MacKinnon's argument is basically this: Rape is a form of torture, a human rights violation. This is understandable when you take into consideration the atrocities of Rwanda, Yugoslavia, and pretty much any other state collapse or authoritarian regime. She goes one step further, however. She argues that all rape, in any context (not controlled state sanctioned violence), is torture. This is also understandable, to an extent. MacKinnon holds the state complicit in all rape because "men make the laws to protect men." I don't buy that. I believe in personal responsibility.
Ok, its easy to see how this argument translates into her hatred of pornography. Not only does she see the exploitive aspects, but the inherent violence. It is a proven fact that pornography leads to violent behavior. But I think she is unintentionally furthering a stereotype in decrying the "abuse of women in porn." She reinforces the idea that women need to be helped, saved, and protected.
The pornography industry these days, while pretty gross, is not the sordid bacchanalia it was in the 80s and 90s. Women in pornography can actually expect a moderate amount of fame, and many go into the industry willingly.
In the dawning of the pornography age, the mid to late 1970s, these films were actually bankrolled by major studios, and there are a few notable directors who got their start in porn (Wes Craven, off the top of my head). At that time, it kind of was art, though crude. There were story lines (no matter how bogus) and theme songs and "actors."
Linda Lovelace, the star of "Deep Throat," later recanted her willing participation. She claimed she had been forced to perform sex acts on camera. She tried, in vain, with MacKinnon's help to pull copies of "Deep Throat" saying it was video footage of her rape.
What she didn't mention was she was involved at the time with an abusive man, and he made her participate. It wasn't the director, or the producer, or the other actors. She chose her boyfriend, and she paid the consequences.
This is not to say that I like pornography. I don't, really. I have watched "Deep Throat," but I watched it as a comedy (it is kinda funny actually). But my problem with porn has nothing to do with "exploitation" or "abuse."
We have managed to raise at least two generations of men on pornography. It has become painfully obvious to me that most men are blissfully unaware of what real sex is. Or what real women look like. Or what they are willing to do. Just because you saw some blonde get off from that move doesn't mean that your girlfriend is going to like it. They get paid to fake orgasms.
Most women have real breasts.
Most women don't have sex with their best girlfriends.
Most women don't like anal.
Most women have stretch marks.
All women have cellulite, even the skinny ones.
Men don't bother discovering what their partner likes anymore. Why should they? They have already seen the tutorial, right?
I suppose my problem is the cheapening of the experience for everyone involved. Porn sex is cheap and tawdry, it is supposed to be. But the porn industry has succeeded in convincing the world that all sex should be cheap and tawdry. And that just isn't the case. Discovery and intimacy are the best parts of sex. Having some movie give you all the answers is wrong.
And men wonder why women fake it...
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