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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Please advise: re porn on walls at college

29 replies

Eowyn · 09/02/2012 17:58

I'm doing an art degree & a fellow student had lots of v explicit shots, mainly women, on his wall. I didn't like this but before I could work out how to approach him, it transpired that someone had complained & he'd been told to take them down.
This has caused outrage amongst the other students who fully believe that anything goes in art & that it is a terrible & old fashioned thing to object to porn.

I mentioned that I didn't like the way it objectified women, but my view was that if it wasn't in such a public place I could ignore it... however, absolutely no other female sees anything wrong. There have been some horrible comments on FB & I'm on my own being against it. Surely it isn't a good thing from a feminist point of view, & art-history-wise there has been the issue of "the gaze" ie everything being from a male point of view, women seen as passive etc.

Anyway, I really don't want to be the spokesperson for the anti-porn viewpoint, being a mature student will undoubtedly be dismissed as old & fuddy duddy anyway. But I wonder if anyone can advise me of any simple & succinct points I can make that might help some of the others to see that having pics of women lying splayed open on the walls in full view of all, is not a good thing.
Any ideas appreciated, it's not my area of expertise at all. Thanks.

OP posts:
iklboo · 09/02/2012 18:24

Pictures of erect penises, not erect pictures of penises Blush

iklboo · 09/02/2012 18:23

What would happen if you put up very explicit shots of men? (I'm curious, not stirring! I have a very vague recollection of their being a law about displaying erect pictures of penises?)

ValarMorghulis · 09/02/2012 18:22

I think that the "its art" line is often pulled out and dusted off in order to defend porn.

It is sad that the other women in your group aren't able to see the difference either, but i don't think you can force common sense into people.

ohdobuckup · 09/02/2012 18:15

What has been the female response? and what sort of age are they?

This is a classic difficulty, is a painting of a naked woman displayed in a university dining hall ok, where a photo would not be, is a painting ''safer'' than a photo , and is where it is on display a matter of concern too.

I remember some stories about religious groups objecting/removing paintings of life studies in shared halls, may not be relevant to this but there is an interesting discussion around this to be had

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