3. How is pornography racist?
Racism is a system that values whites over people of color. Although both white women and women of color are found in pornography, the depiction of white women is different from that of women of color.
Pornography that uses women of color is labeled "exotic," "a special interest category," or a "specialty item," making it clear that they are not the conventional ideal of beauty. In pornography Latinas are depicted as sexually insatiable, and at the same time subservient and obedient. Asian women are portrayed as docile and compliant dolls. Black women are commonly shown as the dominatrix, with animalistic and sadistic urges; the pornographic images are more violent and degrading than those depicting white women. White women, on the contrary, are pictured as angelic and attractive, or as athletic cheerleaders. (See "Racism in Pornography" by Mayall and Russell in Making Violence Sexy).