Pornography-Free Speech

• What are the reasons why pornography is a free speech issue?

  Porn supporters use Mill's Do No Harm Principle:

  • Individuals decide for themselves.
  • Offensiveness can be limited through direction (just because one is offended by something doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong).
  • Private life is not state business.
  • Porn is a free speech issue.
• Describe Susan Brison.

  • Susan Brison is anti-porn saying that the problem isn't that it defiles producers and consumers or that it is erotic, arousing, obscene, sinful, or offensive. But that it is merely not free speech.
  • It is more than speech--it is hate media that promotes sexist socialization and causes harms to innocent third parties.
• Describe more thoughts from Brison.

  • Porn depicts subordination of women who are dehumanized as objects or commodities which violates the Humanity as an End formula of the Categorical Imperative.
  • Violent porn is misogynistic anti-female propaganda.
  • Porn hurts non-participants who have an increased risk of being degraded and brutalized.
  • Porn damages the attitudes of males who accept sexualized violence.
• Define Porn.

  Sexually explicit material, portrayed offensively, for the purpose of sexual arousal, without redeeming artistic or literary value.
• Define Anti-Porn or Brison's Definition.

  Graphic material sexualizing the subordination and dehumanization of women as inferior things who enjoy being subjected to violence.
• Who does porn harm? (According to Brison)

  • Those who have porn forced on them.
  • Women and girls more likely to be sexually abused.
  • Men and boys whose attitudes towards women and sexual desires are affected.
  • Those who have already been victimized by sexual violence.
• What does Brison say about porn?

  • Porn is a systematic practice of exploitation.
  • Porn is sexist hate-speech. Whoever is the one being subordinated or humanized is the one being hated.
  • Porn sexualized violence against women.
  • Porn continues sexual discrimination.
  • Porn shows women's degration.
  • Porn is discrimination and should be illegal.
• Describe Andrew Altman.

  • Andrew Altman is pro-porn and says it is not a free speech issue--it is really about liberty and sexual autonomy.
  • The right to pornography is analogous to the right to use contraception, engage in adultery, and engage in homosexual activity. (Doesn't matter if it's bad or not, but we have the right to do it)
  • Porn is merely mirror of social inequality, not a cause.
• Describe more thoughts from Altman.

  • There is no right to engage in sex with children or without consent so there should be no moral right to child porn, or people being raped or assulted.
  • Sexual autonomy does not entail a right to see porn including sexual violence.
• Define Porn (Altman).

  A commodity that features sexually explicit material intended to sexually excite "willing" viewers.

  • Different people are aroused by different kinds of sexually explicit material.
• Describe more thoughts from Altman (Part 2).

  • Even if there are more males who partake and they prefer different types of material, they deserve control over their own choices.
  • Porn does not "necessarily" involve children or any unwilling adult.
  • It may be morally deficient, but people have the right to degrade themselves if they aren't hurting others.
  • Watching violent porn that degrades women is your right, even though it shows bad character-bad character is not illegal.
• Describe more thoughts from Altman (Part 3).

  • Even though women in porn who exercise freedom to sexually degrade themselves might have negative effects on how other women are seen, it also brings more freedoms to all.
  • Though violent porn shows a character defect, we can't make it government business to correct poor character.