Note: scroll down to the highlighted sentence to get a direct answer.
Good question.
First, we need to understand that humanity has been creating “porn” since we first evolved the ability to create images and produce the written word; but the term or concept of pornography is a relatively new, as well as the term, it’s only been around since the late 18th century.
Pornographic images have been found in the caves of Europe, in the hieroglyphics in Khemet, on ancient Asian prints and sculptures, on Native American parchment, on stone carvings of the Mayans and Incas.
There’s no literate culture that didn’t produce erotic literature. No culture that didn’t produce sexually explicit music. No culture that didn’t engage in erotic or sexual dancing. All cultures produced and consumed what we would, in this day call “porn.” I don’t know of any exceptions.
I’d share a bunch of images of prehistoric porn, or porn from antiquity but I’m a university library right now (and I should be researching, but, you know how it is), and I don’t want to be thrown out; but you can find images of porn from humanity’s past relatively easy.
I think this is the case because the very purpose of life is the reproduction of life, and when you combine the very drive of existence with the pleasurable stimulation of sex; sex in all of its manifestations, including porn, will be a major preoccupation for humans.
This is why all governing systems, from the State to Religions have all attempted to regulate and direct the sexual expression of people. The only stronger drives for people is air, food, safety, then sex; in that order, sometimes sex jumps up on the scale. LoL! Nah, it ain’t really funny tho. LoL!
States and Religions either liberate or limit sexual expression to attract and keep people because it’s so powerful. The US (government) has moved from a sex limiting to a sex liberation system of mass control and indoctrination; for example. It’s done this more than once in its history, see the Great Awakenings, the Gilded Age, Roaring Twentys, the and the Free Love of the 60s, the Cold War era, to the Porn Saturation of the 2000s, we look like we are headed towards another Great Awakening (if the Right take more political power, and more seats on the Supreme Court, but don’t get me started on the politica angle in all of this). Now, porn was being produced and consumed during all these eras, but it had to go underground when the US wanted to pretend to be a “Gawd Fearin Nation!”
So, it’s safe to say, porn has always been with us as long as culture has been with us. Different cultures and societies produced different types of porn, just like they created different types of Gods, Music, and dress, but porn is as universal to humanity as music and dance.
I apologize for my limited and ‘referenceless’ history of porn; but like I said, I’m in a university library and I can’t be pulling up all the links to the text and information I’d like to give you, hell, I probably couldn’t do it if I was at home either, my wife wouldn’t by my excuse: “Baby, I’m just tryna answer some Anonymous person’s questions, I ain’t looking at these butts for no other reasons.” LoL!!!
So, I’ll get around to addressing your question now;
I don’t know the view on porn from a Pan-African perspective, specifically. I know Pan-Africans don’t demonize sex, sexuality, the female form, or the expression of sex. We do however stand in direct and militant opposition to the objectification of women, the sexual exploitation of women, men, and children, the commodification of sex and women, and the degradation of sex and sexuality. We also oppose Sexism, Patriarchy, and Misogyny. Understanding all of this, you could conclude without any hesitation that Pan-Africanism opposed the pornography industry, which is not only all of the things I listed, it’s also extremely Racist.
Here’s the rub tho; all aspects of the Capitalist economy are objectifying, exploitative, dehumanizing, degrading, sexist, patriarchal, and misogynistic; without exception. From the porn industry to the fossil fuel industry, to formal religion, the same abuses and attitudes. The Porn Industry just strips naked and exposed in a dramatic fashion (puns intended) the ugliness of capitalism and exploitation that is in all aspects of this Social and Economic System; and Pan-Africanism Opposes all of that, all of it.
We have been tricked in to believing that if we get fucked (over) with our clothes on than we are more dignified than a sex worker or porn actress. We think it’s more dignified to die of Black Lung, or Cancer from working in a polluting industry then to be infected with a VD from working in the porn industry; but it ain’t. #HumanResouces But that’s all another discussion for another time; but if you want to look into it, I can give you some links to explore what I’m talking about: check out Power and Powerlessness and Disciplined Minds.
As for the abuses and degradations directly related to the production, promotion, and distribution of porn; check out Sunsara Taylor and Stop Patriarchy / End Pornography. This is a Revolutionary Communist formation that deals with the issue of porn. I appreciate their analysis because it’s free of all of the religious and hypocritical moralist BS you find in most anti-porn formations; but I don’t agree with the Rev Comms on everything.
Now, as stated eariier, porn or eroticism has been with humamity since the start, so I don’t think it’s going anywhere. The web has not only allowed porn to proliferate, I think it has democratized porn or at least decentralized it in some instances. That means that independent female porn actresses and producers can make their product and independently distribute it while avoiding the abuses of the porn industry. I see sex workers and porn independent porn produces getting organized and fighting against the many abuses in their industries and communities also. I support that, but I support all workers, in all arenas fighting for worker control, the expulsion of the capitalist, and ultimate liberation of all workers and non-workers; and why wouldn’t the include sex-workers? #WorkersOfTheWorldUnite
So, if you are anti-porn there are opportunities for you to advocate for its regulation or prohibition that doesn’t force you to fall in with Religious Nuts or Paternalistic Organizations that want to dictate what people do or don’t do with their bodies (I think that’s a waste of time, but if that’s your thang). You can target it from a larger economic and political context.
If you are a porn consumer, there are more just ways to go about securing your porn and compensating the actresses without (financially) contributing to the misery and abuses inherent in the porn industry, or actors.
I think Pan-Africanism can house both approaches, personally.
