| April 1, 2005 A Different Kind Of Feminist by Karina Rose I wasn’t always sure if I was a feminist. While I agree with many feminist viewpoints, I disagree with many feminists I have met about clothing, porn, and sex work. I thought that because of these differences in opinion I couldn’t identify myself as a feminist. I don’t equate dressing provocatively or wearing lipstick with exploiting myself for men. As a lesbian, I don't really care whether or not men think I’m attractive. I don't always dress provocatively or think that everyone else should. I think that people should wear whatever makes them happy. I don’t find anything wrong with porn, per se. I oppose porn that depicts violence or shows women being degraded or dominated. Unfortunately, a lot of the porn on the market is sexist. If more porn were produced by radical women, that would not be the case. When I hear that porn is "just for men," I am offended. The argument that porn is for men only is a sexist one because it suggests that women have no use for sexual material. That's one more denial of women's sexuality. In our culture, libidinous women are considered sluts, but guys are expected to be horny as rabbits. Another issue is our culture’s puritanical ideas about sexuality. Fewer people would consider it degrading to have sex on film or disrobe on stage if people didn't believe that sexuality is shameful. I have considered modeling for nude photographs, and may actually do it. I find nothing demeaning about expressing my sexuality by showing my body. I am comfortable with my body and I feel that it is beautiful. I think that erotic photographs should be respected as art. The main problem I have with the sex industry is the fact that in our patriarchal society, sex workers are treated badly and disdained. In the book "Cunt, a Declaration of Independence," (Muscio, 2002) the author explains that prostitutes were revered before the rise of Christianity. They were considered holy and had temples devoted to them. They certainly weren't beaten, raped, or vilified. There is definitely a need for a more size-positive attitude in the sex industry, but the anorexic culture doesn’t come from porn. It comes from the diet industry, an exploitative racket that makes money by telling women that we are worthless if we are too heavy. The diet industry stems from the patriarchy's oppression of women and classism. Before it was fashionable to be thin, large women were considered the most beautiful because fat signified wealth. Racism, classism, homophobia, and sexism are the causes of our extremely oppressive culture, not porn and suggestive clothing. The abuses that occur in the sex industry would not exist if we were living in a matriarchal society. I have found other feminists who share my views and I have come to understand that I don’t have to agree with all feminists in order to call myself one. |
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Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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