The University of Idaho Argonaut

Today many feminists and even some researchers say feminists make better sex partners. Yet at the same time, stereotypes say feminists hate men. This is a result of many opposing movements and debates within the feminist movement.
Sex, the act rather than the gender, is an interesting topic in feminism because it’s a conflicting issue.

The main two views of feminist thought on the subject consist of one: the critique of the restrictions on women’s sexual behavior and denouncement of openly sexually active women.  This tradition of feminist thought has called for a sexual liberation that brought forth feminist pornography, easy access to birth control and reproductive rights. The second view has considered sexual liberalization to be a mere extension of male domination and privilege.

Feminists of the first mindset are often referred to as sex-positive feminists. The sex-positive feminist brings together anti-censorship activists, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender activists, feminist scholars, producers of pornography and erotica and others and revolves around the idea sexual freedom is an essential component of women’s freedom. Sex-positive feminists reject the condemnation of male sexuality, which is so often stereotyped in radical feminists. Instead, they embrace all human sexuality under the argument patriarchy limits sexual expression. They favor giving people of all genders more sexual opportunities rather than restricting.

Since the 1970s, American culture has seen an increase in violent and sexual imagery in the media, the mainstreaming of pornography and an increase in sexual activity among teenagers. These concerns were voiced in the feminist movement with radical feminist groups claiming pornography only fueled patriarchy and was a direct cause of violence against women. Radical feminists such as Robin Morgan, for example, rallied with the cry, “pornography is the theory; rape the practice.”

In response to these radical feminists, the sex-positive feminism began. In feminism history, the 1980s are sometimes referred to as the “Feminist Sex Wars” which included debates about the issues of feminist sexual representation, pornography and other sexual issues. Today, sex-positive feminism is quite evident, and women have benefited from the sex-positive feminism in regards to open conversations about sex, sex education, sex toys, erotica, etc.

With the risk of enhancing the “all women are lesbians” stereotype, sex-positive feminists acknowledge accepting all sexual orientations is necessary in order to allow women full sexual freedom. Thus, women’s liberation cannot be achieved without also promoting acceptance of homosexuality and bisexuality.

A rather new development raising issues within the feminism movement is feminist porn. For many, this sounds like an oxymoron given the vast amount of degrading mainstream porn. Porn star Annie Sprinkle famously said,w “The answer to bad porn isn’t no porn. It’s more porn.” Feminists in the pornography production did exactly that. They felt women and female fantasies were underrepresented. Mainstream pornography tends to be cheesy, cliché, degrading, low-budget and patronizing. Feminist porn filmmakers come from a woman’s perspective and want to portray women as sexual beings, not sexual objects. Feminist porn focuses on artistic expressions, storylines, quality and tastefulness.

However, only some sex-positive feminists believe women and men can have positive experiences as sex workers. Most feel while sex work is illegal, prostitution should be decriminalized. There are widely varying views on prostitution as it relates to class, race, human trafficking and many other issues. Sex-positive feminists generally agree prostitutes themselves should not be stigmatized or penalized.

Sex and feminism clash constantly, and for some, feminist porn is taking it a bit far. But what is important is there is nothing shameful about an open, honest dialogue about sex and sexuality. Everyone deserves to explore his or her own sexuality in a safe and comfortable environment, and sex-positive feminists want to provide that without (the often) crudity of men’s secret desires.

	1. 17-10-2008 11:47
	Thanks to the suffragettes! At age 40, I realized that I knew that it did, but nothing of HOW the world turned -- from routine repression to relative freedom for women.     I was a pre-teen in the 60s and was vaguely aware of bra-burning and women's 'liberation.' But nothing was taught in school - there were no tv shows - no popular books that would make a person of my generation understand what it took to instill in me the firm belief that there was nothing in the world that I as a woman could not do.    I believe that my generation of women was the first to come of age with most of us believing, taking it for granted, assuming that the world would be fair to us and that our future would be glorious.    Of course, that hasn't always been the case, though my life has been blessed with amazing opportunities that my mother and grandmother would not have dreamed of.    But when I realized that I didn't know how my freedom happened I set out on a journey of discovery and I am now strengthened by the inspiration of countless suffragettes.     I realize I stand on their strong shoulders, and on the shoulders of other women who keep pushing for more than voting rights, who demand the full range of human rights for women.    I want to share that inspiration with other women.    Can you even imagine being a woman and NOT being able to vote?    Thanks to the suffragettes, America has women voters and wide range of women candidates, and we are a better country for it!     Women have voices and choices! Just like men.    But few people know ALL of the suffering that our suffragettes had to go through, and what life was REALLY like for women.    Now you can subscribe FREE to an exciting e-mail series that goes behind the scenes in the lives of eight of the world's most famous women to reveal the shocking and sometimes heartbreaking truth of HOW women won the vote.    Thrilling, dramatic, sequential short story e-mail episodes have readers from all over the world raving about the original historical series, "The Privilege of Voting."     Read this FREE e-mail series on your coffeebreaks and fall in love with these amazing women!     Subscribe free at    www.CoffeebreakReaders.com/subscribe.html Registered

VirginiaHarris