Introduction

Pornography in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry that transcends media boundaries, from magazines to films to books to the Internet. Its popularity, however, has not come without criticisms, drawing a unique group of opponents that includes left-wing feminists and conservative right-wing fundamentalists working in concert to challenge pornography's portrayal of women. From a historical standpoint that stems from the Puritanical roots of the United States, adult entertainment has a longstanding tradition of being considered taboo. Those participating in pornographic media, sometimes referred to as adult entertainment, have often been deemed as deviant, with adult entertainment actresses commonly stereotyped as ...