Nudity and the Male/Female Gaze

Nudity and the Male/Female Gaze

Nudity entails exposure of genital parts of the body in a public view. In most cases, nudity takes the form of pornography, scenes in films, and television programs. The subjects of sex and nudity are discussed comprehensively in both male and female gaze. Sexual and gender study experts argue that the female gaze involves a feminist theoretical term that represents the gaze of a female viewer. In a broader perspective, feminist film theorists such as Laura Mulvey suggests that the male gaze encompasses the male viewers (MacKinnon, 1983). She states that nudity, sexuality, women equality, and gender are dependent subjects hence should be discussed together.  This paper provides a diverse and specific focus on pornography and its effects on women. In discussing the subject, there are vital questions will use as guides. How does pornography affect women’s morality? How does nudity in the form of pornography influence the social construction of sexuality and gender? Which are the possible solutions to pornography that involves women’s equity? By analyzing the above three questions, this article will show that nudity, in its pornographic form, has significant adverse impacts on women’s sexual health and psychological development.

Many societies oppose nudity acts such as pornography and extend the male gaze to entail the gaze of the male viewer and the male film producer. In the state of bareness, the women victim and the film producer are all affected; therefore should be given to the two. As noted earlier, most communities have codes of ethics that have to be maintained at all times when it comes to sexuality and gender. When one is naked in public or is seen in any form either through film and pornographic videos, they challenge society’s values, beliefs, ethics, and codes of conduct. In Christian communities, such individuals are considered immoral and go against bible teachings. Television and film producer is noted to have promoted pornographic scenes by not covering women their client body parts deemed sexual. Currently, nudity in the form of pornographic films is posing a challenge to most societies. The rate at which such acts erode values in women, exceptionally young age, is alarming. If not controlled or stopped, then in the future, the next generation will have no shame of walking naked in the streets. Pornographic acts and films have significant adverse effects on women’s sexuality, morals, dignity, psychological development, and values. The emergence of feminist groups has made significant steps in starting the conversation about women’s sexuality and pornography. They have formed debate on the effects of nudity on women and the impact of censorship representation in Canada at large.

Understanding the impacts of porn on women requires clarity in the definition of what it means in the context of sexual equity. Willis (1993) noted that pornography might be a printed or visual representation that contains explicit descriptions and displays of genital parts or sexual activity intending to stimulate sexual excitement. Willis further adds that the practice has increased in most countries, and it is common among the youths.  The negative impacts are severe in females than in males and put the women’s moral values in danger. Teenagers who get indulged in lewd acts and view pornographic videos experience both long term and short term sexual disorders. According to Willis, several factors, such as technological advancements, access to the internet, and lack of jobs, among others, have increased viewing of pornographic films. Willis (1993) noted that hard-core pornographic activities are of adverse influence, especially to the youthful generation. When female teenager watches such movies, they get sexually aroused even though they are not yet mature to have sex. It is, therefore, critical to comprehensively analyze the adverse effects of pornography on women to help come up with long-lasting solutions in Canada.

One of the consequences of watching or engaging in porn production is that it increases women’s sexual desire. Uncontrolled sexual last makes individuals get involved in irresponsible sexual intercourse, which has worse consequences, such as the contraction of sexually transmitted infections. It is noted that people who often experience sexual desires may not think critically when faced with certain issues concerning sex because their focus is in one direction. Continuous sexual desire arousal has long term impacts on women’s reproductive cycle, which may interfere with childbearing activities.  The normal body function is at risk because hormonal systems and actions may be imbalanced. Women’s sex hormones have a specific cycle of works, and once they are tuned to a particular cycle different from the one designed by the body, it is impossible to reverse. This causes several complications in the entire reproductive cycle of women, especially at a young age. Short term effects of frequent sexual arousal is wastage of time and indulgence in immoral thinking. Further, for those not married, it may be challenging to handle their sexual desires in the right way.

Another effect of porn is that it changes expectations in youthful women. After watching or engaging in porn production, women have a violent perspective on sexual activities. Most of them would want to mirror what is seen in the videos in real-life sexual activities. Expecting sexual activities to be similar to what is watched in porn is impossible, and this has led to broken marriages. Malamuth (2014) pointed out that after watching such films, men expect their sexual counterparts to act the same way in pornographic films. Men’s preferences are mirrored in what they see on porn. Most teenagers have been forced to take naked pictures with boys so that they can be porn stars (Malamuth, 2014). In women, porn results in violent and degrading acts that are seen in their real lives. For men, expectations of porn sexual standards in their interpersonal relationships have impacted on their mental health and self-esteem. This is because, every time they have intercourse, they think that they have not satisfied themselves based on porn standards. Jacobs (2004) noted that dissatisfaction in marriage results in unfaithfulness in which men go outside their matrimony to look for what they viewed on porn movies. Other consequences begin, such as contraction of sexually transmitted diseases and continuous fight and lack of peace in the marriages. Pornography has resulted in many divorce cases in society as it becomes an issue of global concern.

Porn stars have a painful legacy that is irreversible.  Women who sign contracts with porn companies have to bear with their painful legacy even after they turn around to leave the industry. Based on the porn contract signed, the firms have the right to profit from the videos also if the actor had stopped and reigned from the porn activities. Imagine a porn star who converts to be a church pastor, and her porn videos are still used by companies to profit. It will be so painful for church followers who view their pastor as a role model to search for the name of their pastor in porn websites and reveal her whole life. Porn activities deny women equity and freedom as their male counterparts.

Another good example is a porn star who turned her life around to adhere to moral values and ethics and topped porn production. In her late-life, she is blessed with a daughter who then searched her mother’s name over the internet and got to know her mother’s early life. What a shameful legacy does porn have for women?

MacKinnon (1983) acknowledges that when women view pornography, the last thing they think of is what the future holds for those on screen. This does not give them time to think of their future life; instead, they focus on porn characters. Those who watch pornography movies are noted to make bad decisions in their future life. They do not consider the later impacts of porn activities in their families. It should be noted that porn is videos that are meant to stay for many years for the profit of the company, but human dignity and value diminishes as time passes by and cannot be recovered once broken. Kristal (2004) noted that porn transforms people from a fully dimensional person to an individual people can consume for their pleasure. It impacts on human dignity and humanity. It is hard for porn-stars to remain who they are after a long period in the industry because it changes the way they perceive sex.

Fuller, Blackley & Pollak (1996) acknowledged that porn addiction is hazardous. Like any other addiction, porn addiction is common in both men and women. However, the subject of porn addiction has been discussed based on men’s addiction, leaving women in the dark as they struggle in silence. Some movements help men recover from addiction and make them accountable as women are assumed to be normal. Such assumptions do not reflect the level of equity expected in the world in the twenty-first century. It is also recognized that women have no free space to hold porn talks and how it affects their life. Kristol (2004) points out that even though women’s addiction starts from softcore porn and then increases into more desire for more violent and degrading porn, their addiction is gradual but substantial once attained. It is argued by various feminist groups such as Women’s Education Action Fund that women’s sexuality should be handled with care and equality just like men (Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund Staff, 1996). Feminist groups have move significant steps to stop women’s involvement in pornography by legislating laws and regulations that foster women’s equality. They have conducted many court cases against people, groups, and companies that promote women’s sexuality degradation through porn.

In conclusion, pornography degrades and diminishes women’s sexuality by disintegrating the building blocks of humanity, such as equality, dignity, and identity. By getting involved in porn, humanity elements no longer have sense or meaning in their life. It is, therefore, vital to stop and rationalize pornography. The responsibility of eliminating nudity acts relies on women, men, feminist groups, and the Canadian government at large.

References

Fuller, J., Blackley, S., & Pollak, N. (1996). Restricted entry: Censorship on trial. Raincoast Books.

Jacobs, K. (2004). Pornography in small places and other spaces. Cultural Studies, 18(1), 67-83.

Kristol, I. (2004). Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship. Quadrant, 17(5-6), 48.

MacKinnon, C. A. (1983). Not a moral issue. Yale L. & Poly Rev., 2, 321.

Malamuth, N. M. (Ed.). (2014). Pornography and sexual aggression. Elsevier.

Willis, E. (1993). Feminism, moralism, and pornography. NYL Sch. L. Rev., 38, 351.

Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund Staff. (1996). R. v. ButlerLinks to an external site. In Equality and the Charter: Ten years of feminist advocacy before the Supreme Court of Canada (pp. 201, 203-221). Toronto: Emond Montgomery.