Argument of Defintion.
Argument of Defintion
To Be Or Not To Be: Girl Power in Porn!
Introduction:
The rationalization that pornography degrades women is offensive in in rumination alone. Women, through evolution and sufferage movements have fought for numerous things, all predicated on choice. Choice being defined as : an act of selecting or making decison when forced with two or more possibilities. The right or the ability to make, or possibly of making such a selection. Anytime the choice to act or participate in a pornographic film is looked at as harmful or degrading to the women that choose to participate in these activities undermines a fundamental precept of feminism ; a woman's right to choose what she does or doesn't do with her body. Also, to overemphasize speculative factors as if they are substantial statistics, such as the number of women that are sexually assaulted as youth also deconstructs feminism rather than actually dehumanizing females according to Cleveland (2008) because it calls into question the cognitive reasoning of a woman who chooses to have sexual realtions on camera for what is more than often not monetary gain. My thesis is to shift the paradigm in a way that has been opposed by feminists who argue that regardless of the compensation or who it comes from, women would still be subjective to the negatives that capitalism in a billion dollar industry has to offer ( Cleveland. 2008).Body Statements such as those reek with self righteous hypocrisy, because the argument for women being compensated properly as the lead commodity in the production of adult films is a real reality, if only pursued. The women in the industry that use exhibitionism as a means for furthering their intersts and brand name should be commended and allowed to teach other young women who are choosing to enter the profession. However, we are relegated to these "facts" that are more than obviously diluted by feeling and personal interjection of one's feelings. That is not the true nature of business. Buisness is predicated on the "bottom line" or dollar amount earned for services provided and to say that these women shouldn't ever making a case with conviction on that very principle is ignorant and concededs defeat to the veru principles that feminist stand for.
When you place women in a negative light in regards tio adult fims you downplay their ability their cognitive reasoning. This in turn minimizes the sexual apptitude and sensuality these women bring to this specialized field .
To make the counter argument buys into the rigid and paternalisitc view of woman that was created by man to satisfy man's purpose and objectify women as property as was the case legally in ancient greek societies. Sufferage movements were meant to abolish that preposterous set of social norms. Pornography is defined in part as being intended to stimulate erotic feelings, and women have a definite skill in arousing the carnal natures of both men and women as society now exhibits. The verbatim defintion as defined by the New World Oxford American Dictionary of pornography is : printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings. Why do feminists in their anti-porn stance wish to define it otherwise is to place much more importance on what I view to be sexual athelticism, nothing more and nothing less.
Adult films although viewed by society in various negative stereotypical negative forms such as a contributor to the increased divorce rates and violence towards women. Overblown "facts" about adult films are the violence that is undoubtedly linked to pornography. It is inconceivable that a filmed sexual act can be the pre-cursor to each incident of violence against a woman, serial killing, rape or episode of child molestation. This is hyperbole at it's most amplified form, created by those who have no qualms about shattering the truth if it fits their specific purpose, which happens to be the condemnation of pornographic material when over- analyzed. Government agencies long since known for having a penchant for "stretching the truth" lists ambiguous statistics involving the terms "serial killer" to speak of violence associated with the killers suggested preferred form of adult entertainment. Personal belief is subjective, this is public knowledge, however, along with their history of mendacity in order to intimidate groups or citizens considered subversive the F.B.I. is consistent in making one specific situation of horrific nature the scapegoat of what is considered a lack of morality in the country. Pornography cannot be made intoa finite cause for the mistreatment of women and childrem in the U.S. or the world over. It cannot be listed as the root cause for the cognitive distortion that is gives animation to the serial killers desire for inflicting intense bodily harm on another. Proposing a complete dismantaling of this rhetoric is something that would assist this society in moving forward intellectually. As long as citizens of an industrialized nation allow themselves to be fed half truths as sustinance for the ills we face as a society, the society in question will have a difficult time in self correcting, because to do this is anagolous to lying to oneself and looking for solutions to problems while the issue of mendacity exists. As far as the portrayals these women acquiesce to and flourish in as adult film vixens, directors and producers, we should congratulate these women or at the very least salute them. In most military occupations of the last century or so, who do you think kept the morale of the soldier high when his significant other was thousands of miles away. The "pin-up", who morphed into Jenna Jamison, that's who. Women of this nature exhibit a complete selflessness in contributing to the expansion of our societies archaic set of perceptions and ideals pertaining to a woman's capability to define choices of conviction under their own ethical scope. Done by exploring their sexual boundaries with controlled artistry while knowingly performing for the voyeuristic component of society, these women could very well viewed as modern day gladiators risking themselves in a dangerous arena for the entertainment of plebians, so we don't have to. This is where the argment proposed builds it's basis. When discussing the topic of sport spectacles, there always exixts the point in the conversation where salaries and compensation are mentioned. Whether it be the stance of "too much", "undervalued" or all that lies in between. In a discussion of women who will be forever viewed through a critical cinematic lens as long as they possess the youthful aesthetics to bring physical stimulation while consistently performing at the highest levels in terms of sexual prowess regardless of how they feel mentally or physically, they must be compensated. Reward them, at least commisary with sex ed teachers, counselors and the like. If there is a problem that exists within the industry it is the lack of business acumen that is taught to the women who make the choice to enter an industry that views them as expendable. The performers should be taught a 21st century triangular business model, personal conduct and all of the things that are taught to eighteen and nineteen year old athletes that enter the realm of professional sporting leagues. They should be advised as to how to create a business model of their own choosing where they are to profit fiscally for every scene they participate, they should be taught terms such as: recuperable( when they are advanced something of high value), royalties ( for when they are no longer in front of the camera) and terms that won't leave them expendable when age and wear have taken their toll and the woman is still being sold as a "boxed- set." Instruct the woman of fiscal independence and teach her the value of mutual funds, money market accounts and investing in general, so she can have at least one form of residual income when she makes the decision to leave the industry. The greatest asset any industry has is the human element and the adult sex industry is kind to few as is any industry where the profits are astronomical. Once again, that is the nature of business, take complete advantage of any advantage you can, whether it is legislation, lack thereof, or coquettish young women that have no idea of how much money they will generate over the course of their lifetimes. This is the point that feminists should argue, not whether or not it is humane to perform sexual acts in front of film crews. There is logic in that argument, but it holds the same amount of bargaining chit that they feel would be in the hands of the women themselves if they controlled the production, and distribution oof adult films, which is absoloutely NOTHING! To create an analogy that may appeal to reason more so than the aforementioned, it's like having a defense attorney that wants to argue the length of imprisonment a defendent is suppose to recieve rather than defending their innocence beyond a reasonable doubt, no one who has the finacial resources would ever want someone like that repersenting them and I have a feeling that many female adult film stars feel the same way about the women that generalize and undermine their profession and ability to reason for themselves. To quote Sasha Grey adult film star "many people in society believe that I am a victim of sorts. I was not sexually abused. I am not on drugs. I made a cognitive decision of my own free will." Grey, Sasha SashaGrey.com 11/09/2009 www.sashagrey.com That quote would elicit much more than respect or support for the particular young woman who made that statement in today's day and age. Some feminists would look at her in bewilderment, others in shame, some would attempt to comfort her against her will feeling as if she had set the movement back a few millienium. That is why the arguement against pornography and female involvement in the genre by feminists is so transparent. Attempts to save young girls that are sold in the sex trade take a back seat to conferences and forums attempting to save women that are old enough to decide fro themselves, what they do with their bodies and with whom they do it with. Enough with the blowhard dialogue that solves no problems but gets women's studies students their degrees. Being passionate about a subject is taking a stance, speaking truth to power. That is why the defintion of the feminist arguement should be looked at, reviewed and put into a 21st century context, if feminist remain in the Elizabeth Cady Staton mindset, what will happen to our daughters when they choose of their own volition to do what they wish with their bodies? I'm not certain that I want to know.
(1) Cited Source: Pornography Can Lead to Violence Against Women"Pornography Harmles Fun or Public Health Hazard" speech by Daniel Weiss
May 19th 2005/ Ed. Christina Fisanick Detroit: Greenhorn Press 2009
