Backwards and in High Heels

Feminist arguments on the subject of pornography belong to one of two categories: anti-pornography or anti-censorship. I will take an anti-censorship position, and proceed with an analysis of pornography's effects, presupposing a definition of pornography that falls under the umbrella of representations within the realm of (sexual) fantasy, where fantasy is a particular category of fiction. This paper evaluates the potential for mainstream pornography to produce harmful effects, implementing Judith Butler's analysis of the force of fantasy. I will then present my characterization of the pornography debate as pertaining to the paradox of fiction involving body genres, and examine the potential for egalitarian representations to operate within this framework.