far as, banning "revenge" porn.

On the socio-psychological side...
Do I believe porn causes people to become rapists, chomos, etc... ?

Quite frankly, no.

I believe, rapists and chomos, are sick basterds to begin with.
They, grab every excuse handy, to justify their sick behaviour.

I'm sorry.
"The devil made me do it", and the "Twinkie defense", just doesn't cut it.

Do I believe, that certain elements of porn, make certain behaviours, seem socially acceptable?

Sadly, yes.


Could certain types of porn, give already sick people an 'idea'?

Absolutely!
But, it didn't *make* them do anything.
They were what they are, before watching the porn.

Porn is only as a big a problem as you allow it to be. Most women are offended to start with when they find out their guys watch it. They quickly realize they can't physically compete with someone who's had $50-100k in surgeries. Then they realize they really don't need to since their man already chose them. Porn for guys is the naked version of "Oh, a squirrel!". How many guys leave their wives so they can track down, date, and marry their porn babe? Zero.



.agreed


everyone has personal tastes, but those who already have a predisposition to not seperate fantasy/fiction from reality,,, are probably adversely affected by accessing porn


for me, its another fantasy, like a movie with violence, or 'romance' for that matter

written and ACTED for story telling purposes only

I would like to take a stand against "phallocentric" pornography.
I'd much prefer to see breasts.

"It brought a 60 year old American male"

Sorry I may live in the U.S. but my roots are Canadian.

"in defense of it"

Not defending at all. Simply pointing out that society changes. Each generation makes it's own changes. The more that society is exposed to something, even in small doses, the more it changes the views of society towards it.

Sometimes the very people / companies / products that lead to the changes do an about face.

'Playboy' to stop publishing nude photos

What is acceptable today may very well not be for the next generation. Pretty much every male has used 'porn' of one form or another from the pics of topless natives in National Geographic to Playboy or Penthouse. Not all males commit acts of violence towards women though.

From 1995 to 2010, the estimated annual rate of female
rape or sexual assault victimization declined 58%, from
5.0 victimization per 1,000 females age 12 or older to
2.1 per 1,000. Taken from: Female Victims of Sexual Violence, 1994-2010

Porn is becoming more accessible yet the number of victims is declining.

Crying "Porn made me do it" by an offender is an easy out. Always easier to blame an outside influence than take responsibility. Unfortunately there have always been and will be those who feel the need to victimize others.

As RockGnome pointed out:

Im with ya there....and the creepy camera guys need to shut the hell up