After discussing Catherine MacKinnon’s objections to pornography, I decided to search Google to find out if there are any possible benefits of pornography. The first article I came across, titled “Censoring Pornography is Counterproductive,” provides strong evidence to oppose the censorship of pornography. First, the article states that attempts by the US government in the 1980s to enforce harsh restrictions on sexually explicit materials actually increased the domestic consumption of such materials. Evidently, placing strict boundaries on people’s access to something only increases their desire for it. The article goes on to argue that pornography provides a harmless sexual outlet for people who might otherwise seek antisocial ones, such as raping someone. As studies in Denmark, England, and Japan have shown, the legalization of pornography has indeed led to a decrease in sex offenses. Furthermore, exposure to erotica can allegedly reduce aggressive tendencies in people who are predisposed to aggress. Other benefits of pornography include its potential as a method of therapy for treating sexual dysfunctions, and its classification as a form of “safe sex,” thus being a means for the avoidance of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. MacKinnon’s approach to pornography is thus extremely negative, and she fails to account for the fact that pornography can actually reduce the amount of violence inflicted upon women. There are likely very many reasons in our society for why men might be abusive towards women, and it seems fallacious to place the blame on a medium such as pornography.
Here is the article if anyone is interested:
http://www.humanismbyjoe.com/Censoring_Porn.htm
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