Feminist Sex Wars

"Porn Wars" redirects here. For the musical composition of this name, see Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention.

The Feminist Sex Wars, Lesbian Sex Wars, or simply the Sex Wars or Porn Wars, refers to the acrimonious debates within the feminist movement and lesbian community in the late 1970s through the 1980s around the issues of feminist strategies regarding sexuality, sexual representation, pornography, sadomasochism, the role of transwomen in the lesbian community, and other sexual issues. The debate pitted anti-pornography feminism against sex-positive feminism, and the feminist movement ended up deeply divided as a result. The Feminist Sex Wars are often viewed as the event that signaled the end of the Second-wave feminist era.

See also

• Samois
• Women Against Pornography
• Women Against Violence in Pornography and Media

Further reading

• Duggan, Lisa, and Nan D. Hunter. (1995). Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-91037-4 (paperback) ISBN 0-415-91036-6 (hardbound)
• Ellis, Kate. (1984). "I’m Black and Blue from the Rolling Stones and I’m Not Sure How I Feel about It: Pornography and the Feminist Imagination." In: Karen V. Hansen and Ilene J. Philipson (eds). (1990). Women, Class and the Feminist Imagination: A Socialist-Feminist Reader. Philadelphia: Temple University. ISBN 0-87722-654-7 (paperback) ISBN 0-87722-630-X (hardbound)
• Gerhard, Jane. (2001). Desiring Revolution: Second-Wave Feminism and the Rewriting of American Sexual Thought, 1920 to 1982. New York: Columbia Univ Pr. ISBN 0-231-11205-X (paperback) ISBN 0-231-11204-1 (hardbound)
• Healey, Emma. (1996). Lesbian Sex Wars. London: Virago. ISBN 1-86049-230-4
• Leidholdt, Dorchen and Raymond, Janice. (1990). The Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism. New York: Pergammon Press. ISBN 0-08-037457-3
• Vance, Carole S. (ed). (1984). Pleasure and Danger: Exploring Female Sexuality. (various publishers.) ISBN 0-04-440867-6, ISBN 0-04-440593-6, ISBN 0-7102-0248-2, ISBN 0-7100-9974-6

External links

• "Lesbian Sex Wars" by Elise Chenier, glbtq, 2004.
• "The Fireworks at the Sexuality Conference: Whom Should Feminists Fuck? by Marcia Pally, New York Native, May 24, 1982.
• "Charges of Exclusion & McCarthyism at Barnard Conference" by Tacie Dejanikus, off our backs 12(6), June 30, 1982.
• "Lesbian Sex Mafia ('L S/M') Speakout" by Fran Moira, off our backs 12(6), June 30, 1982.
• "The Context of 'Between Pleasure and Danger': The Barnard Conference on Sexuality" by Elizabeth Wilson, Feminist Review 13:35–52, Spring 1983. (PDF)
• "Sex and Feminism: Who Is Being Silenced?" by Adriene Sere, SaidIt 3(3), 2001.
• "Forum: The Feminist Sexuality Debates" by Ann Ferguson, et al., Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 10(1), 1984.
  • part 1 (PDF)
  • part 2 (PDF)
• "Whip Me, Beat Me and While You're At It Cancel My N.O.W. Membership" by Art Levine, Washington Monthly, June 1, 1987.
• "Erotica and the Feminist Sex Wars: A Personal Herstory" by Jean Roberta, Girlphoria.com, 1999.
• "1982", from Promiscuous Affections: A Life in The Bar, 1969-2000 by Rick Bébout, May, 2003.