The faculty of the Women’s and Gender Studies Department would like to take this opportunity to respond to the anonymous letter “Progressive Porn? No Such Thing” published in the Mass Media last week.
First, we thank the writer for bravely sharing her story that so compellingly calls attention to the realities of sexual exploitation in the porn industry. Indeed, our interest in promoting the event (sponsored by the Graduate Consortium in Women’s Studies of which the University of Massachusetts Boston is a member institution), is to foster more of the kind of dialogue and critical engagement that this writer’s comments inspire.
At the same time, we want to be clear about the intent of the program, as we see it. The speaker, Carol Queen, herself a former sex worker, aims not to erase the humanity of the people who work in the industry, but rather to ask a question that involves both the producers and consumers of pornography: What is pornography teaching us about sexuality, gender roles and norms?
We want to be clear however, that the WGS promotion of this or any other event on or off campus neither implies our endorsement of the speaker’s argument or arguments nor any particular position on the issues involved. Rather, we are invested in encouraging informed and reasoned discussion that includes the richest possible diversity of voices, experiences and viewpoints.
Response to the UMass Boston student and former escort who wrote about the ‘Progressive Porn’ event
By Women's and Gender Studies
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September 26, 2013