People should have the right to pornography

People should have the right to pornography

Introduction

The issue of producing, distributing and viewing pornographic content is one of the most contentious debates in the contemporary society, mainly because it directly touches on morality and freedom of speech, which is a fundamental right.  In the pornographic debate, the three evident philosophical positions are moralistic, liberal and postmodern or feminist stance.  These arguments have divided the issue of pornographic authorization into two antagonizing groups, with one group opposing and the other advocating for pornography. On one hand, pornographic opponents contend that it ruins public morality and contributes to degradation of women status in the society.  On the other hand, proponents of pornographic assert that pornography is a means of fulfilling and expressing sexuality, getting sexual pleasure, catharsis, and a means of earning livelihood (Altman, 2005).  People should have the right to derive sexual excitement from pornography so long as they do not violate the rights of other individuals.

Altman (2005.p224) defines pornography as “sexually explicit material, in words or images, which is intended by its creators to sexually excite those who are willing viewers of the material.” From Brison’s perspective, pornography is “violent, degrading and misogynistic hate speech in form of words, pictures and films among others” (Brison, 2005.p238). Altman examines the relationship between willing pornographic viewer(s) and the producer of the content as a relation formed by the need to fulfill a sexual need of the viewer. This implies that pornographic content would not exist, if there is no sexual excitement need to be met. In this case, seeking to control pornography is tantamount to restricting the sexual freedom or autonomy of the viewer who gets sexual satisfaction from the content. Brison (2005) lists several harms attributable to pornography. She argues that it harms the pornographic actors or viewers, who are compelled to it, promotes and entrenches gender and sexual discrimination against women and girls in addition to influencing behaviors of males who develop various perceptions towards women on viewing the pornographic content. Moreover, she argues that pornography hurts victims and survivors of sexual abuse (Brison, 2005.p240).

Both Altman and Brison perspectives on pornography present an argument on morality of how the entire pornographic business is conducted, from production to viewership. From Altman perspective, pornography is an expression of an individual’s sexual preference and autonomy, a view that is affirmed by the use of the word “freewill or willingness” in his definition of pornography (Altman, 2005.p224). This implies that as long as pornographic viewers and actors do so without being forced, are mature and capable of making informed decisions,   they have a right to seek sexual pleasure and resulting benefits accruing from pornography. Brison opposition to pornography is founded on the belief that the industry is conducted under coercion, where actors and/or viewers are forced to watch or act the content. It is a fact that some pornographic industries force minors and women to perform, which is morally wrong. This denies them their sexual autonomy because the actors are either too young to make informed decisions or are subjected into conditions that make them participate unwillingly. However, this is not the always case, if confessions from some pornographic actors and the increasing pornographic viewership are anything to go by.

Conclusion

People who derive sexual excitement or pleasure from pornography should have a right to the content, as long as they do not violate the rights of women and other parties such as minors. Pornography provides a rightful mechanism of people to define and express their own sexuality and any attempts to restrict it in absence of evidence concerning involvement of children and other forms of sexual abuse is wrong.

 

References

Altman, A. (2005). The right to get turned on: Pornography, autonomy, equality. In A. Cohen,                 & C.H. Wellman (Eds), Applied ethics (pp.223-235). Oxford: Blackwell.

Brison, S.J. (2005). The price we pay? Pornography and harm. In A. Cohen, & C.H Wellman                    (Eds), Applied ethics (pp.236-250). Oxford: Blackwell.

 

 

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