VIOLENT WOMEN, WAR PORN, AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS: MAKING THE LINKS

There are a multitude of disturbing links between pornography, war photography, and conflict- and have been throughout history. Technologies such as digital cameras and video recorders, and widespread access to the internet have meant that war images can be accessed and exchanged at rates and in ways previously unavailable. What is disturbing and politically significant about this influx in image distribution and exchange is the prevalence of pornographic images, the sexualization of war images, and the outright exchange of “gory” war images for pornographic images on popular websites.

Pornographic material is central to the process of the violent reproduction of gender. In particular, it is central to the reproduction of violent women- particularly women who participate in warfare- as weak, desirable, and feminine. It is useful to look to pornography studies to better understand the role of pornography in the construction and reconstruction not only of violent women but of the ‘norm’ of dominant, masculine men. Pornography studies help demonstrate that pornographic images serve to recalibrate patriarchal gender orders and may even serve as a form of comfort or a coping mechanism for men searching for reassurance of their ‘natural’ superiority to women. Violent women destabilize notions of men as heroes, saviors, and superior. The portrayal of violent women in pornography recasts women as subordinate, sexual, desirable and weaker than men. 

Investigating the myriad of ways that gender is reproduced as well as the variety of mediums implicated in this process is an essential task for feminist international relations scholars. This investigation of the role of pornography demonstrates that images, the internet, and the media are all significant mediums for the reproduction of gender. Moreover, this analysis supports the argument that sex has everything to do with international relations- despite the avoidance of the subject by most mainstream research. Furthermore, blogging, web groups, and other internet exchanges are political and reveal a great deal about acceptable behaviors, foundational beliefs, and ethics within the military in particular. 

WAPPP Security Fellow, Megan MacKenzie, Joint Gender and International Security Fellow, is investigating the role of pornography and demonstrates that images, the internet, and the media are all significant mediums for the reproduction of gender. She presented her working paper, “Violent Women, War Porn and International Politics: Making the Links” at the 2009 International Security Association’s (ISA) Annual Conference in New York City in February. Megan’s previous work focused on female soldiers in Sierra Leone’s in-access to transitional services.

In an effort to encourage submissions from a wide range of feminist scholars- including junior scholars- and to ensure that feminist scholars are represented at the International Studies Association, Megan MacKenzie and Swati Parashar offered organized selected feminist panels at the conference. The response to the initial call for papers was overwhelming and the final result was eight panels exclusively focusing on feminist security studies. These panels ranged in topics from violent women to development studies to methodology and featured high profile leaders in the field such as Christine Sylvester and Laura Sjoberg, as well as junior scholars. The coherence and quality of the panels resulted in large audiences and fantastic discussions. It was a great step towards developing the Feminist Theory and Gender Studies section of the ISA and creating a supportive and inspiring community of feminist scholars.

WAPPP would like to thank the Alliance for their generous support of our work in gender and security.

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