Take Back the Night

by Laura Lederer

Looks at the dangers of pornography and explores the issue of limiting those dangers without violating the right to freedom of speech

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Sociology, Sexuality

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1980

Reviews

[fausto · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pioneer book on the subject. Take Back the Night is a radical feminist anthology about the relationship of pornography and violence against women, as any other anthology, is a mixed bag. In general, I would say that most of the articles are very good, but is obvious that now this work is kinda dated; for instance, most of the articles deals with pornographic magazines, especially Playboy and Hustler. There are articles on pornography and race, and some brief accounts on early anti-pornography mobilizations in the US.
I think that work very well as an introduction on the subject, and also have some historical pieces, especially if you consider that this book was very influential at the time. I would say that is a must read, but probably you would need to support the arguments with more contemporary studies.

[Dasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this book

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MARVELOUS COLLECTION OF FEMINIST ESSAYS AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY

Editor Laura Lederer wrote in the Introduction to this 1980 book, “women are claiming pornography as a feminist issue. In the last few decades women have been bombarded with ever-increasing numbers of pornographic images in liquor stores, bookstores, and drugstores; in supermarkets; in the hands of fathers, uncles, brothers, sons, husbands, lovers, and boyfriends; in movies, in films, and on street-corner newsstands; on the covers of record albums, on the walls of poster stores, and in shop windows. The media have subjected women to dramatized rapings, stabbings, burnings, beatings, gaggings, bindings, tortures, dismemberments, mutilations, and deaths in the name of male sexual pleasure or sheer entertainment. In the meantime, women have been increasingly and ever-more gruesomely raped and brutalized on the streets and in homes.” (Pg. 15-16)

She continues, “At first, women viewed each violent crime as a separate but crucial problem. Rape-crisis centers were set up… battered wives shelters, and … child-abuse councils. But slowly we came to see that these crisis-care organizations were not enough… Feminists … began to realize that we … must also remove the images which promote a climate in which these crimes are possible. We noted the inconsistency in allowing (and even encouraging) women and young girls to be set up as sexual objects and willing victims in all forms of mass media, while at the same time protesting the victimization of females in real life. We began to make the connections between media violence to women and real-life violence to them, to recognize the threat which pornography poses to our lives and livelihood, and to speak out against it.” (Pg. 16)

She goes on, “The title of this book, ‘Take Back the Night,’ reflects this growing realization of the links among crimes against women. The pollution of our media with sexist articles, programming, and advertisements, and the increasing amounts of pornography readily available, are hardly questioned. Rapes, muggings, and sexual harassment of women at all times, but especially at night are the norm. That we have been unable to walk the streets after dark without a male to protect us from all the rest of the men has been assumed in this society for so long that people can hardly imagine a culture in which this would not be the case. The slogan ‘Take Back the Night’ was first used… as a theme for a national protest march down San Francisco’s pornography strip. The march took place at night… [It] was a profound symbolic statement of our commitment to stopping the tide of violence against women in all arenas, and our demand that the perpetrators of such violence---from rapists to batterers to pornographers---be held responsible for their actions and made to change.” (Pg. 19)

She adds, “Until recently there have been only two sides to the pornography issue: the conservative approach, which argues that pornography is immoral because it exposes the human body; and the liberal approach, which presents pornography as just one more aspect of our ever-expanding human sexuality. This book present a third and feminist perspective: That pornography is the ideology of a culture which promotes and condones rape, woman battering, and other crimes of violence against women. It is a concrete tribute to what we have done and where we intend to go. We pass on this body of knowledge... ideas, and expertise in the hope that it will be helpful in the fight against pornography and other violent crimes against women.” (Pg. 19-20)

Helen Longino observes, “Today federal law states that the definition of pornography is to be left up to the individual communities to decide. This, of course, has totally confused the country. What seems to be acceptable in San Francisco may be appalling in a small town, and communities themselves are having trouble deciding what they think is … without ‘serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.’ Feminists have a further objection to this definition: If pornography does not offend local community standards, then something is wrong because it should!” (Pg. 40)

She summarizes, “Pornography is not just the explicit representation or depiction of sexual behavior... which is degrading and/or abusive to women. Rather, it is material that explicitly represents or describes degrading and abusive sexual behavior so as to endorse and/or recommend the behavior as described.” (Pg. 44)

Judith Bat-Ada stated in an interview, “Getting readers used to the forbidden requires subtle but clever devices. Playboy uses what I call ‘groundbreakers’ for the construction of new attitudes. These groundbreakers include cartoons, skillfully contrived photographs, and an extensive use of symbols… Another favorite technique is the use of fairy tales in cartoons… Common themes in Playboy-genre fairy tales [include] the wolf molesting Little Red Riding Hood… Fairy tales are exploited by pornographers in order to block out objections to rape, molestation, and violence by defining the imagery as ‘fantasy.’ Many men, if confronted directly with a violent sexual image would reject it---and the magazine! The idea is to put these vicious crimes into a context which infers that it is ‘just a joke’ or ‘all in good fun.’ After all, who can object to that---except a woman without a sense of humor?” (Pg. 125)

Beverly LaBelle observes, “famous people are often featured in the more serious articles in soft-core magazines, implicitly expressing their support for the ‘liberating joys’ of pornography. The Playboy Interview has played a major role in this appeal to authority. Simply featuring United States Presidents [example: Jimmy Carter], stars, great authors, artists, and major sports figures describing the beneficial effects of pornography are often cited … as ‘proof’ that such publications are not harmful.” (Pg. 178)

Diana E.H. Russell states, “I am very critical of Nancy Friday’s publication of women’s masochistic fantasies in ‘My Secret Garden.’ It is true that many women have masochistic fantasies and can be sexually aroused by pornography… according to the study just cited. That does not make it harmless. It does not mean it is healthy. It does not mean that women’s and men’s responses to pornography are equitable. Nor does it mean that women like or want to be raped.” (Pg. 231)

Wendy Kaminer points out, “Every single book, magazine, or film must be proven to be obscene in an individualized judicial proceeding before it may be enjoined. This makes it almost impossible for the government to take any generalized action against businesses that regularly deal in pornography.” (Pg. 243)

This book will be “must reading” for anyone interested in the feminist anti-pornography effort.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

Lots of essays by feminist authors that is depressing to look back on as we have not come that far.

There are glimmers of hope, with the news of the case in France recently that has made P0rnHub take down videos with the word 'sleeping' in the title.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if the feminists had won.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thought provoking set of articles written by very intelligent women.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

The article are varied and it's hard to generalize. What the authors have in common is a toxic view of sexuality. And it is funny how they are trying real hard to be modern, while limiting themselves to refreshing the toxic views on sexuality of the past Patriarchy.

The saddest part is the low intellectual level of the contributors. Wrapped in many words there are axioms like there can never be equality between genders in pornography.

Overall the position is one of the passive aggressive servant, and there seems to be no desire of equality.

And the worst part is a dynamic aim at blocking ”what offends me”, turning Patriarchy from ”them” to ”us”, because the authors invariably want to tell others what to do in the name of some spiritual purity.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

This may be the seminal (no pun intended) work from the feminist anti-porn perspective. Had I rated this back in 1981, I would have rated it far higher, as their argument was very persuasive, and made me something of a believer back in the day. But time has made me somewhat wiser (one would hope!), and I have come to see the folly of much of the argument here. I think it speaks volumes that a number of hardline feminists, some of them published in this very book, became aligned with the forces of the Fundamentalist Christian Right (at least on this issue).

Still, worth reading as a historical document, and is nothing if not eye-opening and thought-provoking.

[Reuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

About women and rape.