Yes, I think we can make a separation here. Whatever anyone's views on pornography; to say disabled people should not be part of something "bad" or "exploitative" is to give them "special" status - and "special" is a label that we are challenging in all other areas of social life. So what is the difference with pornography? (Once again: I am not referring to sensationalist documentaries.)
When we argue for social inclusion we cannot say: "Hold on, but do not take part in this particular aspect of social life, because it's 'bad'". What we are aiming for is a society within which disabled adults are free to choose to do whatever they please to do. I therefore have no objections to the idea of disabled porn actors, as long as they are not portrayed as different.
Andrea
>
> From: "Larry Arnold" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 2006/07/04 Tue PM 12:31:20 BST
> To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: RE: Social inclusion, not "freak shows" - Re: Re: sex ...
>
> I do not think we can seperate issues of feminism and disability oppression
> from each other as they are both artefacts of an unequal society, and the
> media re-inforces stereotypes of both kinds. Of course a disabled woman
> should be free to be a porn star, but in a free society should be able to
> appreciate the criticism that might attract from other free agents.
>
> Whatever we think of the merits of pornography, I do not think that being a
> porn star or participating in a disengenous documentary is the same as
> appearing in independant cinema and expressing ones sexuality there.
> Pornography is part of market exploitation and there should be limits to
> sexual expression self informed by the notions of a pluralistic society,
> after all I don't think many want to see a society that allows "dogging" to
> become the predominant passtime outside the local primary school.
>
> Breaking down one barrier whilst re-inforcing another is something that
> should attract criticism. Whilst pornography has the hold that it does and
> is clearly the exploitation of sex for profit.Whilst pronography is market
> exploitation it is apparant enough that documentary makers will cash in on
> that vicariously.
>
> Larry
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Andrea Hollomotz
> > Sent: 03 July 2006 08:36
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Social inclusion, not "freak shows" - Re: Re: sex ...
> >
> >
> > Hi Larry,
> >
> > Obviously women buy pornography, because women have an active
> > sexuality, thus are not passive as formerly assumed. I am still
> > convinced that most women buy the type of porn that is currently
> > available because there is nothing better out there for them to
> > watch, so bad quality is better than none at all.
> > But this is getting off the point. What I was trying to say is
> > that a female, disabled porn star is not an issue of discussion
> > for disability studies, but it is rather an issue for feminist
> > debate, because pornography sells sexual images that are not very
> > positive on women’s sexuality, that promote the assumption that
> > women enjoy to fulfil male sexual urges and have none of their
> > own. But this criticism is secondary to my argument.
> >
> > Disabled people are fighting for inclusion in every aspect of
> > social life. Should popular culture, including porn, not be part
> > of it? So what is all the fuss about? Yes, I agree that
> > documentaries exploring people who are different with perverse
> > fascination are “freak shows”. Every single episode of
> > “Dispatches” I ever saw made me want to vomit!
> >
> > Social inclusion is the process whereby individuals who were
> > previously marginalised become part of mainstream society, not by
> > conforming to norms established by other social actors, but by
> > simply “being themselves” and with this contributing to the
> > diversity of the society they are actively becoming part of. We
> > like to see disabled people becoming socially included in all
> > areas of social life, like employment, education and popular
> > culture. We are thrilled to see a disabled comedian appear on the
> > scene, we want more disabled pop stars, more disabled actors,
> > more positive portrayals of disabled people within “mainstream”
> > films, in which their disability is not the primary focus. This
> > is why I think that a disabled porn star is nothing but positive,
> > despite feminist criticism of pornography per se. If inclusion
> > means not to conform, then a disabled porn star should be allowed
> > to be different. Why panic that some may think she is a “freak”?
> > Do we ever say that disabled actors should hide their disability,
> > because otherwise their performance will go down as a “freak
> > show”? No! What is different with porn actors?
> >
> > Sexuality is an important aspect of disabled people’s lives. Once
> > disabled people are generally acknowledged to be sexual actors,
> > there will be disabled porn-stars. This is social inclusion, not
> > a “freak show”.
> >
> > Andrea
> >
> > >
> > > From: Larry Arnold <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Date: 2006/06/30 Fri PM 09:10:30 BST
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: sex ...
> > >
> > > Sex is central to the human condition and any condition for
> > that matter lest
> > > you be a plant propogating asexually.
> > >
> > > And pornography is as old as literature I do not doubt, but I
> > do sincerely
> > > believe that mainstream TV's interest in disabled people whether it is
> > > sexual habits or anything else is purely freak circus stuff.
> > >
> > > In reality until "disability" is consdidered as normality, a part of the
> > > total human condition not a sub genre then all interest is going to be
> > > prurient, it is an offspring of the marginalisation of
> > disability and the
> > > creation of "the other" as status that no-one is immune from
> > and is created
> > > socially when one crosses some line or other in the metaphorical sand. A
> > > condition one fears and despises, mocks and is entertained by
> > until it one
> > > finds oneself on the wrong side of this artificial barrier,
> > just as religion
> > > and ethnicity can be of no consequence until the prevailing political or
> > > social ethos makes it so.
> > >
> > > The Media are not our friends, they are false allies as alcohol
> > is to the
> > > drunkard.
> > >
> > > Larry
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jenny Parry
> > > > Sent: 29 June 2006 20:45
> > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > Subject: sex ...
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Hi Andrea ...
> > > > yes I agree with a lot of what you say, but at the same time the
> > > > 'disabled
> > > > people as curios' (ref Colin Barnes) keeps leaping to the fore.
> > > > This is a
> > > > reply I sent to someone on this list back in January on a
> > > > similar subject :-
> > > >
> > > > Yes - I agree that the subject of 'disabled sexuality' needs to be
> > > > investigated - sensitively - for the benefit of those it affects
> > > > - but the
> > > > attached
> > > > article by Bev Burkitt illustrates graphically the curiosity felt by
> > > > non-disabled 'others' about how we 'do it'! Bev also points out
> > > > the need
> > > > for a better
> > > > understanding of the issues, but is a Channel4 TV programme the
> > > > way to go??
> > > > Cheers
> > > > Jenny
> > > > __http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/archframe.htm__
> > > > (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/archframe.htm_)
> > > > (_http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/archframe.htm_
> > > > (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/archframe.htm) )
> > > >
> > > > although I just tried the link and couldn't make it work.
> > > > Again - the above was relating to a C4 programme, but is a
> > porn show any
> > > > better?
> > > > If someone wants to participate in a porn movie then OK yes, and
> > > > if the fact
> > > > that they are disabled gains them some publicity then that is
> > > > also a choice
> > > > thing - but in all honesty would you show the disabled people
> > > > who you work
> > > > with this porn movie as a sex education example? I think not.
> > > > Sex education can be a necessity for many people, not 'just' disabled
> > > > people, but to endorse a woman being involved in porn, and
> > > > further a disabled woman
> > > > being involved, is not the sort of example I would like to use
> > > > for anybody,
> > > > disabled or otherwise.
> > > > This harks back somehow to the 'freak show' of old time circuses
> > > > - not sex
> > > > education, or even a good example .....
> > > > all best
> > > > Jenny
> > >
> > > ________________End of message______________________
> > > This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the
> > Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds
> (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about the list
> administratione should be sent to [log in to unmask]
> > Archives and tools are located at:
> > www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
> > You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
> >
>
> -----------------------------------------
> Email sent from www.ntlworld.com
> Virus-checked using McAfee(R) Software
> Visit www.ntlworld.com/security for more information
>
> ________________End of message______________________
> This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for
> Disability Studies at the University of Leeds
> (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about the list
> administratione should be sent to [log in to unmask]
> Archives and tools are located at:
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
> You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
>
>
>
>
-----------------------------------------
Email sent from www.ntlworld.com
Virus-checked using McAfee(R) Software
Visit www.ntlworld.com/security for more information
________________End of message______________________
This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about the list administratione should be sent to [log in to unmask]
Archives and tools are located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
|
