I listened to a NPR or CBC radio thing on porn yesterday. The guest talked about the dehumanization and demeaning impacts on women. He summarily dismissed the token opposition submitted by the interviewer, referencing the opinions and studies of others. His attitude came across as that typical rightous indignation.
I’ve heard it all before. But it does have me thinking.
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The guy said that much of the mainstream stuff was abusive and agressive, with undertones of, if not what might be deemed, outright violence.
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He also said that it was important to spin the porn in away that would allow men to believe that women actually liked it.
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He also referenced black male(s) on white female porn being like by white males in that it actually enhanced the white male desire to further degrade white women.
1.a. He seemd to be talking about more than “real” violence or the fantasy representation of real violence. Rather, he seemed to be throwing the very simple act of sex into that catagory, merely because of the "harder, harder, harder, pounding away that can be part of the sex act; the same thing you see animals engaged in naturally.
So, is the act itself a violent act? Is it inherently demeaning to “get fucked” as opposed to being the fucker? He seems to be over-reacting. Would the very simple video-taping of a good sound fucking constitute a demeaning and violent, pornographic thing?
I think he’s got his own mental problems if he things so, but I’m will to hear someone try and articulate his case better than he did, because even though I’ve heard all this stuff before, something about the interview made me more uncomfortable than in the past. Maybe 'cause I’m older and wiser. I don’t know.
2.a. Do women like sex? I know they do, but my question is not completely rhetorical. Is it not a good thing that men would want to believe that women like sex when they appear to be liking it? When I was growing up, it seemed like the idea was women played stash with the pussy and it was a “gift” to men who exhibited the proper behavior. If a women does like sex, isn’t it more demeaning and dehumanizing to her to act as if she doesn’t actually like it, and to put her in that “giver” catagory instead of an equal sharer catagory? Why would it be bad to see a female porn star laughing or smiling or apparently enjoying herself if what is happening does not involve any physical or emotional harm? Or, again, is an otherwise objectively harmless act actually demeaning? Take facials for example.
3.a. I always thought guys liked watching interacial just because most black porn stars are hung like horses and not because of any demeaning thing toward women.
Nonetheless, the guy does have me looking at women differently. He said his goal was to move beyond looking at women at all, but, rather, to look at them as humans. Okay, but doesn’t that, to a certain extent, deny the male his maleness too? Are we all droids?
P.S. If I misrepresented the guy’s position, I appologize. It’s just the way it came across.
Thoughts?