The Washington Post’s “In Theory” column is debating pornography: whether to legalize or criminalize, how it affects individuals of all ages, and how it affects society.
On the anti-porn side, the authors include:
*Alexander Rhodes, founder of the NoFap movement
*Haley Halverson, director of communications at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation
*Dr. Julia Long, sociology professor at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, feminist activist and campaigner, and author
*Matthew Schmitz, editor of First Things
*Robert Jensen, professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas and author
On the pro-porn side, the authors include:
*Mireille Miller-Young, associate professor of feminist studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara and author
*Jillian C. York, writer and activist specializing in technology and politics
Christine Emba, editor of In Theory at The Washington Post, wrote a more neutral introductory piece, titled, “Is pornography a public health crisis?
Because Clean Router is obviously and unapologetically against pornography, here are exererpts from the anti-pornography essays.
Alexander Rhodes, founder of NoFap: “The conversation we’re not having about porn”
“Just as fast food franchises hacked our appetites by developing synthetic flavors, aromas and textures that target our brain’s reward system — leaving us with an obesity epidemic — porn producers are learning to hack our libidos with new technologies like HD video and virtual reality. It’s not unreasonable to pause and ask ourselves how their handiwork might be affecting our lives.”
Dr. Julia Long, professor, feminist activist, and author: “Pornography is more than just sexual fantasy. It’s cultural violence”
“Mainstream pornography consists of socially sanctioned acts of direct violence against women. What would be seen as sexual violence and brutality in other contexts is par for the course in pornography.. Not only does pornography entail very direct forms of violence in its production; it also, in a world where violence against women is endemic, serves to naturalize and normalize such violence.”
Matthew Schmitz, editor of First Things: “The case for banning pornography”
“It is time to ban pornography.
Nothing can shock us except this suggestion. We find it perfectly acceptable that smut, no matter how bestial or misogynistic, should be widely available. We even think it a moral imperative, a dictate of freedom. It does not trouble us that children can view acts of rape, real or simulated, with a click of a mouse, but if someone proposes that we prevent them from doing so, dirty old Uncle Sam begins to shudder. Respected citizens stand up to object. Gallant young civil libertarians come riding into town, ready to defend the imperiled modesty of Lady Liberty.”
Haley Halverson, director of communications of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation: “The anti-porn movement is growing. The public is just catching up”
“In the age of the iPhone and nearly universal Internet access, the sexual templates of adults and adolescents alike are being shaped by pornography. A 2015 nationally representative survey discovered that 27 percent of older millennials reported they first viewed pornography before puberty. This is an alarming trend since numerous studies show children are especially vulnerable to most compulsive use disorders.”
Robert Jensen, professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas and author: “How porn makes inequality sexually arousing”
“While there is considerable variation in graphic sexually explicit material, the most common pornography offers sexualized male dominance on screen, with the gonzo genre pushing the boundaries of the degradation of, and cruelty toward, women. Beyond the extreme material produced by the “legitimate” pornography industry are even harsher genres that sexualize every inequality you can imagine, especially racist porn. At its core, that’s what pornography does: It makes inequality sexually arousing.”
Thank you to those who shared their views in this series, and a very special thank you to the writers who took a stand against pornography!