Pornography: Hate Speech?

When it comes to the protection of freedom of expression, pornography continues to be a controversial issue. Section 319 of Canada's criminal code, which prohibits hate propaganda, is frequently used by the anti-pornography movement to support the notion that pornography should be prohibited since it is a disgusting portrayal of degradation that leads to violence and oppression of women, and is therefore, a hate crime. At the same time, however, pornography is seen as beneficial to women personally and politically, and many believe that limiting it is not justifiable in a free and democratic society.

Pornography is merely a representation of sexual activity in the form of words or pictures. Most people see sex as being pleasurable and find pornography quite arousing. The anti-porn movement chooses to view women as a group of androids that share the same goals and desires, by making statements about images in porn being an appalling depiction of humiliation and a cause of offense to women. Women who enjoy pornography are often described as "psychologically damaged" by those against pornography; particularly if what they take pleasure in shows something that is considered "degrading," such as male ejaculation. Reality, on the other hand, would suggest that women have the ability to weigh the evidence and form their own opinions. Just like men, while some women undoubtedly are offended by pornographic images, many women enjoy it as well, and have the right to do so without being ashamed or making choices based on what's considered politically and sexually appropriate.

It is has been stated that pornography suggests gender inequality, even though the images of women in porn are as sexist as other images of them in most visual media. These people claim that since pornography is solely responsible for the outlook and actions of men towards women, it is dissimilar from other forms of expression. On the contrary, like any other sort of media, pornography shows what people are comfortable seeing. It doesn't transform men's mentality and cause them to mistreat women, for chauvinism, rape, and physical abuse of women has been in existence long before the extensive distribution of modern pornography. We have to accept the reality that we do, in fact, live in a sexist society, and most images of women are going to contain some of the given mind-sets. Yet, regardless of these sexist attitudes, some pornography contains women who are extremely bold and independent, especially in sadomasochistic porn where they are commonly seen as being in control.

The anti-porn interest groups overlook pornography containing a man being subjugated by a woman and needing a vagina, and the ramifications of women consuming such material. They don't consider if it would lead to widespread violence against men, and even rapes of men. They ignore magazines such as Playgirl and the presence of scopophilia and exhibitionism in them. They also tend to disregard another aspect of the issue, such as that of homosexual porn. Depictions of unequal sexual encounters between men and women are considered to be demeaning to women, but similar encounters between two women or two men aren't. This shows an assumed female superiority, the bias against straight males, and the casuistries in the anti-porn arguments.

The declaration that pornography results in violence against females is not only incorrect, but also based on the assumption that most porn is coercive. Most pornography portrays non-violent, consensual, gratifying sex. Some of it may contain sadomasochism, which, in spite of its violence, and obvious demonstration of pain, is also based on mutual pleasure and approval. Of course, there is definitely some porn that shows rape or other forceful, involuntary sex, but it is a small percentage of porn generated and used. Furthermore, such porn is no more real than the violence shown in any horror movie. Much like non-sexual, violent