4real.
In the past two weeks, a very big problem has been shoved in my face a couple of times. For some reason, I can't just brush this off. It lingers, and manifests every thought. I constantly think about how much it bugs, angers and saddens me all at the same time. After a a long time of thinking about it, I can't keep my distaste unspoken. I can't stress enough, that this is my personal opinion - and by no means am I putting my ideals over other peoples, but yet trying to make a statement. I've been trying to understand every stance of this problem, but I cannot seem to ration other perspectives.
The problem is porn, and the understated patriarchal and even capitalist presence. Constructed by men, are images of women. These images are not the physical act of sex, but merely mediums that use sex to become marketable. A womans body is used to equate to sex. A womans body is contorted, air brushed, photoshopped and sold. The harsh standards of beauty plague commercials, magazine covers and billboards - and we're all influenced by this.
The reason it makes me so angry is that a lot of people do not see the problem with this.
It almost stuns me that people cannot understand how porn correalates to, and perpetuates oppression. Not oppression of the woman who is being portrayed, but the womens lives everywhere that constantly are reminded that they "cannot be sexy," or they are not feminine unless they fit the molds.
I think that it is incredibly naive for one to argue that porn does not objectify women/men. Some also try to argue that rape and sexual harassment has decreased since porn became popular - and its quite obvious they do not understand womens struggle for equality. I definetly think that porn, as well as mainstream media really defines expectations of women for men.
In my experiences with defending my feelings on why I think women are oppressed, and objectified - I got a rather interesting comment made towards me and that it was that as a feminist I am supposed to put women equal to men, and that I forget that men are also effected by this too. It is very true that men are forced to fit molds, but I really do feel that this issue is faced more towards women. Call me an asshole, femnazi or whatever..
I sit, ultimately disgusted that many people, even amongst me, can either defend this shit or not really care, and act as if its no big deal. So many women around me, including myself have been harassed, taken advantage of, mollested, and raped and until this is not a fucking uncommon thing I will always think that equality does not exist. I am not blaming porn on abuse of women, but blaming the whole field of anatomy/sexuality exploitation, whether it be a clothing ad or soft-core porn. It is all intertwined.
Why do people think that this shit is ok?
The problem is porn, and the understated patriarchal and even capitalist presence. Constructed by men, are images of women. These images are not the physical act of sex, but merely mediums that use sex to become marketable. A womans body is used to equate to sex. A womans body is contorted, air brushed, photoshopped and sold. The harsh standards of beauty plague commercials, magazine covers and billboards - and we're all influenced by this.
The reason it makes me so angry is that a lot of people do not see the problem with this.
It almost stuns me that people cannot understand how porn correalates to, and perpetuates oppression. Not oppression of the woman who is being portrayed, but the womens lives everywhere that constantly are reminded that they "cannot be sexy," or they are not feminine unless they fit the molds.
I think that it is incredibly naive for one to argue that porn does not objectify women/men. Some also try to argue that rape and sexual harassment has decreased since porn became popular - and its quite obvious they do not understand womens struggle for equality. I definetly think that porn, as well as mainstream media really defines expectations of women for men.
In my experiences with defending my feelings on why I think women are oppressed, and objectified - I got a rather interesting comment made towards me and that it was that as a feminist I am supposed to put women equal to men, and that I forget that men are also effected by this too. It is very true that men are forced to fit molds, but I really do feel that this issue is faced more towards women. Call me an asshole, femnazi or whatever..
I sit, ultimately disgusted that many people, even amongst me, can either defend this shit or not really care, and act as if its no big deal. So many women around me, including myself have been harassed, taken advantage of, mollested, and raped and until this is not a fucking uncommon thing I will always think that equality does not exist. I am not blaming porn on abuse of women, but blaming the whole field of anatomy/sexuality exploitation, whether it be a clothing ad or soft-core porn. It is all intertwined.
Why do people think that this shit is ok?