Pornography's Divine Command? Response to Judith Butler

Rae Langton

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Gender and Feminist Studies Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Feminist Epistemology and Gender Studies

Abstract

Abstract According to Butler, the claim that pornography subordinates women rests on an implausible assumption about pornography's mysterious, quasi-divine authority. The claim that pornography silences women rests on implausible assumptions about language and agency: that illocutionary disablement is undesirable (but it is ubiquitous!); that it undermines agency (a liberal illusion!). Butler is mistaken. There is nothing mysterious or God-like about the authority attributed to pornography. Speech act theory's account of verdictive and exercitive speech sheds light on its potential for social construction. The silencing claim does admittedly rest on assumptions about the value of agency, and disvalue of certain silencings. These are not implausible.

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1969Speech Acts 2007Epistemic Injustice 1968Pygmalion in the classroom 1979Expression and Meaning 1993The Reasons We Can Share: An Attack on the Distinction Between Agent-Relative and Agent-Neutral Values 2000Gender and Race: (What) Are They? (What) Do We Want Them To Be?2000Relational Autonomy 1963Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?

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