Feminist sex wars

Last updated

The feminist sex wars, also known as the lesbian sex wars, sex wars or porn wars, are collective debates amongst feminists regarding a number of issues broadly relating to sexuality and sexual activity. Differences of opinion on matters of sexuality deeply polarized the feminist movement, particularly leading feminist thinkers, in the late 1970s and early 1980s and continue to influence debate amongst feminists to this day. [1]

Contents

The sides were characterized by anti-porn feminist and sex-positive feminist groups with disagreements regarding sexuality, including pornography, erotica, prostitution, lesbian sexual practices, the role of transgender women in the lesbian community, sadomasochism and other sexual matters. The feminist movement was deeply divided as a result of these debates. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Many historians view the feminist sex wars as having been the end of the second-wave feminist era (which began c. 1963) as well as the herald of the third wave (which began in the early 1990s). [7]

Two opposing views

Dworkin on After Dark.JPG
Catherine MacKinnon.png
Ariel Levy described the Dworkin-MacKinnon Ordinance as "the single most divisive issue" of the feminist sex wars. [8] Dworkin captured the spirit of the anti-pornography side of the debate in her famous utterance: "I'm a radical feminist, not the fun kind." [9]

The two sides became labelled anti-pornography feminists and sex-positive feminists.

Anti-pornography feminists

In 1976, Andrea Dworkin organized demonstrations against the film Snuff in New York, but attempts to start an organization to continue the feminist anti-pornography campaign failed. Efforts were more successful in Los Angeles, where Women Against Violence Against Women was founded in response to Snuff in 1976; they campaigned against the Rolling Stones' 1976 album Black and Blue . [10] The U.S. anti-pornography movement gained ground with the founding of Women Against Violence in Pornography and Media (WAVPM) in 1977 in San Francisco, following a 1976 conference on violence against women held by local women's centers. Early members included Susan Griffin, Kathleen Barry, and Laura Lederer.

WAVPM organised the first national conference on pornography in San Francisco in 1978 which included the first Take Back the Night march. [11] The conference led to anti-pornography feminists organizing in New York in 1979 under the banner of Women Against Pornography (WAP), [12] and to similar organizations and efforts being created across the United States. In 1983, Page Mellish, a one-time member of WAVPM and of WAP, founded Feminists Fighting Pornography to focus on political activism seeking legal changes to limit the porn industry. Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon wanted civil laws restricting pornography and to this end drafted the Antipornography Civil Rights Ordinance, [13] also known as the Dworkin–MacKinnon Ordinance .

Sex-positive feminists

The terms pro-sex feminism and, later, sex-positive feminism were inspired by Ellen Willis. Ellen willis.png
The terms pro-sex feminism and, later, sex-positive feminism were inspired by Ellen Willis.

From 1979, feminist journalist Ellen Willis was one of the early voices criticizing anti-pornography feminists for what she saw as sexual puritanism, moral authoritarianism and a threat to free speech. Her 1981 essay, Lust Horizons: Is the Women's Movement Pro-Sex? is the origin of the term, "pro-sex feminism". [14] In response to the anti-pornography strand of feminism, sex-positive feminists promoted sex as an avenue of pleasure for women, seeing anti-pornography positions as aligned to the political right-wing’s war on recreational sex and pornography. [15] Early sex positive groups included Samois, founded in San Francisco in 1978, whose early members included Gayle Rubin and Pat Califia, and the Lesbian Sex Mafia, founded by Dorothy Allison and Jo Arnone in New York in 1981. [16] The Feminist Anti-Censorship Taskforce (FACT) was set up in 1984 by Ellen Willis in response to the Dworkin–MacKinnon Ordinance; [17] in 1989 Feminists Against Censorship formed in the UK, its members including Avedon Carol; and Feminists for Free Expression formed in the United States in 1992 by Marcia Pally, with founding members including Nadine Strossen, Joan Kennedy Taylor, Veronica Vera and Candida Royalle.

Key events

In October 1980, the National Organization for Women identified what became known as the "Big Four" through declaring that "Pederasty, pornography, sadomasochism and public sex" were about "exploitation, violence or invasion of privacy" and not "sexual preference or orientation". [18] One of the more memorable clashes between the pro-sex and anti-porn feminists occurred at the 1982 Barnard Conference on Sexuality. [19] Anti-pornography feminists were excluded from the events’ planning committee, so they staged rallies outside the conference to show their disdain. [20]

Debates

The two sides of the feminist sex wars clashed over a number of issues, resulting in intense debates held both in person and in various media.

Pornography debate

Toward the end of the 1970s, much of the discourse in the feminist movement shifted from the discussion of lesbian feminism to focus on the new topic of sexuality. One of the primary concerns with sexuality was the issue of pornography, which caused a great divide among feminists. The two recognized sides of the debate were anti-pornography feminism and "pro-sex" feminism. [21] One of the major influences of anti-pornography feminism was its predecessor, lesbian feminism.[ citation needed ] Anti-pornography movements developed from fundamental arguments displayed by lesbianism, such as the notion of patriarchal sexual relations. [21] Ellen Willis described these relations as being "based on male power backed by force." [22] From this perspective, pornography is created exclusively for men by men and is a direct reflection of the man-dominant paradigm surrounding sexual relations. [19] [21] Another idea taken from lesbian feminism by anti-pornography groups was that sexuality is about creating a compassionate bond and a lasting relation with another person, contrary to the belief of the purely physical nature of sex. [23]

In her book, Pornography: Men Possessing Women, Andrea Dworkin argued that the theme of pornography is male dominance and as a result it is intrinsically harmful to women and their well-being. Dworkin believed that pornography is not only damaging in its production but also in its consumption, since the viewer will mentally internalize pornography's misogynistic portrayal of women. [21] Robin Morgan summarized the view of anti-pornography feminists that pornography and violence against women are linked in her statement, "pornography is the theory, rape is the practice". [24]

The anti-pornography movement has been criticised by sex-positive feminists as a repression of sexuality and a move towards censorship. [21] In her article, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality, Gayle Rubin characterizes sex liberation as a feminist goal and denounces the idea that anti-pornography feminists speak collectively for all of feminism. She offers the notion that what is needed is a theory of sexuality separate from feminism. [25] In XXX: A Woman's Right to Pornography, Wendy McElroy summarizes the sex-positive perspective as "the benefits pornography provides to women far outweigh any of its disadvantages". [26]

The pornography debate among radical and libertarian feminists has focused on the depictions of female sexuality in relation to male sexuality in this type of media. [27] Radical feminists emphasize that pornography illustrates objectification and normalization of sexual violence through presentation of specific acts. [27] In contrast, libertarian feminists are concerned with the stigmatization of sexual minorities and the limited right to practice sexual choice that would be hindered without pornography. [27]

Sadomasochism debate

The main focus of the sex wars' debate on sadomasochism and other BDSM practices took place in San Francisco. Women Against Violence in Pornography and Media (WAVPM) was founded there in 1977. Its first political action was to picket a live show at a strip club featuring women performing sadomasochistic acts on each other, in line with its stated aim to end all portrayals of women being "bound, raped, tortured, killed or degraded for sexual stimulation or pleasure". [28] As well as campaigning against pornography, WAVPM were also strongly opposed to BDSM, seeing it as ritualized violence against women and opposed its practice within the lesbian community. [29] In 1978 Samois was formed, an organization for women in the BDSM community who saw their sexual practices as consistent with feminist principles. [30] Several black lesbian feminists have written on this topic, including Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, Darlene Pagano, Karen Sims, and Rose Mason, condemning sadomasochism as an often racist practice, insensitive to the black female experience. [31] [32]

Prostitution debate

Another debate of the feminist sex wars centered on prostitution. The women in the anti-pornography camp argued against prostitution, claiming it is forced on women who have no alternatives.[ neutrality is disputed ] Meanwhile, sex-positive feminists argued that this position ignored the agency of women who chose sex work, viewing prostitution as not inherently based on the exploitation of women. Carol Leigh notes that "The Prostitutes rights movement of the early 1970s evolved directly from the women's movement", but adds: "The women's movement in the U.S. has always been ambivalent about prostitutes". [33]

Effects

The polarization of feminist ideology during the sex wars has had wide-ranging effects. Examples include, according to Liu (2011), "The confusion in the interpretation of the definition of human trafficking is a consequence of opposing feminist views on prostitution." [34]

According to New Directions in Sex Therapy , the fields of sexology and sex therapy were made to keep a "low profile" during the 1970s and 1980s due to attacks from social conservatives and anti-pornography feminists. [35]

Third-wave feminists' views

Third-wave feminist writings promote personal, individualized views on the gender-related issues focused on during the feminist sex wars, such as prostitution, pornography and sadomasochism. Items such as sex objects and porn, identified by some second-wave feminists as instruments of oppression are now no longer being exclusively used by men but also by women. [36] Feminist critic Teresa de Lauretis sees the sex wars not in terms of polarized sides but as reflecting a third wave feminism inherently embodying difference, which may include conflicting and competing drives. [37] [38] Meanwhile, critic Jana Sawicki rejects both the polarized positions, seeking a third way that is neither morally dogmatic nor uncritically libertarian. [37]

Sheila Rowbotham and the other socialist feminists who dominated the British women's movement saw women's liberation as inextricably linked to the demolition of capitalism. But it also required—and this is where they diverged from the Old Guard—a reconsideration of common patterns of life, such as sex, love, housework, and childrearing. [39]

See also

Related Research Articles

Radical feminism is a perspective within feminism that calls for a radical re-ordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts, while recognizing that women's experiences are also affected by other social divisions such as in race, class, and sexual orientation. The ideology and movement emerged in the 1960s.

This is an index of articles related to the issue of feminism, women's liberation, the women's movement, and women's rights.

Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism, is a feminist movement centering on the idea that sexual freedom is an essential component of women's freedom. They oppose legal or social efforts to control sexual activities between consenting adults, whether they are initiated by the government, other feminists, opponents of feminism, or any other institution. They embrace sexual minority groups, endorsing the value of coalition-building with marginalized groups. Sex-positive feminism is connected with the sex-positive movement. Sex-positive feminism brings together anti-censorship activists, LGBT activists, feminist scholars, producers of pornography and erotica, among others. Sex-positive feminists believe that prostitution can be a positive experience if workers are treated with respect, and agree that sex work should not be criminalized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catharine A. MacKinnon</span> American feminist scholar and legal activist

Catharine Alice MacKinnon is an American feminist legal scholar, activist, and author. She is the Elizabeth A. Long Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, where she has been tenured since 1990, and the James Barr Ames Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. From 2008 to 2012, she was the special gender adviser to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

John Stoltenberg is an American author, activist, magazine editor, college lecturer, playwright, and theater reviewer who identifies his political perspective as radical feminist. For several years he has worked for DC Metro Theater Arts and as of 2019 is its executive editor. He has written three books, two collections of his essays and a novel. He was the life partner of Andrea Dworkin for 30 years and has lived with his husband, Joe Hamilton, for over 15 years.

Samois was a lesbian feminist BDSM organization based in San Francisco that existed from 1978 to 1983. It was the first lesbian BDSM group in the United States. It took its name from Samois-sur-Seine, the location of the fictional estate of Anne-Marie, a lesbian dominatrix character in Pauline Réage's erotic novel Story of O, who pierces and brands O. The co-founders were writer Pat Califia, who identified as a lesbian at the time, Gayle Rubin, and sixteen others.

Patrick Califia, formerly also known as Pat Califia and by the last name Califia-Rice, is an American writer of non-fiction essays about sexuality and of erotic fiction and poetry. Califia is a bisexual trans man. Prior to transitioning, Califia identified as a lesbian and wrote for many years a sex advice column for the gay men's leather magazine Drummer. His writings explore sexuality and gender identity, and have included lesbian erotica and works about BDSM subculture. Califia is a member of the third-wave feminism movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opposition to pornography</span> Overview of opposing views to pornography

Reasons for opposition to pornography include religious objections and feminist concerns, as well as alleged harmful effects, such as pornography addiction. Pornography addiction is not a condition recognized by the DSM-5, or the ICD-11. Anti-pornography movements have allied disparate social activists in opposition to pornography, from social conservatives to harm reduction advocates. The definition of "pornography" varies between countries and movements, and many make distinctions between pornography, which they oppose, and erotica, which they consider acceptable. Sometimes opposition will deem certain forms of pornography more or less harmful, while others draw no such distinctions.

Women Against Pornography (WAP) was a radical feminist activist group based out of New York City that was influential in the anti-pornography movement of the late 1970s and the 1980s.

Women Against Violence in Pornography and Media (WAVPM) was a feminist anti-pornography activist group based in San Francisco and an influential force in the larger feminist anti-pornography movement of the late 1970s and 1980s.

Sheila Jeffreys is a former professor of political science at the University of Melbourne, born in England. A lesbian feminist scholar, she analyses the history and politics of human sexuality.

Feminist sexology is an offshoot of traditional studies of sexology that focuses on the intersectionality of sex and gender in relation to the sexual lives of women. Sexology has a basis in psychoanalysis, specifically Freudian theory, which played a big role in early sexology. This reactionary field of feminist sexology seeks to be inclusive of experiences of sexuality and break down the problematic ideas that have been expressed by sexology in the past. Feminist sexology shares many principles with the overarching field of sexology; in particular, it does not try to prescribe a certain path or "normality" for women's sexuality, but only observe and note the different and varied ways in which women express their sexuality. It is a young field, but one that is growing rapidly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex workers' rights</span> Human, health, and labor rights of sex workers and their clients

Sex workers' rights encompass a variety of aims being pursued globally by individuals and organizations that specifically involve the human, health, and labor rights of sex workers and their clients. The goals of these movements are diverse, but generally aim to legalize or decriminalize sex work, as well as to destigmatize it, regulate it and ensure fair treatment before legal and cultural forces on a local and international level for all persons in the sex industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrea Dworkin</span> American feminist writer and activist (1946–2005)

Andrea Rita Dworkin was an American radical feminist writer and activist best known for her analysis of pornography. Her feminist writings, beginning in 1974, span 30 years. They are found in a dozen solo works: nine books of non-fiction, two novels, and a collection of short stories. Another three volumes were co-written or co-edited with US constitutional law professor and feminist activist, Catharine A. MacKinnon.

Feminist views on pornography range from total condemnation of the medium as an inherent form of violence against women to an embracing of some forms as a medium of feminist expression. This debate reflects larger concerns surrounding feminist views on sexuality, and is closely related to those on prostitution, BDSM, and other issues. Pornography has been one of the most divisive issues in feminism, particularly in Anglophone (English-speaking) countries. This division was exemplified in the feminist sex wars of the 1980s, which pitted anti-pornography activists against pro-pornography ones.

Feminism has affected culture in many ways, and has famously been theorized in relation to culture by Angela McRobbie, Laura Mulvey and others. Timothy Laurie and Jessica Kean have argued that "one of [feminism's] most important innovations has been to seriously examine the ways women receive popular culture, given that so much pop culture is made by and for men." This is reflected in a variety of forms, including literature, music, film and other screen cultures.

Feminist views on BDSM vary widely from acceptance to rejection. BDSM refers to bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and Sado-Masochism. In order to evaluate its perception, two polarizing frameworks are compared. Some feminists, such as Gayle Rubin and Patrick Califia, perceive BDSM as a valid form of expression of female sexuality, while other feminists, such as Andrea Dworkin and Susan Griffin, have stated that they regard BDSM as a form of woman-hating violence. Some lesbian feminists practice BDSM and regard it as part of their sexual identity.

The Barnard Conference on Sexuality is often credited as the moment that signaled the beginning of the Feminist Sex Wars. It was held at Barnard College on April 24, 1982, and was presented as the annual Scholar and Feminist Conference IX, an integral part of the Barnard Center for Research on Women. The theme of the Conference was Sexuality. The Conference was set up as a framework for feminist thought to proceed regarding topics that many felt uncomfortable talking about. As Carole Vance, the Academic Coordinator of the Conference wrote in her letter inviting the participants "sexuality is a bread and butter issue, not a frill."

Feminist pornography is a genre of film developed by or for those within the sex-positive feminist movement. It was created for the purpose of promoting gender equality by portraying more bodily movements and sexual fantasies of women and members of the LGBT community.

Feminist views on sexuality widely vary. Many feminists, particularly radical feminists, are highly critical of what they see as sexual objectification and sexual exploitation in the media and society. Radical feminists are often opposed to the sex industry, including opposition to prostitution and pornography. Other feminists define themselves as sex-positive feminists and believe that a wide variety of expressions of female sexuality can be empowering to women when they are freely chosen. Some feminists support efforts to reform the sex industry to become less sexist, such as the feminist pornography movement.

References

  1. ↑ Atmore, Chris (2002). Sexual Abuse and Troubled Feminism in Snakes and Ladders: Reviewing feminists at the centuries end. Routeledge. p. 92. ISBN   978-0415197991.
  2. ↑ Duggan, Lisa; Hunter, Nan D. (1995). Sex wars: sexual dissent and political culture. New York: Routledge. ISBN   978-0-415-91036-1.
  3. ↑ Hansen, Karen Tranberg; Philipson, Ilene J. (1990). Women, class, and the feminist imagination: a socialist-feminist reader . Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN   978-0-87722-630-7.
  4. ↑ Gerhard, Jane F. (2001). Desiring revolution: second-wave feminism and the rewriting of American sexual thought, 1920 to 1982. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN   978-0-231-11204-8.
  5. ↑ Leidholdt, Dorchen; Raymond, Janice G (1990). The Sexual liberals and the attack on feminism. New York: Pergamon Press. ISBN   978-0-08-037457-4.
  6. ↑ Vance, Carole S (1989). Pleasure and Danger: Exploring Female Sexuality. Thorsons Publishers. ISBN   978-0-04-440593-1.
  7. ↑ As noted in:
  8. ↑ Ariel Levy (writer)Levy, Ariel. "The Prisoner of Sex". New York Magazine . Page 4. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Dworkin on Dworkin," an interview originally published in Off Our Backs, reprinted in Radically Speaking: Feminism Reclaimed Ed. by Renate Klein and Diane Bell.
  10. ↑ Bronstein, Carolyn (2011). Battling Pornography: The American Feminist Anti-Pornography Movement 1976-1986. Cambridge University Press. pp. 88–97. ISBN   978-0521879927.
  11. ↑ Currens, Elizabeth Gail (2007). Performing Gender, Enacting Community. p. 50. ISBN   978-0549268703.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ McBride, Andrew. "The Sex Wars, 1970s to 1980s". Archived from the original on 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  13. ↑ Demaske, Chris (2011). Modern Power and Free Speech: Contemporary culture and issues of equality. Lexington Books. p. 140. ISBN   978-0739127841.
  14. 1 2 Ellen Willis, Lust Horizons: The 'Voice' and the women's movement Archived 2015-05-18 at the Wayback Machine , Village Voice 50th Anniversary Issue, 2007. This is not the original "Lust Horizons" essay, but a retrospective essay mentioning that essay as the origin of the term. Accessed online 7 July 2007. A lightly revised version of the original "Lust Horizons" essay can be found in No More Nice Girls, pp. 3–14.
  15. ↑ Johnson, Meri Lisa (2007). Third Wave Feminism and Television. I.B. Taurus. p. 70. ISBN   978-1845112462.
  16. ↑ "About us". lesbiansexmafia.org. Lesbian Sex Mafia. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  17. ↑ Boffin, Tina (1996). Stolen Glances in Lesbian Subjects: A Feminist Studies Reader. Indiana University Press. p. 121. ISBN   978-0253330604.
  18. ↑ "Promiscuous Affections: A Life in the Bar" . Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  19. 1 2 Douglas, Carol Anne (July 1990). "Realignment in Feminist Sexual Politics". Love and Politics : Radical Feminist and Lesbian Theories. San Francisco, CA, USA: ISM PRESS. p. 186-7. ISBN   9780910383172.
  20. ↑ McBride, Andrew. "Lesbian History". Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 McBridge, Andrew. "Lesbian History: The Sex Wars". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  22. ↑ Willis, Ellen (1983). In Powers of Desire: The Politics of Sexuality. New York City: Monthly Review. pp. 460–467.
  23. ↑ Ferguson, Anne (1984). Signs. pp. 106–112.
  24. ↑ Cavalier, Robert. "Feminism and Pornography". CMU Philosophy Department Web Server. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  25. ↑ Rubin, Gayle (1998). Social Perspectives in Lesbian and Gay Studies. New York City: Routledge. pp. 100–133.
  26. ↑ McElroy, Wendy (1997). XXX: A Woman's Right to Pornography . St Martin's Press. ISBN   978-0312152451.
  27. 1 2 3 Ferguson, A. 1984. "Sex War: The Debate between Radical and Libertarian Feminists." Chicago Journals. 10 (1): 106–112.
  28. ↑ Bronstein, Carolyn (2011). Battling Pornography: The American Feminist Anti-Pornography Movement 1976-1986. Cambridge University Press. p. 139. ISBN   978-0521879927.
  29. ↑ Bronstein, Carolyn (2011). Battling Pornography: the American Feminist Anti Pornography Movement 1976-1986. Cambridge University Press. p. 287. ISBN   978-1139498715.
  30. ↑ Rubin, Gayle S. (2011). Deviations: A Gayle Rubin Reader. Duke University Press. p. 210. ISBN   978-0822349860.
  31. ↑ Ruby., Rich, B. (1998). Chick flicks : theories and memories of the feminist film movement. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN   978-0822321064. OCLC   38535937.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ↑ Rich, B. Ruby; Samois; Linden, Robin Ruth; Pagano, Darlene R.; Russell, Diana E. H.; Star, Susan Leigh; Snitow, Ann; Stansell, Christine; Thompson, Sharon (1986). "Feminism and Sexuality in the 1980s". Feminist Studies. 12 (3): 525. doi:10.2307/3177911. ISSN   0046-3663. JSTOR   3177911.
  33. ↑ Leigh, Carol (July 2008). "On the frontline of sex wars". On The Issues Magazine . Merle Hoffman . Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  34. ↑ Liu, Min (2011). "Human trafficking and feminist debates: Feminist debates on human trafficking". In Liu, Min (ed.). Migration, prostitution, and human trafficking the voice of Chinese women. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. pp. 37–39. ISBN   978-1-4128-4554-0. Preview.
  35. ↑ New directions in sex therapy : innovations and alternatives. OCLC. 2001. ISBN   9780876309674. OCLC   804013010.
  36. ↑ Crawford, Bridget J. (Mar 1, 2010). "The third wave's break from feminism". International Journal of Law in Context. 6 (1): 100. doi:10.1017/S1744552309990346. S2CID   55396191.
  37. 1 2 Code, Lorraine (2003). Encyclopaedia of Feminist Theories. Rroutledge. p. 445. ISBN   978-0415308854.
  38. ↑ de Lauretis, Teresa (Nov 1990). "Feminism and Its Differences" (PDF). Pacific Coast Philology. 25 (1/2): 22–30. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  39. ↑ Srinivasan, Amia (2021-09-06). "Who Lost the Sex Wars?". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved 2024-03-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.