PETA

I am a big fan of this blog: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor.html

If you scroll down to the second story, called "Peta Does Porn", you will see an article that is pretty much what is sounds like from the title. This is a reason I do not support PETA: I do not support their methods, which are inconsiderate of human beings. Objectifying women to protect animals is not ok.

But this article also shows how recognized it is by our society that sex sells - even non-profits are using that knowledge. It makes me kind of sad.

The article also pointed out that this site could actually be used by people who get off on seeing animals suffer - kind of the opposite of PETA's intention. I also wonder if showing the pictures of tortured animals does not in it and of itself constitute a second objectification and feitishization of the tortured subject: They are re-objectified when they are turned into mere objects of propaganda. This has been one of the contested issues in human rights coverage: Showing the plight of those in need is vital to getting people to help those in need, but when does that showing go too far, turning humans into propagandistic objects?

(Insert proper pseudo-intellectual comments about the "photographic gaze". Make sure to have a deep voice and dangle a cigarette.)