Pornography and Pop Culture: Reframing Theory, Re-thinking Activism

March 23-25, 2007, free admission

The so-called “porn wars” that were fought over the feminist critique of contemporary mass-marketed pornography derailed important academic and activist work. It is time to move on by reframing our thinking on pornography, especially in light of the important changes that have occurred in both technology and pop culture over the past two decades.

In the world of the internet, cell phone porn, shock jocks and sexually degrading reality TV, the central insights of the critical feminist perspective are more important than ever.

Agenda:
Friday, March 23: Opening Conference Event 7:30-9:30 p.m.--Beyond Beats and Rhymes: A Hip-Hop Head Weighs in on Manhood in Hip-Hop Culture

Screening and Discussion with Beyond Beats and Rhymes filmmaker, Byron Hurt.

Beyond Beats and Rhymes: A Hip-Hop Head Weighs in on Manhood in Rap Music - a 2006 Sundance Film Festival selection - is a riveting PBS documentary that examines representations of manhood, sexism and homophobia in Hip-Hop culture.

Saturday, March 24: Pornography and Pop Culture: Reframing Theory 9:00-9:15 a.m.: Welcome

9:15-10:00 a.m.: Not Your Father’s Playboy and Not Your Mother’s Feminist Movement: Contemporary Feminism in a Porn Culture
Rebecca Whisnant Assistant Professor of Philosophy
University of Dayton

Rebecca Whisnant compares second-wave analyses of pornography to responses that have been common in self-described third-wave feminism. She argues that although there are ways in which second-wave radical feminist analyses need updating to address a new generation with different experiences of, and relationships to, pornography, the second-wave radical feminists provided the most compelling ways to understand pornography.

10:00-11:00 a.m.: Real Men, Real Choices
Robert Jensen, Associate Professor of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin

11:00-11:15 a.m.: Break

11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m.: Pornography and Pop Culture: Putting the Text in Context
Gail Dines, Professor of Sociology and American Studies, Wheelock College

Porn and pop culture have, over the years, increasing become more entwined, financially and discursively. However, during this same period, much of academic theory and research on pornography has isolated and decontextualized the pornographic text by ignoring the politics of production and consumption. In this presentation, Dines develops a framework, drawing from radical feminism, Cultural Studies and Black Studies, for understanding pornography as both an industry and a discourse that constructs identity within an image-based society characterized by gender, race and class inequality.

12:45-2:00 p.m.: Lunch

2:00-3:15 p.m.: Pornography, Prostitution, and Sex Trafficking: How Do You Tell the Difference?
Melissa Farley, Director, Prostitution Research and Education, San Francisco
Rachel Lloyd, Director, Girls’ Educational and Mentoring Services

Lloyd and Farley will discuss the evidence for pornography as harm to women, as educational material for men, and as sex trafficking. Documenting the sexual exploitation and abuse of women in prostitution, pornography can't be separated from prostitution and trafficking. Pornography teaches incest perps, rapists, and johns, how to treat women. Mainstreaming prostitution to younger and younger men, pimps advertise to johns via the Internet. As pimps turn them out, pornography teaches girls what acts to perform with johns. Today, pornography is one way that women are trafficked.

3:15-3:30 p.m.: Break

3:30-5:00 p.m.: Analyzing the Pornographic Text: Charting and Mapping Pornography through Content Analysis
Ana Bridges, Erica Scharrer, University of Rhode Island, U/Mass Amherst
Robert Wosnitzer, New York University

One of the limitations of the discussion of the content of hardcore pornography has been the lack of large-scale content analyses. An extensive new study of mainstream hardcore pornography -- the most important content analysis in more than a decade -- will provide an important base from which to evaluate the messages in pornography. The researchers (from New York University, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Rhode Island) have created a sophisticated coding protocol that was applied to 50 of the most popular hardcore films, and the results reveal much about the deep misogyny of the industry. Members of the research team will give the conference a preview of some of the key findings that will be appearing in future publications. The panel will also include a discussion of the issues encountered by the coding team who spent many hours viewing pornography.

5:00-7:00 p.m.: Dinner Break

7:00-9:00 p.m.: 'Fantasies' Matter: Pornography, Sexuality and Relationships. Screening and Discussion with filmmaker Chyng Sun

This provocative new film – which includes interviews with pornography producers, performers, and consumers, as well as with scholars, critics, and activists - takes an honest look at the role of increasingly important role of pornography in contemporary culture. Industry insiders explain what making pornography is really like, while those who use it talk honestly about its effects on their lives. In a culture that either celebrates pornography as liberation or condemns it as immoral, never has it been more important to assess honestly the role of sexually explicit material in our everyday lives without fear of where that exploration takes us. “'Fantasies’ Matter” offers viewers a route into these crucial questions.

Sunday March 25: Pornography and Pop Culture: Rethinking Activism

9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon: Talking about Pornography in a “Pornified” Culture

Many feminist critics of pornography were originally drawn to the issue through exposure to the early anti-pornography slideshows. Few methods have proved as effective in introducing people to a critical feminist analysis of pornography. However, the last decade or so has seen massive changes in the pornography industry — its content, its technologies, and its relationship to mainstream pop culture — which render those early slideshows inadequate tools for contemporary anti-pornography education and activism.

To help build a movement that speaks to the realities of our contemporary internet-based, “pornified” society, Gail Dines, Rebecca Whisnant and Robert Jensen have developed a new anti-porn slide presentation consisting of Powerpoint images, an accompanying script, and a Q+A guide. This show is now being distributed to organizations and individuals involved in feminist activism, anti-violence work and educational outreach.

The morning workshop will begin with a presentation of the slideshow by Rebecca Whisnant and a feedback session from the audience. This will be followed by a “Q+A” practice session where the conference participants will take the lead in answering the typical questions that such shows generate. The goal is to collaboratively develop a language for talking about pornography in settings such as colleges, community centers, PTAs and anti-violence organizations. Copies of the script and Powerpoint will be available to those who have participated in this session and who wish to begin presenting the slideshow in their own communities.

12:00 noon-1:00 p.m.: Lunch

1:00-3:00 p.m.: Building a new Feminist Anti-pornography Movement for the Twenty First Century: Goals, Coalitions, and Strategies to Aim for and Pitfalls to Avoid

Facilitated by the leadership team of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault

From the late 1970s through the early 1990s, the feminist anti-pornography movement put the issue of men’s sexual exploitation of women and children on the political map in dramatic fashion. But for more than a decade there has been little organized activism on the issue. How do we regain that momentum and move forward the work of changing the culture? Organizers from the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault will lead a workshop in which we will evaluate the resources available and strategize about the next steps. What is the role of existing institutions, such as rape crisis centers? How do we most effectively reach community groups? What kind of coalition building is possible? The ICASA staff will bring their experience in building an impressive statewide network on the issue of violence to the question of pornography.

3:30 p.m.: And now time to relax and talk informally

Accommodations
Hotel rooms are available at a conference rate of $139.00 per night at the Holiday Inn in Brookline. Please call (617) 277-1200 and ask for the Wheelock conference rate. For room shares at this rate, please contact pornographyandpopculture@gmail.com, and conference organizers will put you into contact with potential roommates.

For more info, visit the conference webpage at http://www.wheelock.edu/ppc/

Travel scholarships are available for low income attendees. The conference committee is also trying to organize local housing for low income participants. Please send inquiries to pornographyandpopculture@gmail.com **********************************************************

NCADV 12th National Conference on Domestic Violence: Organizing for Collective Power

July 11 - 12, 2006 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, GA

Join the many domestic violence advocates and allies working to end domestic violence for this cutting-edge conference hosted by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. We will discuss and explore ways our collective strength and power as those committed to ending domestic violence can be greater mobilized. Best practices as well as other critical issues facing battered women will be addressed.

Contact: Gretchen Shaw. Call (303) 839-1852 x 107, or email gshaw@ncadv.org or conference@ncadv.org For more info, go to http://www.ncadv.org

Young Womens' Leadership Summit

July 11, 2006, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Chicago, IL

An emerging Leaders Conference for young women ages 14-21. Workshops, plenary panel discussion around civic engagement, advocacy, and self-sufficiency for young women.

Contact: Sonia Kennedy. Call (773) 406-0884 or email sparklefoundation@juno.com

Business and Professional Women National Conference

July 19 - 21, 2006, 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Adam's Mark Downtown, Dallas, TX

Annually, more than 700 attendees join Business and Professional Women/USA for the National Conference. The purpose of the conference is to promote attendees’ professional, leadership and personal development while examining cutting-edge research, innovations and thinking on workingwomen. Don’t miss this great opportunity to network with women from all over the county as well as to hear dynamic speakers and participate in insightful workshops. A few highlights include television personality, published author, and family advocate Judge Glenda Hatchett giving the keynote address at the Opening Kickoff Celebration, Director of Democracy and Society Programs at the Institute for Women's Policy Research, Amy Caiazza, Ph.D. on the Religion and Feminism Plenary, and Coordinator of the National ERA Campaign Network, Kathy Kelly on the Why our Daughters Need the ERA panel. A variety of registration options are available from one day sessions to conference and membership packages.

Contact Beth Robbins. Call (202) 777-8926 or email brobbins@bpwusa.org. For more info, http://bpwusa.org/nationalconference

31st National Conference on Men and Masculinity - Creating Connections for Gender Justice

The conference on Men & Masculinity is for activists, academics, workers in mental health, diversity, faith communities, domestic and sexual violence. It is for anyone interested in gathering, organizing and working to end all forms of oppression and injustice and to celebrate choice, alternatives, and possibilities.

August 3 - 6, 2006 at the Ramapo College of New Jersey
Opens: Thurs., Aug. 3rd at 7:00pm
Closes: Sun., Aug. 6th at 3:00pm
Registration fee, includes 5 meals, $195: Students/Seniors, $100 Single Day, Fri/Sat only, $100; Students/Seniors, $ 50 Housing fee, double occupancy, $34 per night
Scholarships available upon request.

For more info, http://www.nomas.org

A Call to Men National Conference

September 20 - 22, 2006, Charlotte, NC

Contact: Carol Galione cgalione@acalltomen.com.

"A Call To Men is a leading national men's organization addressing men's violence against women, and the eradication of sexism, while maintaining strong coalitions with women's organizations already doing this important work. We help to organize communities in order to raise awareness and get men involved in ending violence against women." For more info, http://www.acalltomen.org

Enlightened Power: How Women Are Changing The Way We Live

October 13 - 15, 2006, OMEGA Institute, Rhinebeck, NY, Tuition $315.

Join us for a weekend conference of inspiring keynote talks, workshops, and a world-cafe conversation to celebrate and study how women are changing the way we live both at home and at work. By bringing their authentic feminine voices into business, politics, environmental concerns, money matters, relationships, creativity, and spirituality, women are transforming the very nature of power. This new kind of enlightened power balances personal fulfillment with professional excellence and groundbreaking social change.

Enjoy movement, meditation, music, reflection, and conversation as we address a wide range of topics through expertly led workshops as well as a Saturday night celebration with the dynamic vocal ensemble, The Voices of Africa.

With keynote speakers Yolanda King, Gov. Ann Richards, Marcia Ann Gillespie, Celinda Lake, Marianne Williamson Loung Ung, Gail Straub, Carla Goldstein, J.D., Rachel bagby and Sharon Salzberg.

For further information, or to book your place, please contact Bonnie Singman at Omega. Call 800-945-1001 or 845-266-4444 or email registration@eomega.org.