AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY
Anti-Pornography Website

RECOMMENDED BOOKS




[For more information on the National Feminist Anti-Pornography Movement: to contact them or to order the new anti-pornography slide show in PowerPoint with a script that was developed by Gail Dines, Rebecca Whisnant and Robert Jensen., to receive a copy of the script and supplementary materials, along with the CD with the slides, please send an email message to  or ] 


Pornography: Driving the Demand in International Sex Trafficking (2007) edited by David E. Guinn and Julie DiCaro; Captive Daughters Media. The most recent feminist anthology against pornography; takes into account the issues of prostitution, trafficking, the effects of pornography, and strategies for activism. Among the contributors are Catharine MacKinnon, Julie Bindel, Robert Jensen, Gail Dines, Neil Malamuth, Melissa Farley, Diana Russell, Vednita Carter, Christine Stark, Chyng Sun and Rebecca Whisnant. Available at
Xlibris or Amazon

Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity (2007) by Robert Jensen; South End Press. Robert Jensen gives us his most powerful and recent critiques of contemporary mainstream pornography industry and masculinity. He also brings up the important point that -- although not all individuals (men or women) are the same or behave the same way -- it is very important to recognize all the common patterns in society. Any man who uses and/or defends pornography should read this book. He would definitely know what he is missing! The book also contains an excellent "mirror" analogy (but I'm not saying anymore, read it!), and a brilliant analysis of "masculinity." This book makes the point that there is nothing better than being human -- including in the realm of sexuality. Girls and women, you should get this book for your boyfriends and husbands... Available at Amazon or South End Press

Not for Sale: Feminists Resisting Prostitution and Pornography (2004) edited by Christine Stark and Rebecca Whisnant; Spinifex. Not for Sale is an amazing feminist anthology. As well as compiling the evidences which prove that prostituted people are terribly harmed in the sex industry and exposing the harms of pornography and trafficking, it brings up interesting political insights on globalization, poverty, racism, colonization, and militarism. It also points out to the harms of pornography and prostitution being amplified by new technologies. It brings up a wide range of different subjects such as stripping, heterosexual, gay and lesbian pornography using, rape, divorce, sexual murders of women, religions and the so-called sex radical women. Also contains writings by some sex industry survivors. An indispensable book for anyone genuinely interested in social justice. Among the contributors are Sheila Jeffreys, Robert Jensen, Gail Dines, Melissa Farley, Vednita Carter, Andrea Dworkin, D.A. Clarke, and Donna M. Hughes. Available at Spinifex or Amazon

Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress (2003) edited by Melissa Farley; Haworth Maltreatment & Trauma Press. Melissa Farley's masterpiece is one of the most important books ever written on prostitution. It includes various studies. It also contains informations on pornography and stripping. Women and children (and sometimes men) in prostitution suffer abuse, violence, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and often dissociate to be able to cope with the mistreatment they sustain at the hands of abusive pimps ans johns. A necessary book for anyone truly committed to fighting for human rights and justice. Read this book and you'll never look at a prostitute, stripper, or "porn star" the same way. You'll discover the reality of a harm which is "hidden in plain sight". Among the contributors are Judith Lewis Herman, Donna Hughes, Margaret Baldwin, Christine Stark, Michelle Anderson, Vednita Carter, and Dorchen Leidholdt. Available at Amazon

Prostitution and Trafficking in Nevada: Making the Connections (2007) by Melissa Farley; Prostitution Research & Education. "Prostitution and Trafficking in Nevada addresses the scope of the sex industry in Nevada, including human rights violations against women in the Nevada legal brothels. The book describes how the multibillion-dollar illegal sex industry in Las Vegas works. Sex trafficking from within and outside of the US, advertising for prostitution, political corruption, pornography, organized crime and the constant demand of men for paid sex -- all contribute to prostitution and trafficking in Nevada." Available at Prostitution Research & Education

Making Violence Sexy: Feminist Views on Pornography (1993) edited by Diana E. H. Russell; Athene series, Teachers College Press. One of the best anthologies ever written against pornography! "A crucially important collection of feminist voices challenging the pornocrats. Even if you read nothing else on the subject, read this." This powerful book contains a history of the feminist anti-pornography movement, testimonies of women who were harmed inside and outside of the pornography industry, a great amount of feminist sociological research on the harms of pornography, thorough analyses of racism and sexism present in pornographic materials, strategies for protests and activist actions, etc. Diana Russell also brings up the important point that the subject of the consequences of pornography should get separated from the issue of censorship. Among the contributors are Evelina Giobbe, John Stoltenberg, Katherine brady, Charlene Senn, and Nikki Craft. Available at
Adall or Teachers College Press

Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm (1993) by Diana E.H. Russell; Russell Publications. Because Dr. Diana Russell believes that seeing pornography is the most powerful evidence of the woman-hatred inherent in it, she reprinted over 100 examples of pornographic photographs in her book, Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm. This book also contains a succinct summary of some of the major scientific research on this subject. "Even in our wildest imaginations, most women are unable to fathom the vicious acts done to women by the pornography industry in the name of free speech, profit, pleasure, and, yes, entertainment..." Includes important and incisive content analyses of mainstream pornographic magazines and other types of porn material (such as books, posters, etc.), and a proof of the link between pornography and rape (based on social science research and public testimony). Available at Russell Publications or Adall

The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help (2006) by Jackson Katz; Source Books. If all men read this book, we'd be living in a different society tomorrow. Jackson Katz brings up many issues regarding the cultural socialization of men, including the military, fraternity houses, pornography, the sex industry, etc. Katz argues that men should communicate better with women, and that they should take issues such as male violence against women more seriously. Girls and women, you should also get this book for your boyfriends and husbands. It rushes men to stop being self-centered and face the facts that many women are hurt. It is in men's best interest. They just have to open their mind to it. Available at Amazon

In Harm's Way: The Pornography Civil Rights Hearings (1997) edited by Catharine A. MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin; Harvard University Press. This book contains most of the history of the feminist civil rights approach to tackle the harms of pornography (i.e. the MacKinnon-Dworkin anti-pornography ordinance), but also importantly, it contains the testimony of the victims of pornography at the different public hearings. It also includes, in one of the introductions, one of Andrea Dworkin's best essays: "Suffering and Speech." Available at Amazon

Pornography: The Production and Consumption of Inequality (1998) by Gail Dines, Robert Jensen and Ann Russo; Routledge. Includes an important content analysis of pornographic videos and books, a summary of the history of the feminist anti-porn movement, an account of the evolution of the pornographic magazine industry, a significant study of the harms that come with pornography consumption, and a call for the academics to stop defending pornography and start engaging with reality. Available at Amazon 

Pornography: Men Possessing Women (1981) by Andrea Dworkin; E P Dutton, or Women's Press Ltd. "Dworkin who lobbie[d] for municipal statutes declaring pornography a violation of women's civil rights, insists that pornography links sex and violence by incorporating violent domination of women as a key element of sexual fantasy: "Force in high-class pornography is romanticized... as if it were dance."... [S]he believes that pornography incites men to sexual violence. To support her thesis, she draws parallels between the life and writings of the Marquis de Sade and provides critical summaries of several contemporary pornographic works. Dworkin's style is intense, vivid and eloquent, infused with a sense of urgency." Andrea Dworkin's Important book is an amazingly accurate analysis of pornography through history. From Ancient Greece to the Marquis De Sade, to Playboy and Hustler, Dworkin shows the material's inherent misogyny, exploitation, objectification and degradation of women, and the detrimental ramifications porn has on society. This book was a groundbreaking feminist analysis of pornography when it first came out. Available at
Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Adall

Letters from a War Zone (1988) by Andrea Dworkin; Lawrence Hill Books or Secker & Warburg. Reflections on writing and writers, freedom of speech, pornography, violence against women, and the politics of our time by this admirable feminist author. "In every century, there are a handful of writers who help the human race to evolve. Andrea is one of them." This book contains Andrea Dworkin's essays and speeches from 1976 to 1987. Many of which that the mainstream press refused to publish (in order to protect the pornographers). This book includes some of Dworkin's best anti-pornography writings. Available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Adall

Our Blood: Prophecies and Discourses on Sexual Politics (1976) by Andrea Dworkin; Harper and Row or Women's Press. Our Blood is a collection of Andrea Dworkin's 1970's speeches. In them, she brings up the subjects of rape, the historical oppression of women (through slavery in America, religions, the witch-hunt in medieval Europe, etc.), feminism, gender, pornography, and sexual politics. Our Blood is a prominent analysis of the patriarchal society and a forceful call for an utter destruction of this whole male supremacist culture in favor of a new and gender-free culture. "She is both intimate and analytical, and performs the special miracle of writing from anger but never from vengeance." Readers will be impressed and excited by the sharpness of her analysis, and astonished by the eloquence and the uncompromising deliberation of her prose. "Our Blood takes a hard, unflinching look at the nature of sexual politics." Available at Adall

Woman Hating (1974) by Andrea Dworkin; E.P. Dutton or Plume. "To see where we are going we must understand where we have been. Woman Hating is a much needed and long overdue addition toward that understanding." In this book, Andrea Dworkin points out the historical misogyny of society. She gives her powerful analyses of patriarchal religions, the fairy tales' various representations of women, pornography (such as the Story of O and more), women's "Herstory" of  having suffered persecutions and cases of gynocide such as the witch-hunt in medieval Europe and Chinese footbinding. Dworkin also reveals what is at the root of women's oppression: "gender." This book is a call for the utter demise of male dominance. "A bold and visionary book... Her ideas are poweful"... "This is a particularly important book on matters of considerable significance." Available at Adall

Life and Death: Unapologetic Writings on the Continuing War Against Women (1997) by Andrea Dworkin; Free Press. Gathers essays published between 1987 and 1995 in which the author comments on society's ongoing and tacit approval of aggression against women. Includes some of Andrea Dworkin's best writings on pornography, prostitution, rape, and battery. This book is an absolute masterpiece! "A collection of her most incisive essays and unpublished speeches, Life and Death makes it clear why Dworkin has found her place in the canon of modern political thought. She begins here with a poignant autobiographical piece... Finally, she guides us back to the core issues at stake in women's lives -- pornography, domestic violence, rape, and prostitution -- and reminds us that even after decades of feminist so-called progress, gender is an ongoing war." Available at Amazon

Dangerous Relationships: Pornography, Misogyny, and Rape (1998) by Diana E.H. Russell; Sage Publications. Diana E. Russell, well-known for her pioneer research on the prevalence of rape and child sexual abuse, the reality of wife rape, the trauma of incestuous abuse, and the misogynistic killing of women (femicide), breaks new ground once again in her analysis of pornography and its relationship with misogyny and rape. In this unflinching and uncompromising volume Russell contends that pornographic relationships are in fact dangerous to women. This book contains more of her analyses and research on pornography, and is a serious call for the society to recognize the harms. Available at Barnes and Noble or Sage

Take Back the Night: Women on Pornography (1980) edited by Laura Lederer; William Morrow & Co, or Quill. The very first feminist anthology against pornography. This book is an important part of the history of the women's movement. Among the contributors are Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem, Andrea Dworkin, Audrey Lorde, Diana Russell, Kathleen Barry, and Susan Brownmiller. Available at Barnes and Noble or Adall

The Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism (1990) edited by Dorchen Leidholdt and Janice G. Raymond; The Athene series, Pergamon Press. This book documents a concerted assault on the goals, principles and achievements of the women's movement. It shows how radical feminists have been unfairly criticized and misrepresented by liberals. Among contributors are Catharine MacKinnon, Twiss Butler, Phyllis Chesler, Evelina Giobbe, Mary Daly, Andrea Dworkin, Susan Cole, and Sheila Jeffreys. Available at Barnes and Noble or Adall

The Price We Pay: The Case Against Racist Speech, Hate Propaganda, and Pornography (1995) edited by Laura Lederer and Richard Delgado; New York: Hill & Wang. A book that refuses to separate the issue of misogynist pornography from racism, Klan propaganda, anti-semitism or homophobia. A book which debates on the subject of hate speech and the First Amendment. Among the contributors are Wendy Stock, Ann Simonton, Evelina Giobbe, Andrea Dworkin, John Stoltenberg, and Dorchen Leidholdt. Available at Barnes and Noble or Adall

Ordeal (the truth behind "Deep Throat") (1980) by Linda Lovelace, with Mike McGrady; Citadel Press. The auto-biography of Linda Marchiano (a.k.a. "Lovelace"), a young woman who was forced into the sexual slavery of prostitution and pornography. Linda made "Deep Throat" under unbelievable duress. Available at Amazon

Out of Bondage (1986) by Linda Lovelace, with Mike McGrady; Berkley Books. The follow-up to Ordeal. In Out of Bondage, Linda explained how she had to face the public scorn and disbelief of her story, as well as the ghosts of her past. Available at Amazon

Only Words (1993) by Catharine A. MacKinnon; Harvard University Press. "Catharine MacKinnon contends that pornography, sexual harassment, and racial hate are acts of intimidation, subordination, terrorism, and discrimination, and should be legally treated as such. Only Words is an indictment of a legal system at odds with itself, its First Amendment promoting the very inequalities its Fourteenth Amendment is supposed to end." Available at Amazon

Women’s Lives, Men’s Laws (2005) by Catharine A. MacKinnon; Belknap Harvard Press. "In the past 25 years, no one has been more instrumental than Catharine MacKinnon in making equal rights real for women... This collection brings together previously uncollected and unpublished work in the national arena from 1980 to the present, defining her clear, coherent, consistent approach to reframing the law of men on the basis of the lives of women." Contains some of MacKinnon's best essays and anti-pornography writings. Available at Amazon

Are Women Human? And Other International Dialogues (2006) by Catharine A. MacKinnon; Bellknap Harvard. "More than half a century after the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" defined what a human being is and is entitled to, Catharine MacKinnon asks: are women human yet? If women were regarded as human, would they be sold into sexual slavery worldwide; veiled, silenced and imprisoned in homes; bred, and worked as menials for little or no pay; stoned for sex outside marriage or burned within it; mutilated genitally, impoverished economically, and mired in illiteracy -- all as a matter of course and without effective recourse?... Taking her gendered critique of the state to the international plane, ranging widely intellectually and concretely, she exposes the consequences and significance of the systematic maltreatment of women and its systemic condonation. And she points toward fresh ways -- social, legal and political -- of targeting its toxic orthodoxies." Available at Amazon

AntiClimax: A Feminist Perspective on the Sexual Revolution (1990) by Sheila Jeffreys; Women's Press. AntiClimax is Sheila Jeffreys' compelling critique of the so-called sexual liberation. In it, she explains that the "sexual liberation" is merely another form of male oppression which is directly opposed to women's search for genuine sexual freedom and equality. Available at Amazon or Adall

The Idea of Prostitution (1997) by Sheila Jeffreys; Spinifex Press. "This is thought-provoking, courageous and important scholarly work... essential reading." This work explores the idea of men's entitlement to abuse and profit from the abuse of women in prostitution. It aims to show how this idea is central to male supremacist ideology, and has been bolstered by masculine systems of thought such as sexology, sociology, historiography and queer theory. It asserts that the feminist challenge to this idea has become more difficult in recent times because sexual liberalism, economic individualism and free "choice" ideas have persuaded even some feminists that prostitution should be seen as "just a job like any other". The book argues that it is important to recognise men's abuse of women in prostitution as a variety of male sexual violence and a violation of women's human rights. Available at Amazon

Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices in the West (2005) by Sheila Jeffreys; Routledge. A radical feminist critique of the beauty industry (breast implants, labiaplasty, etc.). Jeffreys shows that plastic surgery -- for instance -- is no more "empowering" to women than Chinese footbinding was; it is merely another part of the socialization to the pornographized culture. Available at
Amazon

The Age of Sex Crime (1987) by Jane Caputi; Women's Press. "This book is a feminist analysis of the sexualized murder of women by men in modern Western society, a subject that is at once frightening and enraging." Available at Amazon or Adall

Men Confront Pornography (1991) edited by Michael S. Kimmel; Meridian Books, or Crown Pub. "25 men take a candid look at how pornography affects their lives, politics, and sexuality." Contains thorough analyses of male consumption of pornography through different men's perspectives. Available at Amazon or Adall

Refusing to Be a Man: Essays on Sex and Justice (1989) by John Stoltenberg; Taylor & Francis, Inc or Routledge or Meridian. "Since its original publication in 1989, Refusing to be a Man has been acclaimed as a classic and widely cited in gender studies literature. In 13 eloquent essays, Stoltenberg articulate the first fully argued liberation theory for men that will also liberate women. He argues that male sexual identity is entirely a political and ethical construction whose advantages grow out of injustice. His thesis is that precisely because masculinity is so constructed, it is possible to refuse it, to act against it and to change." Contains compelling critiques of both heterosexual and homosexual pornography. A fascinating, liberating, and courageous book. Available at Barnes and Noble or Amazon or Amazon UK [International shipping available]

The End of Manhood: Parables on Sex and Selfhood (1993) by John Stoltenberg; UCL Press. "In this practical follow up to Refusing to be a Man, John Stoltenberg uses a combination of case studies, autobiography, checklists and discussion points, to speak directly to men about how the social construction of manhood operates in everyday relationships and to show how these same dynamics drive the behaviour of gangs, race-hate groups, and international imperialism. Readers will find here new perspectives on intimacy, gender, and violence and be pushed to re-examine their ideas of manhood and gender identity generally. Stoltenberg's new introduction sets the book in academic context, summarising the game theory of gender which underlies all his work." Available at Amazon

What Makes Pornography "Sexy"? (1994) by John Stoltenberg; Milkweed Editions. "What makes pornography "sexy" to men? John Stoltenberg devised a unique experiential workshop in which several men are selected at random and each given a photograph from magazines such as Penthouse, Playboy, or Hustler; they are then asked to "do the pose" in the photo... Stoltenberg provides a means for men to confront their perceptions of pornography and its true meaning, and he delivers a vivid activist memoir, filled with original and provocative insights into men's perceptual relationship to pornography. What Makes Pornography "Sexy"? is a provocative look at the dehumanizing impact of pornography." Available at Amazon

Pornography and Sexual Aggression (1984) edited by Neil M. Malamuth and Edward Donnerstein; Academic Press. Prominent social science studies on the effects of pornography viewing. Available at
Adall  

Pornography: Research Advances and Policy Considerations (1989) edited by Dolf Zillman and Jennings Bryant; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. More Social Science studies on the effects of pornography. Available at
Adall

Pornography: Women, Violence and Civil Liberties (1993) edited by Catherine Itzin; Oxford University Press. Includes a lot of information on the UK pornography industry, and the evidence of the link between pornography and sexual violence. Available at Amazon 

Pornified: How Pornography is Damaging our Lives, our Relationships and our Families
(2005) by Pamela Paul; Owl Books. Journalist Pamela Paul interviewed more than a hundred people (many of them, pornography users), and conducted a nationwide poll to find out about the effects of pornography on the US society. This book is the result of her investigation. Among her arguments, Pamela Paul explains how porn harms men too. Available at
Amazon

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture (2005) by Ariel Levy; Free Press. A book that shows how many young women have unfortunately internalized the sexism of the society by being "female chauvinist pigs". According to Ariel Levy, a female chauvinist pig is a woman who makes a sex object of another woman and/or of herself. Available at Amazon

Transforming a Rape Culture, Revised Edition (2005) edited by Emilie Buchwald, Pamela R. Fletcher and Martha Roth; Milkweed Editions. This anthology analyses the origins of sexual violence, and asks for nothing less than a fundamental change in basic attitudes about power, gender, race, and sexuality. Among the contributors are Gail Dines, D.A. Clarke, Michael Kimmel, and Andrea Dworkin. Available at Amazon

Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape (1975) by Susan Brownmiller; Fawcett Books. "As powerful and timely now as when it was first published, Against Our Will stands as a unique document of the history of politics, the sociology of rape and the inherent and ingrained inequality of men and women under the law. In lucid, persuasive prose, Brownmiller has created a definitive, devastating work of lasting social importance." Available at Amazon 

Female Sexual Slavery (1979) by Kathleen Barry; New York University Press. A landmark study of prostitution and violence against women. Examines the nature and extent of female sexual slavery, exploring the psychological foundations of male dominance and surveys the by-products of a patriarchal society -- pimps, procurers, rapists, enforced marriages, and polygamous arrangements. A major book that documents the oppressive systems of prostitution (including pornography). Available at
Adall

The Prostitution of Sexuality (1995) by Kathleen Barry; New York University Press. As a follow-up to Female Sexual Slavery, Kathleen Barry assesses how far we have come since the publication of her first book, and how far we have to go. Shifting her focus from the sexuality of prostitution to the prostitution of sexuality, Barry exposes sexual exploitation, emphasizing the worldwide role of the expanding pornography industry. Available at Adall

In case you encounter any difficulty(ies) in trying to find any of these books, you can try http://used.addall.com/ You can also try Amazon or Amazon UK (International shipping is available from both Amazons -- .com & .co.uk).

For ordering any one of Andrea Dworkin's books, you can also try This Page Here



EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS:

"Hip-hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes"
by Byron Hurt. "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes" provides a riveting examination of manhood, sexism, and homophobia in hip-hop culture. Director Byron Hurt, former star college quarterback, longtime hip-hop fan, and gender violence prevention educator, conceived the documentary as a "loving critique" of a number of disturbing trends in the world of rap music. He pays tribute to hip-hop while challenging the rap music industry to take responsibility for glamorizing destructive, deeply conservative stereotypes of manhood. This documentary was critically acclaimed for its fearless engagement with issues of race, gender violence, and the corporate exploitation of youth culture. Available at
Media Education Foundation

"DreamWorlds 3: Desire, Sex & Power in Music Video" by Sut Jhally. Sut Jhally, professor of Communication at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and founder and executive director of the Media Education Foundation (MEF), created this video to present his critique of representations of women in popular culture, music videos and commercial images. Available at Media Education Foundation