The course description mentioned that as part of it students will watch porn together in class, and discuss the sexualisation of race, class and gender. However, the petition says that teachers and students watching pornography together in the classroom together creates an unsafe environment for students while normalising pornography in culture. Photograph:( Others )
Pornography depending on who you talk to is either the bane of society or an expression of sexuality, albeit in a perverse way. Whatever your opinion may be of it, we can all accept that porn exists and it is very easily available, readily accessible on the wonder that we call the internet.
You surely must’ve heard about the negative impacts of porn on a person’s psyche or the many problems that society finds in its easy accessibility. But have you heard of a college that offers pornography as a subject?
Look no further, because we bring you details of exactly that.
Westminster College, a private college in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States is offering a course titled “Gender 3000 – Porn” during its May term.
The May summer term at Westminster, according to ABC4, is designed to provide courses that are different from the norm every year, including this one. The course is an optional, elective course at Westminster, and is not mandatory for any student.
Pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry and this elective course includes a study of the industry “both as a cultural phenomenon that reflects and reinforces sexual inequalities (but holds the potential to challenge sexual and gender norms) and as an art form that requires serious contemplation.”
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
Utahns however are not very thrilled by it. A change.org petition created by Utah citizens is demanding that the course be removed. The petition says that “Pornography is devoid of educational value and has no place in the classroom.
The course description mentioned that as part of it students will watch porn together in class, and discuss the sexualisation of race, class and gender. However, the petition says that teachers and students watching pornography together in the classroom together creates an unsafe environment for students while normalising pornography in culture.
“This is not education. It makes me sick something like this offered. Im so disappointed that anything like this would be offered at an educational institution”, comments user Minta Valentine on the petition.
What do you think? Is the course something you may be interested in? Is it normalising deviant sexual behaviour or exploring the normalisation of the human body in all its forms? Let us know!
(With inputs from agencies)