FEMINIST LIBERATOR OR SUBVERSIVE IMPRISONER? UNDERSTANDING PORNOGRAPHY AMONG FEMINIST WOMEN IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Due to the eruption of pornographic material and increased global accessibility to such sexually explicit content through online means, it is no doubt that pornographic content is becoming a large part of our personal lives. While there have been many studies analysing the impact on pornographic content on the male psyche, especially since pornography has largely been produced for the male audience, very little has been done to shed light on how pornography impacts the attitudes and behaviour of women, much less feminist women. This study hopes to study how the feminist ideals in Singaporean women mediates the way in which they understand mainstream pornographic content. Based on indepth interviews with 9 feminist-identifying Singaporean women above 21 years of age who have consumed pornographic content, this study will aim to find out how and why they consume pornography. The interviewees are generally highly educated Singaporean women, and includes 2 transgender women as well. This study, being a feminist research, will accept varying definitions of “feminism” based on what the interviewees personally define for feminism to be. These definitions vary from “gender equality” to “changing gender performance”. The constraints of what is defined as pornography is also loose; with softcore movie scenes and erotic fiction considered pornography as well. This paper uncovered many reasons why and how feminist Singaporean women start watching and continue to consume pornography. While all women were propornography, there were a few who were decided that pornography perpetuated harmful gender constructs, which can be damaging in a society where gender relations remain unequal. Women also shared about what feminism means to them, and how they envision a world of better, ethical, and more inclusive pornography and sex.