[KaneED]

If you want to take up the issue of gender in society, then why don't we look at pornography?

So the degradation they experience is voluntary, but what is not voluntary is the view that these women may perpetuate in the rest of society in the minds of men. A lot fo pornography shows sexually degrading and submissive acts performed and seemingly accepted by the women that take part in this.

There are some men who will believe this is how things really are with everyone around the round.

So, can we judge society's beliefs of pronography and its effect on the perception of gener in society based one man's reaction to his pornographic viewing experience?

In the same way you can't judge Islam based on a few archaic beliefs on gender issues. It would seem to me that the people putting these women down are not necessarily prejudiced against women but rather extremely conservative. This may however, encourage prejudicial actions against women who don't conform to the traditional gender roles of women in society.

In addition, are we sure this is about women being forced into these situations or is it the men being forced into it?

I'm not saying it's not a dire situation where gender is still a basis for such extreme division, although undoubtedly there is a gender divide in the Western developed countries too, it is just less profound; but, and this may be in danger of moral relativism, in situations such as this are women really suffering?

You don't derive your happiness from where you sit on a bus, nor from the side of the street you walk on, and neither do your clothes provide you any great happiness. Like I said, it is not an enviable situation for these women and it may well indeed have a negative effect on their lives, but maybe we should be looking at it in terms of a "happiness index" to judge how much these things actually affect their lifestyles and themselves.