The feminist pornography debates: Civil rights v. civil liberties

This study is an explication and analysis of the contemporary feminist pornography debates in the United States. It focuses on the specific controversy among feminists over a proposed civil rights antipornography ordinance. This ordinance was written by antipornography feminists' Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon, and as a result of its popularity, an opposing feminist organization, the Feminist Anti-Censorship Taskforce (FACT), initiated a public campaign against the ordinance and against feminist antiporn politics in general. The purpose of this study was to understand the debates in the context of the difficulties or politicizing women's personal lives. The issue of pornography itself embodies the difficulties because it mandates a simultaneous focus on sexuality, individual choice and privacy, as well as gender and racial inequality, misogyny and racial bigotry, and sexual violence. In this context, the individual right to be active autonomous sexual agents comes into conflict with the right to refuse sexual abuse and violence, particularly in the context of privatized contractual relationships.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Russo, Ann Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kramarae, Cheris

• American Studies
• Women's Studies
• Speech Communication

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1990 Russo, Ann Marie

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9114395
(UMI)AAI9114395

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/20288