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St. Cloud State University
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Debate tackles pornography
By Debbie Peterson
Published:
Monday, October 20, 2003
Pornography was the subject at the SCSU annual homecoming debate. It was held in the Atwood Ballroom and sponsored by the University Program Board.
Presenting the stance that pornography depicts violence toward women was Susan Cole, an activist in the anti-pornography movement since the late 1970s. Her first book, "Pornography and the Sex Crisis," is required reading in women's studies courses nationwide. Wendy McElroy, author of both "XXX: A Woman's Right to Pornography" and "Sexual Correctness: The Gender-Feminist Attack on Women," has appeared nationally on numerous television and radio programs, and argued in the opinion that pornography should be protected by the first amendment.
During a pre-event press interview, Cole said the violence depicted toward women was the sole reason she was against pornography.
"To say that you're against violence in pornography is too easy, it's to look at child pornography and say that it's bad," Cole said. "It has a particular kind of effect on those who view women in porn, it's as though it never crosses their mind that these are living, breathing women who have real lives - they're only sexual beings, and therefore have nothing else to say or contribute," she said. "In porn, women are depicted as nothing but sexual objects, and women have the right to go through their professional and social life without being seen as only a body part."
In the same interview, Wendy McElroy disagreed with Cole's comment, "The greatest violence against women is to say that they don't have the choice to choose," McElroy said. "Shouldn't every woman have the right to choose for themselves? Shouldn't a woman be able to decide if they want to be a lesbian? Isn't that deemed as socially immoral as well?"
The discussion of gender roles and the feminist stance in pornography continued once the debate began.
Approximately 350 students and community members attended the event. The debate's moderator, Tony Akubue, Professor of Environmental and Technology studies began the program saying, "We have a very interesting topic here tonight, pornography, what is it to you?"
Each speaker was allowed 20 minutes to make their opening statement. Susan Cole spoke first, "I am a long-time feminist activist, and I do like sex. I want to first start by putting a stop to all of the stereotypes right away."
Cole explained that the porn industry negatively affects culture by demeaning women, and creates a culture in which women become vulnerable. She confronted the argument that pornography is a form of free speech that is used most often to stop women from disagreeing with it, and that pornography is a practice, not an act of speech.
McElroy spoke second. "Freedom is allowing every woman to define what is liberating and demeaning. I have talked to hundreds of women involved in pornography, not one has said that she was forced or coerced to produce sexual images," McElroy said.
McElroy said that pornography benefited women by providing the panorama of the sexual experience safely in their own homes. She said that cultural stereotypes are broken when women watch porn.
"To those who are anti-porn, don't consume it, try to persuade others of your opinion, but let them make their own choice," McElroy said in closing to her opening statement.
Following the opening statements, questions ranging from the use of condoms in pornographic films to the effect of the gay and lesbian movement within pornographic films were discussed.
Each debater was given five minutes at the end of the presentation to conclude her presentation.
First-year student Travis Lebeau who watched the entire debate said, "I didn't think that either of (the presenters) got down to the point. I didn't think it was a very good debate."
Another student, Jo Kimbler, commented that the debate really didn't answer her questions.
"I thought there would be two clear points, but there wasn't," Kimbler said.
Other students had a more positive opinion of the debate.
"I think that tonight showed me that the issue is more complicated than I had previously thought," said first-year student Pam Holm. "It has helped me define which side I agree with."
Jennifer Bogue, another first-year student, said the debate was informative.
"I thought it was very educational because it gave both sides of the argument. I think it's a topic that is not often discussed, and therefore good to go over and make more public," Bogue said.
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