Child Porn and the Imagination
posted: Jul 7, 12:16 AM
Wendy Kaminer’s recent article
Child Porn, Animal Cruelty, and the Right to Imagine in The Atlantic, raises several questions which I find difficult to answer without a “but” being added to my response. I believe fantasy is an essential part of human sexuality. I think the challenge for me is trying to comprehend how an adult can find a child sexually attractive.
I know this challenge comes from my years of working with youth who are survivors of both physical and/or sexual abuse. Youth who have been powerless to protect themselves against the abuse of adult power.
I don’t like people who hurt other people. My feelings for people who abuse their power over anyone who is vulnerable go well beyond dislike. Hurting children is the ultimate in abuse of power. I can’t get past my emotions on this subject. I don’t find it possible to be objective.
When I was working on my under graduate degree in Sociology I took a credit entitled the Philosophy of Feminism. I really enjoyed this class, although, the radical feminists in the class kept saying “when it clicks for you, you won’t think …”. I have developed a very sound feminist perspective, but Iknow, it’s not a radical feminist perspective.
I remember one of my papers in that class was on pornography and whether it was abusive of women. Interestingly, there was no discussion around vulnerable populations, marginalization or oppression.
I discovered an interesting overview of basic feminist theory this afternoon. Mary Day offers a simple overview of the distinction between radical, liberal, socialist, postmodern and post feminism theories. I have always worked within the framework of the postmodern theory of feminism.
Anyway, back to my Philosophy of Feminism paper. The topic (pornography and women) was assigned and we had to take a stance and support it. My belief at that stage in my life was much more simplistic than it is today. I thought as long as the woman had chosen to participate, it was her choice. I now believe there are many layers to any adult’s decision to participate in sex work and pornography.
I also believe we all have a right to choose how we live our lives and our personal values are just that, personal. How I live my life, as long as I respect others, is my business. The phrase “treat others as you would like to be treated” comes to mind. I want to be treated with respect and dignity. I want to have the freedom to think my own thoughts, express them in a respectful manner and choose how I live my life. In other words, I want my experience to be respected.
Wendy Kaminer’s article, which triggered this reflection, states: “…Last week, a Tennessee prosecutor charged Michael Wayne Campbell with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, for photo shopping the faces of three girls onto the nude bodies of three adult women. How might this constitute a crime (outside Iran)?” I would suggest it is doubtful the 3 minor girls consented to their faces being photo shopped.
Kaminer then discusses “… the conviction of Dwight Whorley for sharing fantasies about sexual abusing children in purely textual email exchanges between consenting adults…” and reminds us to be careful what we think of or fantasize about… but here’s my dilemma. Whorley is “…a convicted sex offender, he had received sexually explicit photographs of actual as well as imaginary children…” Are we naive enough to think his texting/emailing his fantasies about sexually abusing children is limited to him just “thinking out loud”?
I agree with Kaminer we have the right to think anything we want. This doesn’t mean it is acceptable to say or express whatever we want. Once a thought/fantasy has exited our brain we are responsible for the consequences.
Whorley can think all the thoughts he wants about liking little kids in a sexual way, but once he expresses these thoughts he must accept society may have grave concerns about him. Similarly, Michael Wayne Campbell has to accept photo shopping pics of minor girls onto the bodies of adult women makes us question his intent.
Freedom of thought and freedom of speech are both of critical importance to maintaining a society based on respect. Each of us, however, must accept there are responsibilities associated with these freedoms.