In a world full of incentives for the promotion of prostitution as well as pornography one should keep a strict eye on how to treat such features right. In fact, feminist trend in supporting the rights of women to show their position equally to men touches upon every field of activities and such prohibited as prostitution and pornography as well. It is vital, then, to evaluate what opinions of feminists should have to do with the opinion that pornography manifests men’s superiority and supremacy. On the other hand, one can guess eventually either a woman wants to follow this way of life herself, or she was humiliated and enforced to be on the streets or to star in pornography. The feminist position on female prostitution and pornography is quite categorical, because there is no utter male supremacy in these two fields of activities.
First of all, it is necessary to distill an idea that the democratic way of relationships in modern societies helps individuals in doing what they want to do. It means that the whole idea of how a man wants to earn money depends on a man, exactly. The only requirement is that it should not violate the norms of the law. To make it clear, one should run the gamut of the historical development of prostitution per se. They say it is the oldest profession on earth. However, this assumption is not totally true, because someone should have paid women for their work. Consequently, some males owed to females a pretty penny. Is it a humiliation? Definitely, it was a way a woman could provide market relationships in the conservative world of men full of morale and rules which magnified the paramount position of a man.
The most recognizable opinion of feminists is that prostitution is a kind of sexual slavery supported actively by men (O’Neill, 2001).In turn, prostitution is judged as an activity of a woman that was thrust women against their will. Unwillingly, women are struggling since the very first mention of the first prostitutes. This idea is divergent in the point that, at least, everyone is free to choose what he/she wants to choose. In this respect one can hardly say that all prostitutes dared step on this pathway willingly. Some of them had no other way to survive. Others, perhaps, were enslaved, indeed. Thus, the majority of prostitutes cannot do something apart from this uncomplicated activity. That is the trouble, as one may call it.
In this respect it is vital to point out that trying to keep women away from prostitution, feminists destitute “streetwalkers” their right to feel free in doing what they are supposed to do. Thus, feminists are better to support prostitutes in legalizing their craft. To date, prostitution is still not legalized in the vast majority of countries. On the other hand, one of the suggestions for feminists is to envisage individual cases of enslaving women as prostitutes. It really terrifies, for such cases are unlawful. Hence, they should be guarded by law more effectively.
Prostitutes are supposed to be an exploitation of a woman. However, along with female prostitution, there is the male one. It is no surprise that some of the men adore having sex with female partners (and male, as strange as it may seem) for money. Some people say that men are much more perverts than women. Again, the harmful effect of prostitution on women’s identity is a debatable issue. Nonetheless, it is peculiar to admit that women are wiser in terms of having sufficient profits out of prostitution. To be honest, it is women who make sex for money. Thus, they have great profits even placing their life at risk. On the other hand, men in majority of cases are ready to have sex for free, anywhere, and anyhow. Should, then, feminists take a glance at this way to ground the issue? Natch! Moreover, prostitution can be hypothesized as the way for self-esteem and difference of a woman in the conservative society. In addition, prostitution reflects the all-pervading needs of the society (though generally for men only). Hence, according to market nomenclature, demand is out of proportion to the supply.
Looking at pornography by feminist approach, it is fair to admit that men are in most cases dominating in the pornographic scenes over women. It is not that queer, in fact, but leads to a scope of reason that determined such a development of roles between pornographic actors. First of all, one should keep in mind that it would be unnaturally if sex happens without sticking male genitals into female ones. Here goes a conception that both should make efforts to let the moment come. However, men are supposed to work harder over good erection and persistence in the process of sex.
It happens that men tend to behave in porno movies brutally trying to humiliate a woman so that to make her surrender to him. It seems for feminists as enslavement. Of course, it does so when having no idea of why such scenes are included in pornography. The question is that porno movies do not have such a broadened plot or scenario. Everything keeps going on simply. However, as Stoltenberg (2000) admits: freedom of personal sexuality is such when a person is not punished. Hence, pornography shows the way people get satisfaction, notwithstanding either it contradicts someone’s feelings of morality or not.
One can argue on utter man’s prevalence in sex affairs by looking at specific cases, such as BDSM or an improvised execution or torture of a man by a woman dressed in leather clothes with a leather lash. It is likely to be discrimination against men. However, it can be explicated as addressed to the category of perverts or obscene people who want to receive moral outlet. Hence, a sort of repression emerges in the traditional way of pornographic scenes (Stoltenberg, 2000). In turn it makes women suffer to please inner desires of men. It is wrong. Great pornography stands on different factors: target audience, lawfulness, arrangement of male and female parts. This is why many people are not enough to share just traditional sex with single penetration. They need to have hardcore or violent sex. It is, as might be supposed, a pathology that happens within the society.
Turning back to the pivotal aspects of pornography, it is necessary to presuppose that many women used to be shamed for having a binge sex or participating in carnal knowledge. Whereas men are thought of as being champions in such intimate cases, women are considered as sluts. This is the point of outrage among feminists. Though, in pornography all actresses are highly paid for their “hard work” so to speak. This is not discrimination, as it is shown. It is a way to earn money if a woman made a decision to do it like this. Hence, men’s supremacy is debatable, as without clear motivation of a man to satisfy a woman there will be no productive and great sex. Men’s alleged supremacy is an intentional step to make the whole process impliedly.
As Stoltenberg (2000) outlines people should differ between “sexual freedom and sexual justice” (111). Thus, feminist divergent views should be aligned with such standpoint on the role of a woman in pornography. Thinking categorically about this feature can be a problem for women who are eager to star in porno movies. In turn feminism would not help, but hamper women in their innermost views on life and living.
To sum up, it is vital to note that feminist position on female prostitution and pornography is quite categorical, because there is no utter male supremacy in these two fields of activities. Prostitution and pornography can be equaled, thus. The difference is in the wages, work schedule, and transparency of carnal knowledge, as such. It is a sort of market relationship between two gender groups of human beings. As was discussed above, women get more profits out of sexual relations with men. It concerns fewer physical efforts (in a multitude of cases) and higher financial merits. Reviewing the article by John Stoltenberg (2000) feminists should better consider the facts of sexual justice than those related to the sexual freedom of everyone. In this respect, women and men are connected in their ability or disability in fulfilling sexual needs of each other.
Reference
O’Neill, M. (2001). Prostitution and feminism: towards a politics of feeling. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Stoltenberg, J. (2000). Pronography and Freedom. Refusing to be a man: essays on sex and justice (2nd ed.). London: Routledge: 108-119.