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From: smann@iham1.UUCP (Sherry Mann)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Pornography and Censorship, a woman's view
Message-ID: <445@iham1.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Sep-85 14:11:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: iham1.445
Posted: Mon Sep 16 14:11:51 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Sep-85 05:51:59 EDT
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I want to stick my 2 cents worth in too, as a woman and
as someone concerned about both pornography and censorship.

I am completely against censorship.

The debate raging here seems to take as a given that
feminists want to censor pornography.

I consider myself a feminist.

What I'd like to see, is an increase in awareness among the
people in our society that pornography is degrading to women
and promotes sexist attitudes, is exploitive of women, etc.,
so that individuals in our society no longer condone
pornography.  It is the change in attitudes that is
important.

I suggest anyone wanting to debate this subject first read
an article written by Gloria Steinham which offers a very
reasoned, intelligent essay on the subject.  It can be found
in her book "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" which
I highly recommend as a very good read.
I am not going to claim that Gloria Steinham's views reflect
all of the feminist movement, but I do think that anyone
talking about what feminists are trying to do, such as banning
or censoring pornography, try reading her.  Honest, she
is an extremely intelligent women, and if not THE spokesperson
for the women's movement, certainly a leader.

Another article in the book I found to be very interesting,
and related to this was based on an interview with Linda
Lovelace.