Pornography

Pornography

Introduction

History

Sexually explicit material intended to arouse sexual excitement. The word pornography as denoting a distinct category of obscene material came into widespread use in France (pornography) during the 1830s and in England during the 1850s. Print culture and the demand for printed works created pornographic material; the authorities, specifically censors and religious authorities, defined exactly what constituted pornography by regulating and banning it. Because pornographic material could be found in works attacking the church and the absolutist state, scientific treatises, works of natural philosophy, and philosophical tracts during the enlightenment, the idea of pornography during the Enlightenment encompassed much more than did the narrow category of the mid-19th century (Stein, 1998).

Pornography Industry

Pornography refers to any writings, images, and video deemed obscene, or contrary to public standards of morality. The pornography industry has become a lucrative business. A 1972 government study estimated that the pornography industry made sales worth $5 million to $10 million; in 2000 the Forrester Research Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts, estimates that it is a $10 billion industry. Off-line pornography sales account for $8 billion of this total (Jenkins, 1998).

Discussion

Though the Court has since refined its test for pornography, it has adhered to the underlying decision that obscenity lies outside the bounds of constitutional protection. This position has inspired criticism from a variety of groups. Some contend that the First Amendment protections of free speech and artistic expression prohibit any form of censorship (Fisher & Grenier, 1994). Such opponents argue that since the line dividing obscenity and dramatic art are subjective, restrictions infringe on personal liberty and freedom of thought. Some argue that since judgments regarding moral standards most often reflect religious heritages, and then any form of governmental censorship necessarily violates the principle of separated church and state. Therefore, they argue the decision to access or not to access pornography involving consenting adults should depend on individual choice. This view is held by many political, as well as political Libertarians.

A growing thread of radical feminist theory also defends pornography as a component of sexual liberation. Liberal feminists, however, reject this view, arguing that pornography amounts to the exploitation and objectification of women (Llen, 1998). Cultural conservatives and religious critics agree and argue further that pornography invariably undermines the institution of family, increases the rate of divorce, and destroys marriage. Many critics believe that pornography can become psychologically addictive, and may lead to depression or even manifest ...