Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!jarthur!ucivax!gateway
From: sharring@cs.tamu.EDU (Steven L Harrington)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: comments on violent porn, and violence in general
Message-ID: <15384@helios.TAMU.EDU>
Date: 26 Apr 91 14:53:15 GMT
References: <m0jVXZi-00004ZC@intelhf.hf.intel.com>
Organization: Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University
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In article <m0jVXZi-00004ZC@intelhf.hf.intel.com> mjm@ahimsa.intel.com (Marjorie Panditji) writes:
>Russell Turpin writes:
>
>> While everyone has a right to their own tastes, it stikes me that this
>> prejudice against violent porn is just that: a prejudgment of it and
>> those who enjoy it with very little knowledge.
>
[deletia]

>Yes, I agree with Russell.  I have a definite predjudice against violence.
>
>> [Russell suggests reading alt.sex.bondage]
>
>> At least then, you would be
>> more familiar with the thing you detest and the people you mistrust.
>
>It does not strike me as a very compelling argument to say "Try it,
>you'll like it."  I do not care to gain any more first hand knowledge
>of violence.  Yes, I know that S&M is consensual, but it still acts
>out violence.
>
>The bottom line is that I don't have to look at or act out different
>types of violence, whether real or imaginary, to know that I
>personally do not enjoy sexual violence.  For that matter, I dislike
>all types of violence (for example, violent movies).  To suggest that
>I just haven't tried it is similar to telling a gay/lesbian that they
>just haven't met the right woman/man.

Noone in the bondage community cares whether *you* like it or not, as
long as you don't try to deny them their rights as consenting adults.
I suppose that the question is really one of semantics. Does the word
violence connote (to you) non-consent?  If so, then you should use a
different term for consensual bondage.  I think that if you reread
your post you will find that your argument(s) were all phrased in the
first person and all expressed opinion rather than any fact. Note the
operative phrases

"I do not care to gain ...."
"I personally do not enjoy...."
"I dislike....."
et. al.

As a reader of a.s.b, I concurr w/ Russell. It seems that the
questions regarding violent porn are more complex than you might first
think. At first sight, it seems logical to condemn it; however, when
one realizes that the scenes often depict consensual bondage, it is
not so clear.


Steve Harrington