Robert Jensen is a professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. His widely-quoted book, Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity, the debate on reassessing the path that porn had taken in the US, viewed as a reason behind the degradation in the depiction of women. In the context of the Supreme Court admitting a petition seeking a ban on pornography in India, The New Indian Express interviewed Jensen via email on the various aspects of pornography. Excerpts:
Q: What is the legal status of pornography in the US? Is making porn a crime? If no, are labour rights applicable to porn actors?
A: In the United States, obscenity law makes it a crime to produce, distribute, or sell sexually explicit material that meets a specific legal definition. Much of the pornography in the United States could be the basis for prosecution, but because the material is so widely accepted and/or used, in most places law enforcement does not take up cases. Labour law applies to pornography production, but that does not mean all pornography producers follow the law.
Q: In the interviews conducted with few female porn actors, we realised that the concept of ‘Gonzo’ is taking roots in India as well. How do you view such violent depiction of sex? What impact do you think it will have on comsumers, especially young men?
A: Pornography is increasingly cruel and degrading to women, as pornographers try to create new market niches to expand profits. This reflects a patriarchal culture in which many men still consider themselves to be naturally dominant, and that quest for domination is often sexualized. In that sense, such pornography is “normal”, that is, a reflection of a cultural norm. We don’t know the exact effects on pornography users, but evidence indicates that younger men are routinely exposed to this from a young age and often take their foundational ideas about sex from pornography. Pornography is one factor that seems to be shifting the definition of acceptable sex.
Q: India over the last few years has been witnessing a marked increase in sexual violence against its women. Do you think there is a link between the increase in consumption of porn and sexual crimes? Do you find such a link in the US?
A: Research suggests that at least in those men predisposed to sexual violence, this kind of cruel and degrading pornography can increase the likelihood of sexual aggression. Within intimate relationships, women report that men’s habitual use of such material can change behaviour, either making men more aggressive or, conversely, leading men to withdraw from sexual intimacy.
Q: There is a view that legalising porn and prostitution could help women access some basic rights. Do you think this is viable?
I believe that we should make buying another person for sex a crime (that is, focus law enforcement efforts on the men who use women in prostitution) rather than penalising the women. I don’t think that we will ever have gender justice when men routinely buy and sell women for sexual pleasure. The solution is not in legalising prostitution but in eliminating patriarchy by arguing for real equality between men and women.