Porn : Patriarchal?

ukonkivi said:
I hope you don't mind me reviving this old topic. I realize it is from 2008.
But I apparently missed it and it is something I really wanted to talk about.

Pornography just means something that is meant to arouse the viewer. So by technicality, a lot of things that do not even show nudity, are pornography.

Which there is only something wrong with that if you are against looking at something of any kind for arousal. Which a lot of people who attack pornography and say "pornography is bad" just end up attacking the pornography industry. I understand it was probably not meant that way, but I would prefer people say pornography industry more often to avoid confusion.

Yes, the pornography industry, almost every single bit of it, is extremely patriarchal and sexist. And needs a LOT of fixing. I think there are some feminists so fed up with how sexist the pornography industry is they just turn against it altogether, which the frustration is understandable, especially if the person has more sexually restrictive morals. But I think sex positive feminism is better and the pornography industry CAN be fixed.

Most Pornography, because of the pornography industry, is so sexist on multiple levels I feel a bit frustrated myself. It is almost always maledom to some degree, even the most vanilla of stuff. And any such femdom, is usually grouped with all other BDSM femdom as a fringe group.

Meaning that maledom is treated as "normal" and "acceptable" sexuality. But so much as the slightest femdom is treated as extreme fringe sexuality. Pegging, even cowgirling is considered pretty abnormal.

If you go to any regular, non catering pornography site, almost assuredly 90% of more pornography will be of a man controlling the situation. And 10% of less will be of female domination of any sort.

This goes for Western Live-Action pornography, it goes for Asian Live-Action pornography, it goes for Anime and Manga.

There's also a blatantly misogynistic element, the domination of women is often done to the point of seeming like rape. And the whole encounter is seen like the fault of the woman in the encounter.

The Pornography industry is also extremely Patrifocal and Sexually Objectifying of women. The man is almost always barely visible and the woman is directed almost all camera attention to look beautiful. Allowing the person to only the guy as the person to put their shoes in and the woman as the "slut to be fucking". Often times you don't see anything more than the man's penis.

It leaves all the importance on the woman's appearance already over cared about in society. And leaves no room for arousal for those who want more to look at the man.
Whether it just be nudity, or hardcore pornography including sex, which I've mostly been mentioning hardcore pornography, it's about seeing the woman, as a sex object, and being penetrated dominatingly.

The Pornography is extremely degrading in it's verbal and written treating of women as well. The women are called sluts and whores for their sexual openness to be involved in the pornography and the men are said nothing bad of, and something good of if anything.

They are being degraded, essentially. And women's sexuality is being attacked. I've heard people trying to defend it and claim "well that's okay women are compensated for their degradation by being paid more for their sex act". Yeah, because more is being expected of women in pornography. The so called pay, if women really are even paid that much more, is because we attack women's sexuality to begin with and act like they have more to lose, and more to give, by being sexual.

That's not equality. That's part of the problem. People need to stop attacking women's sexuality and start celebrating it. That includes the pornography industry. Stop degrading women for being sexual. Stop treating women as sluts for doing the same sexual things and men, and start treating them the same as men for doing those sexual things. Society is STILL trying to teach women to be asexual and chaste to some degree, and it's really gross. And the mainstream pornography industry isn't helping.

Also, a romantic variety for any type of pornography would be better. Not that I'm stereotyping women as needing romance more. The problem, is not only are they trying to be Patrifocal, but they're being Heteronormative and impressing the gender roles of just wanting uncuddling, in and out, dominant sex upon men. I, as a guy, want more romantic cuddlesex. In some ways, pornography is too vanilla, but in some ways, pornography isn't vanilla enough.

I know Pornography stars want to act and make it an acting thing. But there's a lot better way to make it artful than bring in two people who don't know each other and making the guy penetrate the woman and slap her on the butt.

It would be much more artful, to bring in two people who love each other and don't mind sharing their sexuality with the world, no acting, but having sex in a pool, kissing all over each other, a big, mirror and transparent wall filled pool where you could see all sorts of fractions of light and reflections of their kissing, lovingful fondling and feelings through sex all over the camera like a kaleidoscope.

A big sex scene in a garden in which film technology is used to make it look like the garden is growing rapidly and sweeping away and binding the couple into a vine. Flowers blooming everywhere.

That would be artful. Not what they do. Not what the Pornography industry does now.

I know I'm just mentioning a lot of the obvious. But I wanted to go into and mention the disturbing, sexist areas of our current pornography industry.

But what can we do? Well, I don't think turning our backs on and completely condemn the pornography industry is the right way to go. I know some do it. And again, I relate to their feelings. But what we can do is be more vocal about what's wrong with the pornography industry. Be more vocal about what should be there.

Feminist pornography, gender equal pornography, non-Patriarchal pornography, can be supported in heavy words and publication, from social word of mouth, to official magazine . To those who are willing to pay for pornography, or things heavily involved in the industry, to put more money to causes, even pornography itself, which is geared more toward gender equality and difference from the patriarchal norm.

I think it can change. And I think we can change it. Though it may be slow.
I think sexual openness is a thing worth fighting for as well. That whole Free Love movement people used to fight for under that term, was a good one.

But we must protect sexual openness from becoming something gross and filled with sexist double standards like it is today. For these too, are sexual restraints. Ones just as old as closed, repressed sexuality.