Pornography and Erotica and Why My Ethics Teacher is a Dumbass
I really hope that, sooner or later, I post a pissy rant that doesn't involve my ethics teacher. She just gave us these definitions of erotica and pornography:
erotica-- sexual images in which there is equality, reciprocity, mutuality, respect
pornography-- sexual images in which there is bondage, inequality, dominance, disrespect, objectification
Okay, seriously. Fuck her. Fuck. Her. Bondage? Really? To use her other definition, pornography degrades and erotica does not. So apparently all bondage is inherently degrading and disrespectful. I'm so angry right now, largely because of how she's defining the relationships some of my friends have as degrading and disrespectful, including a few of you on the FList. Whether or not I know you IRL doesn't matter. If you're my friend, I love you, and I will Hulk the fuck out when someone insults you.
"Dominance", of course, is also in her list. Really? Dominance? Hey, I know some of you guys are in relationships with heavy elements of D/s-- is "degrading" really the word that springs to mind? Dominance can be degrading, if by "dominance" you mean "dub-con, non-con, or someone being a douchebag", but inherently? Is dominance between two consenting adults who love and respect each other really degrading? No fucking way.
She's also laying out stances on pornography, and I can't help but notice a pattern. I'll quickly summarize each of the stances:
--against pornography because it's immoral
--against pornography because it degrades, but against censorship
--against pornography becuse it degrades and endorses degradation
--in favor of pornography and all that it stands for, thinks there's no need for censorship, and her only example for this one was Hugh Hefner
Okay, you know what? First of all, I'll set aside the issue of erotica, which is what I consider my fic and most of the fic I've read-- because it focuses on character and art as well as sexuality. But what's this all-or-nothing bullshit? Either I'm against porn, or I'm in favor of all porn, and I don't care about censorship? She quickly covered her ass when someone brought up child porn and footage of actual rape, but still, you're an ethics teacher. Where the fuck is your objectivity?
God. I just. I am so fucking sick of being told what porn and erotica are, and what they say about me. Know what guys? I watch porn. Holy balls, you'd better get away from me! I might support things like bondage and degradation-- since, you know, those are pretty much the same thing.
I'm offended by but can set aside the idea that porn is degrading and objectifying, as I agree that in some cases it is, and I can see that there are simply some subjects on which we can't all agree. I can also, though with a bit more difficulty, set aside the issue of dominance. It's a tricky subject that delves deep into how far you're willing to carry ethical relativism versus your own views on the importance of liberty and how that's defined, and, while I think that so long as there is consent, it's acceptable, I can easily see how you might have a problem with it. However, the idea that bondage inherently has to be about disrespect, objectification, using people, and degradation is one of the most absurdly, senselessly offensive things I've ever heard. Bondage between consenting adults can be about pleasure and beauty and mutual trust, and I'm sick of the idea that it can't.
Honestly, I feel as though she's completely leaving out the most important stance, as far as I'm concerned: Your Kink Is Not My Kink. It isn't perfect, but it's a damn sight more sensible than "either you're against porn or you support raping tigers". Also, it just fits in better with my own personal Golden Rule: DBAD.
Don't be a dick.
Also, quick side note-- dear person who wrote this one article, the idea that pornography is objectionable because it degrades women kind of loses a lot of traction when there aren't women involved.
Right, I'm off to degrade women by writing male-on-male erotica. Talk to you guys later! <3
erotica-- sexual images in which there is equality, reciprocity, mutuality, respect
pornography-- sexual images in which there is bondage, inequality, dominance, disrespect, objectification
Okay, seriously. Fuck her. Fuck. Her. Bondage? Really? To use her other definition, pornography degrades and erotica does not. So apparently all bondage is inherently degrading and disrespectful. I'm so angry right now, largely because of how she's defining the relationships some of my friends have as degrading and disrespectful, including a few of you on the FList. Whether or not I know you IRL doesn't matter. If you're my friend, I love you, and I will Hulk the fuck out when someone insults you.
"Dominance", of course, is also in her list. Really? Dominance? Hey, I know some of you guys are in relationships with heavy elements of D/s-- is "degrading" really the word that springs to mind? Dominance can be degrading, if by "dominance" you mean "dub-con, non-con, or someone being a douchebag", but inherently? Is dominance between two consenting adults who love and respect each other really degrading? No fucking way.
She's also laying out stances on pornography, and I can't help but notice a pattern. I'll quickly summarize each of the stances:
--against pornography because it's immoral
--against pornography because it degrades, but against censorship
--against pornography becuse it degrades and endorses degradation
--in favor of pornography and all that it stands for, thinks there's no need for censorship, and her only example for this one was Hugh Hefner
Okay, you know what? First of all, I'll set aside the issue of erotica, which is what I consider my fic and most of the fic I've read-- because it focuses on character and art as well as sexuality. But what's this all-or-nothing bullshit? Either I'm against porn, or I'm in favor of all porn, and I don't care about censorship? She quickly covered her ass when someone brought up child porn and footage of actual rape, but still, you're an ethics teacher. Where the fuck is your objectivity?
God. I just. I am so fucking sick of being told what porn and erotica are, and what they say about me. Know what guys? I watch porn. Holy balls, you'd better get away from me! I might support things like bondage and degradation-- since, you know, those are pretty much the same thing.
I'm offended by but can set aside the idea that porn is degrading and objectifying, as I agree that in some cases it is, and I can see that there are simply some subjects on which we can't all agree. I can also, though with a bit more difficulty, set aside the issue of dominance. It's a tricky subject that delves deep into how far you're willing to carry ethical relativism versus your own views on the importance of liberty and how that's defined, and, while I think that so long as there is consent, it's acceptable, I can easily see how you might have a problem with it. However, the idea that bondage inherently has to be about disrespect, objectification, using people, and degradation is one of the most absurdly, senselessly offensive things I've ever heard. Bondage between consenting adults can be about pleasure and beauty and mutual trust, and I'm sick of the idea that it can't.
Honestly, I feel as though she's completely leaving out the most important stance, as far as I'm concerned: Your Kink Is Not My Kink. It isn't perfect, but it's a damn sight more sensible than "either you're against porn or you support raping tigers". Also, it just fits in better with my own personal Golden Rule: DBAD.
Don't be a dick.
Also, quick side note-- dear person who wrote this one article, the idea that pornography is objectionable because it degrades women kind of loses a lot of traction when there aren't women involved.
Right, I'm off to degrade women by writing male-on-male erotica. Talk to you guys later! <3