Pornography Myth and Fact Sheet

PORNOGRAPHY MYTH AND FACT SHEET
socialphysics@yahoo.com

Myth 1: Pornography is a necessary outlet or a safe release for violent feelings, and a cure for sexual addiction.
Fact 1: If we really believed that pornography is a necessary outlet or safe release for violent feelings, then we would be dealing with a variety of social problems much differently than we are at present. For instance, in order to prevent physical abuse of children we would systematically flood our society with magazines, films, and videos which show children being beaten and tortured. An outlet to sexual addiction? You can't cure an addiction to let's say Twinkies unless you replace it with nourishing foods.

Myth 2: It's okay to argue about pornography as long as we don't get moralistic about it.
Fact 2: Why not get moralistic about pornography? Those who are pro-pornography proponents often argue that people should not get moralistic about pornography. I argue, that they themselves are just as "moralistic" in their support for pornography. It is just that the pro-pornography proponents have repressive whitemale centric morality that reflects the perpetrator culture of patriarchy and Capitalism. On the other hand, anti-pornography proponents have a humane egalitarian morality that is liberating and revolutionary, not patriarchal or Capitalistic.

Myth 3: There is a hysteria around pornography by anti-pornography proponents.
Fact 3: Firstly, "hysteria" is an antiquated term coined and used by 18 century misogynistic psychiatrists and physicians - a Greek word for "the rising of the womb", to diagnose and label assertive females who were outspoken against sexist patriarchal oppression. The only "hysteria" out there is from the anti-pornography "family values crowd" who want not to protect females, but to uphold patriarchal values and traditions, to preserve male- defined morality, and endorse male supremacy and your propornography so-called "pro-sex feminists".

Myth 4: Those who claim that pornography causes violence are clearly distorted by and allied with right-wing religious conservatives or the "family values crowd".
Fact 4: Even though the most base right-wingers or "family values crowd" also recognize pornography as cultivating a range of types of violence toward women, this in no way reflects an alliance between Marxist feminists with rightwingers or "family values crowd". The notion Marxist feminists are distorted allied with right-wing conservatives or family values crowd is a red herring argument. It is a scare tactic employed by sexists and pedophiles who will vehemently fight to avoid legal control of pornography at any cost for their ill intent. The fact is is that the right winger or "family values crowd" are anti-pornography, not to protect females, but to uphold patriarchal values and traditions, to preserve male- defined morality, and endorse male supremacy. No one suggests that feminists are wrong to oppose the American Star Wars initiative because the Roman Catholic church (male centric institution) also opposes Star Wars. No one told the trade unions are wrong in their support for the Eaton's strikers that because the Catholic Church also supports the strikers.

Myth 5: Reading the Bible is more likely to produce anti-woman psychopaths.
Fact 5: Sane males are actually the majority who practice misogynistic traditions of the patriarchy and Capitalism. There are many Atheist-Marxist feminists' and Agnostic-Liberal Feminists who argue that pornography is inherently sexist and promotes violence as it sexually eroticizes the objectification, domination, control, and submission of females on a violence continuum, contributing and perpetuating the objectification of women. They criticize the bible for it espousing that females are inferior to men, but also agree that the bible does not go as far as eroticizing female oppression. Unlike pornography, the bible does not operate as a "How To Manual" eroticizing the objectification and degradation of females by requiring them to stop eating the night before she is going to get fucked in the ass or be gang raped for money. Even if it was the case that the bible produced anti-female "psychopaths", this would not negate the fact that pornography along with it's buddy elements, such as strip clubs, brothels, massage parlors, escort services, street prostitution, bachelor parties, and sex tourism, etc... within the sex industry, produces anti-female "psychopaths". At least the bible has some good teachings.

Myth 6: There are no scientific studies to prove that pornography contributes to violence upon women.
Fact 6: R. Jensen argues that in pondering the question of pornography we need to go beyond simplistic cause-and-effect models (which are not particularly useful in explaining any human behavior). The argument is not that pornography causes individual males to commit violence toward females, but rather that it produces and sustains notions of femininity and masculinity that perpetuate violence against females. No critic of pornography ever argues that pornography is the sole cause of violence toward females. Pornography is only one out of the many of human rights and dignity violations in the whole sex industry that contributes, propagates, and fosters violence toward females. No one argues that.if pornography disappeared, rape would disappear. However, if patriarchal-class property relations, patrist-inheritence, and bourgeois right of the Capitalist economic condition disappeared, so too would the whole sex industry along with it's buddy "rape".

Diana Russell in her essay "Pornography As a Cause for Rape", argues, the laws of social learning, such as classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, and social modeling apply to all the mass media, including pornography. If you assume that your child can learn from Sesame Street how to count one, two, three, four, five, then males can learn equally from sexist literature and images how to harass, degrade, beat, rape, and kill females. Many people have the opinion that men who consume pornography but who have never raped a female disprove the theory that pornography can cause rape. This is comparable to arguing that because some cigarette smokers don't die of lung disease, there cannot be a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer, According to Ray Wyre, a specialist in sexual crimes, argues that it is impossible not to believe that pornography plays a part in sexual violence. As he confronts sexual offenders, their distorted views, much like the views in pornography, legitimizes the objectification of females. Wyre states that at the very least pornography makes sexism sexy.

Multiple Causation versus Simple Causation- Per Diane Russell on the meaning of "Cause": Given the intense debate about whether or not pornography plays a causal role in rape, it is surprising that so few of those engaged in it ever state what they mean by "cause." A definition of the concept of simple causation follows:

• An event (or events) that precedes and results in the occurrence of another event. Whenever the first event (the cause) occurs, the second event (the effect) necessarily or inevitably follows. Moreover, in simple causation the second event does not occur unless the first event has occurred. Thus the cause is both the SUFFICIENT CONDITION and the NECESSARY CONDITION for the occurrence of the effect (Theodorson and Theodorson, 1979).By this definition, pornography clearly does not cause rape, as it seems safe to assume that some pornography consumers do not rape female, and that many rapes are unrelated to pornography. However, the concept of multiple causation is more relevant to this question than simple causation.

• With the conception of MULTIPLE CAUSATION, various possible causes may be seen for a given event, any one of which may be a sufficient but not necessary condition for the occurrence of the effect, or a necessary but not sufficient condition. In the case of multiple causation, then, the given effect may occur in the absence of all but one of the possible sufficient but not necessary causes; and, conversely, the given effect would not follow the occurrence of some but not all of the various necessary but not sufficient causes (Theodorson and Theodorson, 1979).

One woman's testimony, in Political Psychology, 1983 goes so far as to say, "I don't need studies and statistics to tell me that there is a relationship between pornography and real violence against women. My body remembers." We now know that sexist propaganda cultivates sexism like racist propaganda perpetuates racist behaviors, and like colonialist propaganda perpetuates violence onto a whole nation of people.

Myth 7: Pornography should not be equated with racist propaganda such as Nazi and KKK literature. Racist propaganda has the intent of leading to action in promoting terror and division within the working class. As offensive as pornography's depictions of female usually are, it is far from a call for genocide.
Fact 7: D. Russell argues, "Dehumanizing oppressed groups or enemy nations in times of war is an important mechanism for facilitating brutal behavior toward members of those groups. However, the dehumanization of females that occurs in pornography is often not recognized because of it's sexual guise and its pervasiveness." Sexist propaganda has the intent to promote sexual terrorism and division within the working class just as equally as racist propaganda has the intent to promote racial terrorism and division within the working class.

The gender politics of sexist propaganda such as in pornography, the whole sex industry in general, and in the flourishing Trafficking and Modem-day Slavery of women, children and some men is femicidal and genocidal like the racial politics of racist propaganda (graphic images portraying blacks like sambos, etc ... ) and the Slave Trade of Blacks enslaved black males, women and children is genocidal. Just like white slave holders micro-examined blacks on the auction blocks, so to do pornography voyeurs, bachelor party gang-bangers, street pimps and johns, strip-club pimps and johns, brothel pimps andjohns, and micro-examine females. R. Jensen argues, "Pornography offers people a politics of sex and gender. And that politics is patriarchal and reactionary."

Myth 8: Control of pornography would cause it to go underground.
Fact 8: My argument is that that is where it belongs. We all know that there are people who " kill for hire", but no one suggests that we should make it legal to advertise for murderers in the personal pages of newspapers.

Myth 9: Pornography is just sexually arousing material.
Fact 9: Try to tell a black person that degrading images of them are just arousing material. To assume that pornography is just sexually arousing material is to ignore the economic marginalization and social inequality of women and children with in patriarchal class Capitalist system. Pornography is a multi-billion dollar a year industry that profits off the super-exploitation and vulnerability of females. Pornography is an incubator for oppression of women and children. Pornography, through bigotry and contempt for females, depicts the subservience of females, which, in turn, leads to a variety of harms, such as workplace discrimination, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Pornography creates and maintains sex as a basis of social stratification. Pornography is anti-female propaganda.

Myth 10: There is no rational argument for a fixation on pornography as a promoter of sexism and violence against females when T.V.'s everyday depictions of females are sexist, too.
Fact 10: Resources Against Pornography, in Toronto argues, if every variety store carried 30 magazines published by the Klu Klux Klan which advocated either non-violent objectifying images of blacks or / and violent objectifying images of blacks, one would not be surprised to discover less extreme forms of racism being promoted in some advertising and certain mainstream films as well. But, no one who is genuinely concerned about eradicating violence against or the degradation of blacks would use the fact that advertising was also somewhat racist as a reason for doing nothing about the more extreme form of racism promoted in the Klu Klux Klan publications. If anything, the fact that so much violent and degrading imagery has infiltrated our mainstream media should be cause for alarm and increased resolve to stop this trend.

Myth 11: The call against pornography is a call for censorship.
Fact 11: The abolition of prostitution and pornography is not some kind of simplistic ban on freedom of speech, like nonthinkers would like you to believe. When black people call for reforms, regulations, or bans on racist practices and racist propaganda, people don't cry for "Freedom of Speech!" However, when females call for reforms, regulations, and bans on sexist practices and propaganda, the Freedom of Speech argument is not only simplistic, but is a cheap shot. When we vehemently clamor to protect "Freedom of Speech" for profiteers, pimps, and johns, we clamor for the freedom to stomp all over females as full-human beings. "Freedom of Speech" is important, but more so, is the right of women and children to safety and equality. We must decide that the right of females to safety and equality is more important than safeguarding the sellers and buyers of the objectification of females. The First Amendment protects political speech, not pornography. It does not give anyone the right to debase and dehumanize females. There is "no freedom to objectify females" clause in the First Amendment. According to the United Nations Human Rights declaration, it is a fundamental right to be free of sexual exploitation in all its forms. Women and girls have the right to sexual integrity and autonomy. The fact that pornography continues to be a running "constitutional" battle in the courts is indicative of the deep sexism and misogyny in our society.

Myth 12: Attempts to outlaw pornography would threaten other basic civil rights with endless censorship laws.
Fact 12: This is a slippery slope argument. According to Patrick J. Hurley, who wrote the book, A Concise Introduction to Loizic, 5th ed., a Slippery Slope argument rests upon an alleged chain reaction and there is not sufficient reason to think that the chain reaction will actually take place. Patrick J. Hurley gives a great example of a Slippery Slope argument :

"Attempts to outlaw pornography threatens basic civil rights and should be abandoned. If pornography is outlawed, censorship of newspapers and news magazines is only a short step away. After that there will be censorship of textbooks, political speeches, and the content of lectures delivered by university professors. Complete mind control by the central government will be the inevitable result."

It is not logical to think that censoring/banning sexist materials is going to cause other people's civil liberties to be violated anymore than banning marijuana has caused liquor to be banned.

Myth 13: Even if the state could effectively ban pornography, that would not bring anyone one hairs width closer to women's liberation, or spare women from the conditions of living in a sexist society today.
Fact 13: Much like the black auction blocks where black people's physical and sexual features were examined, strip clubs are female auction blocks where women and adolescents genitals are micro-examined. Black auction blocks are specific to the despair of black people in the days of black slavery and female auction block are specific to the despair of women and adolescents in modem day slavery. So, if we are morally justified in banning black auction blocks and abolishing slavery of blacks, so we are too, justified in banning female auction blocks and abolishing modem day slavery. A call for the abolition of modem day slavery is no more a bourgeois ban, no more illegitimate than the call was for the abolition of black slavery. Abolition of slavery is a transitional step toward liberation. Most black people will tell you that their current existence is much more liberating than their past existence under slavery, however, not complete emancipation. It is our job, in the long run, to continue to work on abolition all slavery and to seek emancipation of all oppressed, by dismantling the patriarchal Capitalist offender culture.

Myth 14: We need to keep the state out of our bedrooms when it comes to sexuality.
Fact 14: As long as women and children are systematically sexually abused in the public sphere, systematic oppression of women and children happens in the private sphere, in secrecy behind closed doors. We should not end Child and Adult Protective services because we want to wait forever for the working class to one day arise from their slumber and fight for more than just economic demands, to fight against the systematic sexual abuse of women and children. In the mean time, society has to have some laws that protect women and children while in their homes from this "sexuality", i.e., patriarchal Capitalist sexuality which is based on objectification and degradation, violence.

Myth 15: What about public education instead of censorship?
Fact 15: Resources Against Pornography argues, "Education is certainly important but we must remember that the allpervasive barrage of pornographic imagery in our society is also educating people. It teaches that violence against, and the degradation of, females is acceptable. Public education is an important tool, but it is not an alternative to regulation. It can't compete with a pornography industry which grosses between 10 and 50 billion dollars per year in North America alone. Arguing that public education would do the trick, is like arguing that public education / public education campaign on the issue of wife assault would be enough to stop wife batterers from battering women. No battered woman would agree that public education is enough.

Myth 16: Wouldn't outlawing pornography lead to outlawing erotica or works of art?
Fact 16: According to Resources Against Pornography (RAP), "It would be a mistake to equate artistic or other liberty with the right to produce material that promotes the relentless humiliation and physical torture of women and children. A true work of art which portrayed the humiliation or physical abuse of women and children (or, of anyone, for that matter) would do so only for the purpose of exposing and condemning the abuse. Such a work of art would not be proscribed by the law. People for whom this is a concern cannot provide valid examples of great works of art which would be affected by law prohibiting sexually violent or very degrading pornography. It is interesting to note that this concern is never raised with respect to other sections of the Criminal Code. No one argues that a forgery is any less of a forgery because it is expertly done or that an article is not hate literature because it is well-written. Surely no photography which seeks to sexually stimulate the viewer with a display of degradation or torture, no matter how "artistically taken", no article which seeks to excite it's reader sexually with a description of humiliation or mutilation, no matter how well written, its worthy of the title, "work of art". Neither is it worth a woman's life.

The Resources Against Pornography (RAP) also argues that there is a big difference between pornography and erotica. Pornography is designed to sexually stimulate the consumer by showing a power imbalance among the participants; showing sexual violence against, or the degradation of females. Erotica is non-violent, non-degrading sexual material which does not seek to sexually stimulate the consumer by showing or describing a power imbalance among the participants; it is mutually affirming. It is so interesting how we live in a society that fihds it difficult to distinguish between material which shows or describes loving, egalitarian relationships and material which shows or describes violent, degrading, or objectifying ones.

Myth 17: It is a difficult question. How can we decide what to do?"
Fact 17: Reforming the Tax Act is also difficult; Yet, no one offers that as an excuse for not reforming a Tax Act. What kind of society claims that prohibiting the advocacy of violence against or the extreme degradation of females is too difficult to undertake? Only a society in which females have fewer rights than pornographers.

Myth 18: Those feminists that criticize pornography are just prudes.
Fact 18: It is illogical to pigeonhole Socialist Atheist Feminists or Marxist Feminists as being prudish or as coming from the same paradigm as the religious right. Robert Jensen argues, when we criticize pornography, we are typically are told we are either prudes, anti-sex, or repressive, but just the opposite is true. That works to keep people quiet. For people to criticize pornography is not anymore repressive or prudish than people who criticize racist propaganda. The criticisms of pornography are crucial in the struggle to end not only domestic and sexual violence, but all violence for the creation of a healthy culture. The only prudes are those who are doing the exploiting, those who are working in concert with others to exploit.

REFERENCES

Engels, Frederick. (1884) The Origin of the Family, Private Property. and State. New York: International Publishers

Hurely, Patrick J. (1994) A Concise Introduction to Logig,15 th ed.). California: Wadsworth Pub. Co. Belmont,

Jensen, R. ( 2004, January / February). Cruel to Be Hard: Men and Pornogrghy. Sexual Assault Report, 33-48

Jensen, R. (2004, May) Pornography and Sexual Violence (2 nd Draft)

Marx, Karl. (1875) Criticism of the Gotha Program: Foreign Language Press Peking Resource Against Pornography (RAP): P.O. Box 695, Toronto Postal Station C, Toronto, Ontario M6J3SI.

Russell, Diana E. H., (1994) "Pornography As a Cause for Rape", Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm Berkeley, California: Russell Publications,
www.dianarussell.com/pomtoc.html

Woman's Testimony, (1983) Political Psychology.