Essay from the year 2008 in the subject Women Studies / Gender Studies, grade: 1,7, bo Akademi University, language: English, abstract: In the beginning of the 20th century sexuality in Western culture was considered as a taboo and especially the church acted repressive towards sexual topics.. Since the 1960s the term "sexual revolution" described a cultural change in the western society towards a more liberal view of sexuality, monogamy and sexual relationships. Reasons for that are on the one hand the availability of new methods of birth-control like "The Pill" and the lack of fear of sexual diseases in the 1960s but on the other hand also a change of thoughts and believes which came up through the students movement of 1968 and its more promiscuous and hedonistic way of live ("Sex, Drugs & Rock'n Roll"), which still influences our sexual believes today. To understand the consequences of this development I want to explain the term "sexualization of society", which describes the constant (or growing) presence of sexuality in public, in social perception and consciousness of the people. It also refers to the focus or emphasis on sexuality within a broader context and viewing an object under the sexual point of view or in terms of sexuality. I want to analyze if a sexualization of society as an example in the case of "mainstreaming of pornography" really has taken place and in what way this is reflected in pornography and prostitution. Therefore I will also consider the changes in the public opinion towards pornography and I will compare it to prostitution and its role in our society.

This collection of new and classic writings about the sex industry asks us to think about the differences between our society's treatment of prostitution and pornography, while investigating how liberalism deals with the sex industry in general.

Essay from the year 2008 in the subject Gender Studies, grade: 1,7, Åbo Akademi University, language: English, abstract: In the beginning of the 20th century sexuality in Western culture was considered as a taboo and especially the church acted repressive towards sexual topics.. Since the 1960s the term “sexual revolution” described a cultural change in the western society towards a more liberal view of sexuality, monogamy and sexual relationships. Reasons for that are on the one hand the availability of new methods of birth-control like “The Pill” and the lack of fear of sexual diseases in the 1960s but on the other hand also a change of thoughts and believes which came up through the students movement of 1968 and its more promiscuous and hedonistic way of live (“Sex, Drugs & Rock'n Roll”), which still influences our sexual believes today. To understand the consequences of this development I want to explain the term “sexualization of society”, which describes the constant (or growing) presence of sexuality in public, in social perception and consciousness of the people. It also refers to the focus or emphasis on sexuality within a broader context and viewing an object under the sexual point of view or in terms of sexuality. I want to analyze if a sexualization of society as an example in the case of “mainstreaming of pornography” really has taken place and in what way this is reflected in pornography and prostitution. Therefore I will also consider the changes in the public opinion towards pornography and I will compare it to prostitution and its role in our society.

Prostitution and pornography are linked with racism and male dominance as well as with imperialism, militarism (including torture) and global corporate culture. The result is devastating harm for women and children within these industries. Subjected to physical and psychological violence - poverty, drug addiction and homelessness are their usual companions. With its mix of personal stories, theory, research, testimony, and accounts of current activism, Not For Sale will be an invaluable resource for all those seeking to inform themselves about the realities of the sex business and will serve to strengthen and broaden feminist resistance to pornography and prostitution.

This groundbreaking collection of essays on the sex industry contains original studies on sex work, its risks and benefits, and its political implications. Sex for Sale covers areas not commonly researched, including gay and lesbian pornography, telephone sex workers, customers of prostitutes, male and female escorts who work independently, street prostitution, sex tourism, legal prostitution, and strip clubs that cater to women. Sex for Sale also tracks various trends during the past decade, including the mainstreaming and growing acceptance of some types of sexual commerce and the growing criminalization of other types, such as sex trafficking. Sex for Sale offers a window into the lived experiences of sex workers as well as an analysis of the larger gender arrangements and political structures that shape the experiences of workers and their clients. This book contributes greatly to a growing research literature that documents the rich variation, nuances, and complexities in the exchange of sexual services, performances, and products. This book will change the way we understand sex work.