What Hath Second-Wave Feminists Wrought?

Critiquing the effects of pornography is entirely different today in 2013 than it was at the height of the culture wars. And that’s a good thing.

Back in the 80’s, a cohort of second-wave feminists like Andrea Dworkin and Catherine MacKinnon staked their careers on arguments that the government had an obligation to censor porn, on the grounds that it is harmful to women and violates the 14^th Amendment. But feminists like Ellen Willis insisted that Dworkin and MacKinnon were no better than neo-Victorian patriarchs in their efforts to suppress sexual sex. Long story short, the  anti-porn feminists lost. Both legally and culturally. Sex positivism won.

But Dworkin, MacKinnon and their opponents were engaging in what mostly amounted to an intellectual and philosophical debate. Academics could take sides on whether or not porn was, in theory, subjugating to women, without being affected personally by the culture they were endorsing. Unless they were personally working in the adult entertainment industry or actively browsing the shelves at an adult video store, pro-porn academics and their lovers could mostly avoid the invidious side-effects of what they promoted.

Today’s feminists make similar arguments, even as the problem has gotten fare more personal and widespread. Carlyle Jansen, the owner of an adult toy store in Toronto and originator of a festival called the Feminist Porn Awards, goes so far as to say that “feminist” porn should be celebrated because “Some women like sadomasochism and enjoy that fantasy—the popularity of the 50 Shades of Grey books are the latest evidence of this. Some like to play the dominant role, some like the submissive role, regardless of sexual orientation.” If some mainstream feminists are opposed to Jansen’s anything-goes depiction of intimacy, they’re mostly keeping mum, or unwilling to contradict the “sex positive” conclusions reached in the 80’s.

But unlike the 80’s, we’re now living in a world where Internet porn affects everyday relationships. This is a world where online porn sites garner more hits per month than Netflix, Amazon, and Twitter combined. And it’s a world where millions of young men and women are impacted by porn’s objectification, addictive qualities, and creation of unrealistic expectations. Many women—and men—are disheartened by this phenomenon, and the excuses coming out of academic feminism won’t cut it.

I’d like to think this offers an opening for classical-liberals and conservatives to present a critique of pornography that is up to date and scientifically and morally rigorous. Such a critique would have the benefit of describing what many young people already know is true. If done right, it won’t sound like a rehash of the culture wars.