PorNO campaign

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PorNO logo

PorNO is a suitcase word from porn (-graphy) and NO (English: no). It stands for an initiative started by Alice Schwarzer in 1987. The aim is a German law against pornography, whereby the term "pornography" is to be redefined at the same time.

Campaign content

motivation

The PorNO campaign, which was launched in 1987, opposes such pornographic representations in which "trivializing or glorifying, clearly degrading sexual representation of women or girls in pictures and / or words" is presented. The campaign is thus referring to a different definition of pornography than is commonly used today. This type of pornographic representation is a form of media violence that violates the dignity of women . In addition, pornographic representations could lower the inhibition threshold for real violence against women. Alice Schwarzer published a book with the same title for the campaign.

prehistory

Alice Schwarzer, 2009

The topic of media violence through pornography had already been discussed in Germany nine years earlier. In 1978, Stern magazine was unsuccessfully sued for degrading portrayal of women ( sexism lawsuit ) after a cover picture portrayed singer Grace Jones in chains. Alice Schwarzer also wrote the injunction, together with actress Inge Meysel and other prominent women. The plaintiffs argued that pornography creates “an image of women that degrades women to second-class people”. Pornography threatens "the elementary human rights of women: the right to dignity or freedom, to physical integrity or life". The lawsuit failed in court.

Bill

In 1987 Schwarzer's magazine Emma demanded an anti-porn law again as part of the PorNO campaign. In 1988, the magazine published a corresponding draft that had been developed together with the lawyer and politician Lore Maria Peschel-Gutzeit . The basic idea behind the proposed law was to define pornography as a violation of human dignity. The resulting hearing in Bonn also had no consequences.

Schwarzer's draft law on pornography states:

"The definition assumes that the central purpose of pornography is the propagation and realization of the humiliation and contempt for women."

such as:

"Those depictions of sexual stimulation that humiliate women, show them in a powerless position towards men and incite misogyny or even murder are pornographic."

Topicality and reference to sadomasochism

The topic of the PorNO campaign is regularly discussed in public again. Alice Schwarzer particularly criticizes the mixing of sexuality with violence, since it "destroys women and sexuality". She therefore rejects sadomasochistic practices in general and denies their legitimacy . Your best-known statement in this context was first published in Emma, ​​No. 2, 1991:

"The propagation of female masochism by men is an attack, by women it is collaboration with the enemy."

Developmental background

The history of the campaign can be traced back at least to the 1970s. It arose in the context of a conflict that continues to this day, known in the Anglo-Saxon region as the " Feminist Sex Wars ". It was there that the debate about the legitimacy of pornographic material, especially within feminist groups, became very controversial for the first time. In particular, the anti-pornographic feminist group "Women Against Violence in Pornography and the Media" ( WAVPM ) on the one hand and sex-positive feminists such as the lesbian - sadomasochistic group Samois with their successor groups on the other hand led a very intensive discourse , which in the arguments of both sides the discussion about the PorNo- Anticipated campaign in important aspects.

Pornography term

In the context of the campaign, pornography is defined as the "trivializing or glorifying, clearly degrading sexual representation of women or girls in pictures and / or words" if it has one or more of the following characteristics:

  1. The women / girls portrayed as sexual objects enjoy humiliation, injury or pain.
  2. The women / girls depicted as sexual objects are raped - vaginally, anally or orally.
  3. The women / girls depicted as sexual objects are penetrated by animals or objects in the vagina or anus.
  4. The women / girls depicted as sexual objects are tied up, beaten, injured, mistreated, mutilated, dismembered or otherwise victims of coercion and violence.

The first point illustrates a general rejection of sadomasochistic practices, even if they are carried out in full consensus. The third aspect of the design categorically rejects the use of dildos and vibrators . In addition to the rejection of sexual violence that was already punishable at the time, the fourth element includes the requirement to also prohibit consensual bondage . As the primary distinguishing feature between erotica and pornography, Schwarzer focuses on legal, consensual BDSM practices (in addition to those that are already prohibited by law). The fact that women involved in such consensual practices were labeled as mere sexual objects repeatedly met with massive criticism in this context.

Schwarzer's position that pornography humiliates women in general is shared by some feminists like Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon . They argue that most pornography encourages the submission and humiliation of women. Through humiliation, pornography ultimately creates a sexual and cultural framework that is the cause of rape and sexual abuse by making women freely available objects in a male-dominated society. Other feminists distinguish between pornographic works and erotica , to which they do not attribute the negative aspects of pornography.

On the other hand, many feminists of the third wave and postmodern feminists reject this criticism of pornography and argue that participation in the production or consumption of pornography by women is a conscious individual decision of the individual woman and precisely not through socialization in one capitalist patriarchy . Schwarzer repeatedly emphasized the connection between pornography and violence that she saw .

Criticism of the campaign

In general, the idea from the history of ideas from the 1960s that the main purpose of all pornography is not the sexual arousal of the viewer, but the oppression of women, is popularized by critics of the campaign with reference to homosexual pornography in general and lesbian BDSM pornography in the Particular questioned. The PorNO campaign conceals that the man also becomes a woman's object of lust . Gay pornography in particular, but also those with a lesbian BDSM background, raises the question of who is exposed to an abuse of power in it. The association of pornography with terms such as hatred and incitement to murder must be questioned.

Some critics state that the use of the term collaboration implies a non-existent war-like situation between the sexes and the statement generally discriminates against the reality of life and needs of submissive women.

Another criticism is that the existence of female-dominant sadomasochists is just as little taken up and recognized by Schwarzer's theses as the principle of safe, sane, consensual, which is essential in the production of sadomasochistic materials .

The French philosopher and sociologist Isabelle Azoulay commented on the methodology of the campaign as follows:

“Although the concern was able to find understanding in its clear language and was convincing in a few aspects, the attempts to scientifically document the dangers of pornography mostly triggered opposing effects that contradicted the intentions of the initiators. The laboratory experiments and other studies that should provide a basis for their outrage have little scientific validity or are based on unacceptable premises. "

The enormous range of pornographic offers, both within heterosexually oriented as well as homosexual or bisexual pornography, is generally viewed as irrelevant in the campaign or not answered theoretically. A classification of non-heterosexual content does not take place. What is required is a more differentiated analysis and criticism of pornographic strategies for depicting sexuality as it is lived out. The American representative of queer theory , Gayle Rubin , therefore states that feminist criticism of pornography of the PorNO campaign type reproduces traditional normative ideas of sexuality, according to which - like a domino effect - any tolerance towards more or less deviating from the norm Forms of sexuality lead to catastrophic social effects. In the USA, a discussion that was practically identical in its basic structure led to the emergence of sex-positive feminism . This movement responded in the early 1980s to attempts by some anti- pornographic feminists such as Catharine MacKinnon , Andrea Dworkin, and Dorchen Leidholdt to place pornography at the center of feminist models of explanation for the oppression of women. Schwarzer's positions sometimes show strong parallels to the positions represented there, and sometimes she expressly refers to them.

Critics complain that Alice Schwarzer's and EMMA's fundamental rejection of pornography contributed to alienating female sadomasochists in particular from the German women's movement. Kathrin Passig and Ira Strübel state in this context:

"That it means a big and liberating step for quite a few women to put their sadomasochistic fantasies into practice is still not provided for in the Emma universe."

In 2009 the first feminist porn film prize was awarded in Berlin. The name chosen by the organizers alludes to Schwarzer's campaign: PorYes .

Reactions

After the first attempt did not show the hoped-for success, Schwarzer revived the campaign in 1998; For example, in a television interview with ARD in February 1998, she presented her position that there are no women with sadomasochistic tendencies.

In the course of 1998 she succeeded in creating the cross-party women's alliance against pornography , which set itself the goal of legally punishing the production and possession of even non-violent pornography.

In addition to Regine Hildebrandt (SPD), Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (FDP), Christine Bergmann (SPD), Andrea Fischer (The Greens) and Rita Griesshaber (The Greens), several CDU and CSU politicians signed the appeal. The women's political spokesman for the PDS Christian Schenk expressly refused to accept the appeal.

As a result, Christine Bergmann called on November 9, 1998 in an interview with the news magazine Der Spiegel, among other things, for a general ban on so-called violent pornography, i.e. a general ban on the sale, lending and possession of sadomasochistic pornography. As a first step, she called for an express ban on all sadomasochistic erotica that portray women as passive partners. Bergmann is supported by the women's alliance against pornography .

The demand was heavily criticized nationwide by sadomasochists as an attempted criminalization. Inquiries from sadomasochistic interest representatives and publications initially remained unanswered, despite repeated inquiries from the politician. Only after the news magazine had published a critical letter to the editor from the SMart Rhein-Ruhr eV group did the ministry respond with an answer. Among other things, this said:

"Mrs. Federal Minister Dr. Bergmann intends to reconsider the previous impunity for the dissemination of sexually degrading depictions of women who are not clearly subject to harsh pornography from a women's political point of view. "

- S / M Depesche April / May / June 1999, p. 3

As a result, voices were raised among sexologists criticizing the increasing ideologization of the discussion. The German Society for Social Science Sex Research found:

“Behind some of the minister’s formulations there are indeed views that we as sexologists cannot approve because they fail to recognize the actual variety of our sexualities. We will also convey our concerns to the minister, although we do not want to do so in the public market, especially with such a sensitive issue. "

- quoted from : Headlines No. 45 (03/99), p. 31

As a result, the then Federal Minister of Justice Herta Däubler-Gmelin called for a clear ban on pornography in 1999 :

“A sensible law against pornography belongs in the overall package against sexual violence. Pornography is a violation of human dignity. We also have to think about sanctions for the trade and consumption of pornography ... Compensation for the victims of pornography is also an issue. "

- quoted from : Arne Hoffmann: The Lexicon of Sadomasochism. , P. 165

On December 27, 2003, in the course of the sex criminal law reform, the pornography paragraph was amended with regard to child pornography and new media.

In autumn 2007 an issue of EMMA appeared for the first time, in which the magazine, according to its own statements, started another campaign against pornography. The underlying definition of the magazine is: "Pornography is the combination in text or image of sexual pleasure with pleasure in humiliation and violence."

literature

  • Bettina Bremme : Sexuality in a distorting mirror. The pornography debate , Münster, 1990
  • Pat Califia : "A Personal View of the History of the Lesbian S / M Community and Movement in San Francisco". in: Coming to Power: Writings and Graphics on Lesbian S / M, Alyson Publications , Boston, 3rd edition October 1987, ISBN 0-932870-28-7
  • Brigitte Classen (ed.): Pornost. Drive culture and profit. Contributions by Neda Bei, Claudia Gehrke, Elfriede Jelinek , Gertrud Koch, Ursula Krechel, Elisabeth Lenk, Ginka Steinwachs, Monika Treut, Kate Wood, Munich, Raben-Verlag 1988
  • Ann Ferguson , et al. a .: Forum: The Feminist Sexuality Debates , in Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 10 (1), 1984 (a representation of the corresponding American discussion)
  • Claudia Gehrke : Women and Pornography , Konkursbuch-Verlag , Claudia Gehrke, 1988
  • Angela Graf: Between mustiness and human rights. PorNo debates 1978–1994 . In: Practical Media 19, 1995, Issue 1, pp. 12-17
  • Berl Kutschinsky: Pornography and Sex Crimes. The example of Denmark. Publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 1972
  • Art Levine: "Whip Me, Beat Me and While You're At It Cancel My NOW Membership" , from the Washington Monthly of June 1, 1987
  • Wendy McElroy : A Woman's Right to Pornography. , St. Martin's Press, New York, 1995, ISBN 0-312-13626-9
  • Corinna Rückert : Woman pornography - pornography by women for women. A cultural studies study (dissertation). Peter Lang (European Publishing House for Science), Frankfurt am Main, 2002, ISBN 3-631-36630-2
  • Corinna Rückert: The new lust of women. From the relaxed way of dealing with pornography. Rowohlt, Hamburg, 2004, ISBN 3-499-61686-6
  • Irene Stoehr: PorNO campaign and women's movement , in: Zeitschrift für Sexualforschung, issue 3/1989 (PorNO critical article)
  • Nadine Strossen : Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women's Rights. New York University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-8147-8149-7
  • Nadine Strossen: In defense of pornography. For the freedom of the word, sex and the rights of women , Haffmans Verlag, Zurich, 1997, ISBN 3-251-00380-1
  • Jean Roberta: Erotica and the Feminist Sex Wars: A Personal Herstory , Girlphoria.com , 1999
  • Gayle Rubin : Misguided, Dangerous and Wrong: an Analysis of Anti-Pornography Politics. In: Bad Girls and Dirty Pictures: The Challenge to Reclaim Feminism . Assiter Alison and Carol Avedon (Eds.), Boulder, Colorado, Pluto, 1993, pp. 18-40, ISBN 0-7453-0523-7
  • Samois : Coming to Power: Writings and Graphics on Lesbian S / M. , Alyson Pubns, 1983, ISBN 0-932870-28-7
  • Alice Schwarzer (Ed.): PorNO series. EMMA special volume, EMMA Frauenverlags GmbH, Cologne, 1988
  • Alice Schwarzer: Female masochism is collaboration! In: EMMA, Vol. 2, 1991
  • Alice Schwarzer (Ed.): PorNO. Victims & perpetrators. Resistance & backlash. Responsibility & Law , EMMA Frauenverlags GmbH, 1994
  • Alice Schwarzer: The big difference - Against the division of people into men and women , Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 2000
  • Ellen Willis : Feminism, Moralism, and Pornography. In: Ann Snitow, Christine Stansell, Sharon Thompson (Eds.), Powers of Desire: The Politics of Sexuality, 1983, pp. 460-467, New York (Monthly Review Press), ISBN 0-85345-609-7

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ "The reasoning", paragraph 4, "The current criminal law (§ 184 StGB) defines pornography differently." .
  2. ↑ Alice Schwarzer: Pornography is cool ... , EMMA, No. 5,2007.
  3. ↑ PorNO. Victims & perpetrators. Resistance & backlash. Responsibility & Law. Schwarzer, Alice (Ed.), 1994, Emma Frauenverlags GmbH, Cologne) The cover picture of the volume was illustrated by a drawing by John Willie .
  4. ↑ draft proposal 1987
  5. ↑ Isabelle Azoulay: Fantastic Abysses. The violence in the sexual fantasy of women , Brandes & Apsel, 2nd edition, 2003, ISBN 3860992678 , quoted from Arne Hoffmann: Das Lexikon des Sadomasochismus. The Inside Guide to Dark Eroticism: Practices and Instruments, People and Institutions, Literature and Film, Politics and Philosophy , p. 164, Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf 2000 - ISBN 3-896-022-903 .
  6. ↑ cf. Wendy McElroy: A Woman's Right to Pornography. , 1995.
  7. ↑ cf. on this Arne Hoffmann: The Lexicon of Sadomasochism. The Inside guide to dark eroticism: practices and instruments, people and institutions, literature and film, politics and philosophy. , P. 342 ff., Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf 2000, ISBN 3-896-022-903 .
  8. ↑ Kathrin Passig, Ira Strübel: Die Wahl der Qual , Rowohlt Verlag , 2000, ISBN 3499609444 , Chapter 5 "May they do that? - The legal deposit ", section "Excursion: The PorNO campaign in Germany"
  9. ↑ Feminist Porn Film Award - Think sexpositiv! 19 October 2009 online at taz.de .
  10. ^ EMMA: An Alliance for Women , May / June 1998, pp. 26-29.
  11. ↑ see Regine Zylka: Party alliance before the cart by Alice Schwarzer , Berliner Zeitung of August 18, 1998, page 4, online under Party alliance before the cart by Alice Schwarzer .
  12. ↑ S / M Depesche January / February / March 1999, p. 8.
  13. ↑ EMMA, the 6/2007 issue