Andrew Dorkin: Sexuality Readings - Book Report/Review Example

Sexuality Readings Andrew Dworkin’s anti-pornography writings and political campaigns in the 1970s excited strong reactions both pro and con. What does it look like for you now, thirty years later? Along the decades the sexual behavior and perception of people regarding sex have change greatly Pornography is now become a common thing for people and they does not treat it as a very deadly issue. However, pornography is an evil side of the society and Andrew Dorkin writings did justice by going against this negative publicity of sexuality. Sex is not something to be pictured as vulgar and illicit but a thing to be respected and enjoyed in the right manner. Harell(2010) states that “Our society is over-saturated with sexual images. Everywhere we look, from billboards to grocery store check out counters, we are bombarded with blatantly sexual pictures. The Internet and cable television have allowed for unprecedented access to pornographic images”. After thirty years also the view of Dorkin looks fair as he was only wishing for the welfare of the society. Pornography is a very vulgar side of sex and it can do more harm than benefit to the society Sex is a very important aspect of human life and if treated in a right way it can bring mental happiness and well being to a person. Pornography has grown very rapidly in the society since few decades. It mainly exists due to the marketing mentality of some money hungry people. The bad publicity of sex and vulgar movies not only corrupt the mind of the young generation but also reduce the value of sex in their eyes. The writings of Dorking were a very positive action for the welfare of the society. If only such actions are put forward by people there can be a reduction in the growth of such vulgar publicity of sex.Pornography creates an excess desire for sex in the mind of people and they can get addicted to it. Children also get access to all these with the help of media and internet which affect them in a negative way. There is no need of pornography as it only makes sexual behavior of people worse and makes women an object for sex. It cane very well said that writers like Dorkin are more needed in the present age so as to bring end to this vulgar act of sex.People need to be encouraged to protest against pornography and this can be brought about by such writers who have the courage to go against media There need to be a strong mass protest from the public against pornography and the society should come forward for the welfare of the young generation. Such revolutionary writings can give confidence to readers in coming forward and expressing their view on sexual exploitation. It can be seen at present that there is no strong opposition from the public for pornography and the porn industry is getting bigger and bigger. Only good writers like Dorkin can bring a right mentality in the readers and encourage them to act against porn industry. Sex/Gender Categories How do our “lesbian” readings (or the film, “Shelby Knox”) define a lesbian? Is there a specific set of sexual interests, emotions, or practices that these readings delineate as distinctly lesbian? According to the writing a lesbian can be defines as a person with neutral sexual identification .Lesbian does not want to categorize as a female or male but want to have their own unique identity .Lesbian is a person who want to have a unisex outlook and are more interested in being a good human rather than be subjected to gender bias. Lesbians can be termed as female who is more masculine than the normal female idea of the society The reading points out that the lesbians does not have a very different sexual interest from normal people .They satisfy their sexual urge by approaching people they get attracted to and that is mainly their own gender. They don’t have a strange interest or desire for sex but very normal like other people. But there can be seen that there is a difference in way they carry themselves and this is like cross dressing and being transsexual. The reading portrays that the sexual orientation of a person is more on a psychological level. Sexuality is also influenced by the cultural norms and the environment in which an individual has been brought up. An individual’s physiological structure, behavior regarding sex and self image shape the sexuality of a person. The sexual orientation has a difference from sexual behavior as it is the perception about self and feeling of a person with relevant to sex. The writing points out the experience of a lesbian and how society treats them different because of their sexual identity. The writing does not detail that a lesbian has different emotional thinking compared to others. They think in same way like regular people. Their emotions and feeling work like others and being lesbian does not have any effect on their expression of emotions. But they might have some practices which can be unique to lesbians like featuring more masculinity and dressing up like men The writer try to make others understand that lesbians can be visibly normal people and only their underlying sexual orientation make them different from others .Evensong, some of them are more masculine than normal females and identifies themselves more to a male. Some lesbians also hide their sexuality with the fear of society and behave normal. Jensen(1999,pg.14)explains that “Without permission to move naturally into deeper stages of self knowing, women may remain ignorant of the range and facets of their gender orientation and sexuality in general ,for almost all of their lives. Society is very against to such sexual behavior and this leaves a sense of fear in the mind of lesbian society. As a result it can be found that the lesbians are more depressed at emotional level and find themselves isolated. The writer does not detail that lesbians have different set of practice but live life like normal people. They are only different in choosing their partners and live and share sex life with same sex. . Reference Jensen, K.L. (1999). Lesbian epiphanies: women coming out in later life . New York: Harrington Park Press. Read More