Pornography

Hugh Hefner is dead. Some folks are casting shade on his memory by calling him a pornographer. Hugh is the wonderbread Modernist version of a pornographer. Now Big Al Goldstein, he was the pornographer’s pornographer. I was there.

Portrait of Goldstein on the cover below.

Screw and Al Goldstein are long gone now but I still remember the fights and furor brought on by Screw’s content. Note: Nothing about this essay is safe for viewing at work. I guess my blog is not safe for work too. So sue me.

Pornography is ancient and the controversy over its value or lack of value in human lives continues. I reproduce this cover below. It illustrates the editorial tone of the magazine better than any words I could write.

“Pornography is about dominance and often pain. Erotica is about mutuality and always pleasure.”
Gloria Steinem “Erotica vs Pornography”, in Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions (1983)

“Pornography is the essential sexuality of male power: of hate, of ownership, of hierarchy; of sadism, of dominance.”
Andrea Dworkin, Pornography, Men Possessing Women

“Prostitution, perversion, and pornography are intertwined with independence and radical politics in the history of outstanding women. Radclyffe Hall, Colette, Anaïs Nin, Kate Millett, Erica Jong — all of these women used the money they made from writing about sexuality to make it possible for them to live as rebels, dykes, feminists, artists, or whatever deviant and defiant identities they assumed.” Pat Califia, Some Women

Alex Gamburg created Cover Art for Screw Magazine. He has several up for purchase at his website. I love this one especially. I receive no reward for promotion. To purchase the works available on this site, or for media inquiries, or use permissions please email the address below: alexgamburgartist@gmail.com.

Check out the biography of this Artist and others who worked for SCREW. I am wondering how many Russian Jewish Dissident Artists were supported by Big Al Goldstein and his magazine in old age. Artists need fed. Many really are starving.

Originally published at https://plumstchili.blogspot.com.