Decoding Pornography: A Comprehensive Analysis

1. Chapter 18Sex For Sale

2. Defining Pornography • Written, visual, or spoken material depicting sexual activity or genital exposure; intended to arouse • Categories of pornography • Degrading pornography; violent pornography • Straight, gay, and lesbian pornography • Child pornography

3. Pornography vs. Erotica • Erotica • Depictions of sexuality which display mutuality, respect, affection, and balance of power • Can be soft- or hard-core • More common with women’s involvement in production of sexually explicit materials

4. PornographyHistorical Overview • Prehistoric cave drawings depict sexual activity • Emergence of Christianity; restrictive attitudes toward sexuality • Comstock Act • Publication of print material, movies, etc. • Internet • Free speech versus censorship

5. What Constitutes Obscenity?U.S. Supreme Court Criteria • Appeals to prurient interest in sex • Patently offensive to contemporary community standards • Without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value

6. Pornography Freedom of Speech Versus Censorship • 1970: Commission on Obscenity and Pornography recommended repeal of all adult pornography laws • 1986: Meese Commission recommended vigorous prosecution of obscenity

7. Sexually Explicit Materials:Helpful or Harmful? • Helpful: sexual stimulation without risk of pregnancy or STI; provides fantasy material; can even out differences in frequency of interest between partners • Hurtful: less satisfied with physical appeal and sexual performance of partners; Internet pornography • Portrayal of sexuality: stresses male penile performance; perpetuates gender role stereotypes

8. Prostitution • Exchange of money for sexual services • Long history of prostitution; tolerated and even valued • Sex workers • The Internet and sex workers

9. Prostitution and Sex WorkWhy Women and Men Become Sex Workers • Primarily economic • Combination of psychological, social, and environmental factors • Homelessness, traumatic childhood • Can be a matter of personal choice and sense of power and control

10. Personal Costs of Sex Work • Physical and mental health problems due to violence, chronic stress, and STIs • 2/3 meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD

11. Prostitution and the Law • Reasons for Criminalization • Reduces number of prostitutes • Easier to enforce restrictions • Regulates public morality • Reasons against Criminalization • Effective restriction is difficult • Encourages organized crime • Hampers rehabilitation • Discrimination in enforcement