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Pornography and Civil Rights
Appendix A
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS
Amending Tide 7, Chapter 139 of the Minneapolis Code of
Ordinances relating to Civil Rights: In General.
The City Council of the City of Minneapolis do ordain as fol ows:
Section 1. That Section 139. 10 of the above-entitled ordinance be
amended to read as fol ows:
139. 10 Findings, declaration of policy and purpose.
(a) Findings. The council finds that discrimination in employment,
labor union membership, housing accommodations, property
rights, education, public accommodations and public services
based on race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex,
including sexual harassment AND PORNOGRAPHY, af ectional
preference, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to
public assistance or in housing accommodations based on familial
status adversely af ects the health, welfare, peace and safety of the
community. Such discriminatory practices degrade individuals,
foster intolerance and hate, and create and intensify
unemployment, sub-standard housing, under-education, il health,
lawlessness and poverty, thereby injuring the public welfare.
m SPECIAL FINDINGS ON PORNOGRAPHY: THE
COUNCIL FINDS THAT PORNOGRAPHY IS CENTRAL
IN CREATING AND MAINTAINING THE CIVIL
INEQUALITY OF THE SEXES. PORNOGRAPHY IS A
SYSTEMATIC PRACTICE OF EXPLOITATION AND
SUBORDINATION BASED ON SEX WHICH
DIFFERENTIALLY HARMS WOMEN. THE BIGOTRY
AND CONTEMPT IT PROMOTES, WITH THE ACTS OF
AGGRESSION IT FOSTERS, HARM WOMEN’S
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EQUALITY OF RIGHTS IN
EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, PROPERTY RIGHTS,
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICES;
CREATE PUBLIC HARASSMENT AND PRIVATE
DENIGRATION; PROMOTE INJURY AND
DEGRADATION SUCH AS RAPE, BATTERY AND
PROSTITUTION AND INHIBIT JUST ENFORCEMENT
OF LAWS AGAINST THESE ACTS; CONTRIBUTE
SIGNIFICANTLY TO RESTRICTING WOMEN FROM
FULL EXERCISE OF CITIZENSHIP AND
Appendix A: The Minneapolis Ordinance
99
PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC LIFE, INCLUDING IN
NEIGHBORHOODS; DAMAGE RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE SEXES; AND UNDERMINE WOMEN’S EQUAL
