Apr 30, 2021 | OPINION | By Mahnoor Rehman | Illustration by Xixi Qin
Many people’s first engagement with any form of sexual content is through pornography. It is the mainstream media content surrounding sex, and it is consumed massively by all types of audiences.
Pornography is the representation of sexual activities that are specifically aimed to please its viewers. While there are different types of porn, the majority of videos focus on heterosexual male fantasies.
This is where the problematic nature of porn exists, as it often results in necessary-to-understand violence. For example, the constant theme of male dominance and female subordination creates stereotypes in the minds of young people which further reinforce the culture of misogyny.
There is cultural violence that objectifies women in each and every setting. In a world where women’s bodies are already an object of male politics, pornography belittles women in social settings. Women are seen as inferior and dehumanized in porn videos to the extent that it also impacts the self-image of young girls who watch porn.
Porn has the tendency to impact body image and even the fashion industry, as it articulates the sexual norms of many societies. From excessive use of hair removal products to breast implants and other surgical procedures, women are consistently persuaded to change the way they look and present themselves. The advertisements of lingerie, jeans, skirts, etc. focus on a bodily standard for women that further increases insecurities in young girls.
Sexually violent pornography includes images and visuals of abuse and even rape. There is aggression and, in some cases, women are referred to with derogatory terms. This form of representation creates the idea of how sex is supposed to look in the minds of the audience, especially men. This perpetuates a culture of violence against women that is harmful to each and every level of society.
Moreover, pornography is not inclusive, and the majority of the industry is dominated by white actors. The representation of race is also problematic in creating racialized sexual stereotypes against the dominance of whiteness in the industry.
There is explicit fetishization, hyper-sexualization and exotification of women of color, which degrades their identity. In this way, race and gender-based violence become intertwined.
Pornography does not exist in isolation and has the capability to influence our daily lives, cultures and values. Those who argue that it is just a “fantasy” need to understand the embedded consequences of porn on sexual abuse and aggression.
As porn is often the main source of sex education for young men, men tend to have abnormal and cruel images in their minds regarding sexual activities and pleasure that they may apply to future sexual interactions.
It is necessary to recognize these issues regarding pornography while analyzing increasing violence against women. If porn successfully represents body-positive sex with positive, queer, consensual sexual acts, it can become a wonderful experience for many people.
Moreover, sex education, apart from porn, needs to be normalized so people have the chance to learn what positive sex looks like. Porn is definitely not a realistic portrayal of sex and sexual pleasure. Therefore, other platforms should be considered for proper representation.