If no one takes Andrea Dworkin's stand on pornography seriously, I do. Although not a feminist, I am acutely aware of the strains placed on women in today's society. Taking her essay "Pornography and Male Supremacy" for example, she states "The sexuality of women is seen as intrinsically seductive and sluttish, by its nature a provocation to which men respond."[1] While this may not always be the case, in some instances women in higher powered positions who work under a male often find themselves subjected to sexual harassment by male workmates who are under the false impression that women still need to use their sexuality to climb the corporate ladder. Dworkin also maintains that the biological approach extending its lively hand from cave-man days, is even worse. Built with the soul organ from which society is able to procreate and manifest itself, women are still seen largely as a breeding tool (see footnote 1). "The biological determinists believe precisely what the theologians believe: that women exist to be sexually used by men, to reproduce, to keep the cave clean, and to obey; failing which both men of religion and men of nature hypothesize that hitting the female might solve her problem."[2] Whether or not men of religion believe this is completely beside the point, because critically speaking it is the sociological phenomenon. Men have their business, women have theirs (even if it is just minding the children). What ARE women for? This question is one that lurks in the minds of both genders and the sad misappropriation of the female function has gone far beyond the need to breed. It is the need to dominate. With increasing numbers of women leaving home to build a future for themselves, the male species is becoming threatened. If women no longer find their power in their sexuality, then men are subjected to competition with the very species they were once in dominion of. In order to solve this problem, what shall we in all respects do? Go back to cleaning the cave?

[1] Dworkin, A. 1995. "Pornography and Male Supremacy" p 237.

[2] Ibid. p 238

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