Feminism and Pornography essays

Feminism and Pornography essays Certainly is it is a fact that both male and female gender roles are largely defined by norms within our societies. The disparity then lies on the fact that both gender roles are defined by the males, and women may either chose to endorse or contest these norms. Feminism as a whole has historically both attempted to equate the societal value of women to that of men and empower women to self-authorize this very equality. The unarguable fact that women with in this society are oppressed dude to there sex is not at issue. What is of concern however, are both what norms contribute to this devaluing as well as how women themselves endorse these norms in turn proliferating the ideals of this patriarchic society. As a result one must question whether the decisions made by women within this society are rational and autonomous in their nature since arguably much of the oppression women suffer is the result of their adherence to these same male designed norms. Women with in this society endorse norms that palace them in various traditional roles, like that of a housewife or a mother. However one of the most unconventional of all female roles is that of a sex object. Prostitution as one of the oldest professions has for centuries been the job of women and arguably contributed to the dissemination of the norms that support the notion that women equate sex. Feminist movements throughout history have focused much of their attention and force on the attempt to dismantle this sexual role, they have constantly failed to overturn the notion that women and especially beautiful women are sexual objects and are to be used by men for their own sexual gratification. In recent history however a more negative and public form of this norm has become possible through both a sexual revolution and the invention of a film camera. Pornography has then arguably placed a form of prostitution on the main stream, and has made it not only acceptable to vi...