Pornography and Civil Rights: A New Day for Women's Equality

very nasty enemy. It is a longterm struggle against sexual exploitation and entrenched inequality. We have to win, because the alternative is to give in to systematic sexual abuse of

women as entertainment; we cannot agree to live in a society

that enjoys sexual sadism against us. We have a right to live

in a world premised on our equality and our human dignity.

This is truth time. Do women’s rights really mat er? Do they

really mat er to you? Are you prepared to fight for them? Are

you prepared to make this society change so that your integrity and sense of justice are respected in the real world? How much does the life of the woman in the pornography mat er

to you? How much does the woman who has been abused because of the pornography mat er to you? How much does your own life mat er to you?

This is truth time. We can win if you care enough. Winning

depends on you.

Questions and Answers

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Pornography and Civil Rights

Table of Authorities

American Booksellers, Inc. v. Hud nut, 771 F. 2d 323 (7th Cir.

1985), aff’d 106 S. Ct. 1172 (1986) (civil-rights antipornography

law found to violate First Amendment). . . . . . . . . . 58-65, 69, 95

Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography, Final Report

(July, 1986) (evidence on harm of pornography reviewed and

recommendations for action made)............................................. 25

Bogdanovich, P., The Kil ing of the Unicom: Dorothy Stratten

1960-1980 (New York: William Morrow, 1 9 8 4 ). . . . . . . . 69-70

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U. S. 483 (1954) and 349 U. S.

294 (1955) (racial segregation in schools found unconstitutional;

ordered integrated).......................................................................7-8

Civil Rights Act of 1964 (sex and race discrimination

prohibited)............................................................. 7, 10, 12-13, 14

Dred Scott v. Sanford, 60 U. S. (19 How. ) 393 (1856) (slavery held

constitutional) .......................................... .................................7

Dworkin, A, “Against the Male Flood: Censorship, Pornography,

and Equality, ”9 Harvard Women’s Law Journal 1 (1985)

(subordination discussed in context of Ordinance) ... . . . . . . 39

First Amendment to the United States Constitution (guarantees

“freedom of speech and of the press” from restriction by

government; interpreted to protect freedom of association)

. . . . . . . 17, 19, 21-22, 26, 27, 58-60, 62-63, 68, 78-79, 84-85

Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

(guarantees “equal protection of the laws”) . . . . . . . . . . 7, 12, 14

Goldstein and Milky Way Productions, Inc. v. Frances Patai and

Women Against Pornography, Complaint, Supreme Court of the

State of New York (Oct. 10, 1984) (pornographer sues feminists