Connect with other anti-porn activists using the slide show.

SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATIONS
SLIDE SHOW TRAININGS

"WHO WANTS TO BE A PORN STAR?" can be adapted to the needs and comfort level of both presenter and audience. Below are links to the original script and PowerPoint presentation and also a shorter version of the script and PowerPoint presentation.

Original Slide Show Script and PowerPoint length: 60 minutes
Presents a feminist analysis of pornography and of the increasingly pornographic culture in which we live.

Original Script

Original PowerPoint Presentation
(Clicking this link will re-direct you to a third-party server and by doing so you acknowledge that you are at least 18 years old.)

Short Slide Show Script and PowerPoint length: 30 minutes
This short version was adapted by the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault for use within ICASA prevention education programs.
Presents a feminist analysis of pornography with concluding slides designed to focus post-viewing discussion on prevention.

Short Script

Short PowerPoint Presentation
(Clicking this link will re-direct you to a third-party server and by doing so you acknowledge that you are at least 18 years old.)

TIPS FOR PRESENTING THE SLIDE SHOW
Because we believe that a feminist analysis of how women are objectified and abused in pornography is best presented primarily in a woman's voice, the script was designed to be read by a woman. When the audience is exclusively female, that's an obvious requirement. In mixed-gender groups, it can be effective to have a woman as the primary presenter, with a male co-presenter to participate in the question-and-answer period.

Here are some suggestions about presenting the program that you may find helpful.

1. Start slow! You may want to begin by presenting the slide show to a few friends in your living room, for instance. By practicing several times in friendly, informal spaces, you will become more comfortable. This also gives you a chance to get used to seeing the images, which will help you keep your composure when presenting to other audiences.
2. Remember to request that audience members hold their questions and comments until the end of the presentation.
3. It is important not to come across as overly hostile or aggressive, both while narrating the slides and when answering questions. It's understandable that we feel angry and sad when we see these images, and it's OK to let the audience see that. But remember that audience members (especially women) are in a very vulnerable place seeing these images for the first time. They need to feel like you have things under control. Also, by keeping your own emotions in check, you allow them more space to experience their own feelings and reactions.
4. It can be helpful, as you go through the slides, to occasionally point out particular details of the text and images. It breaks things up so that you are not just reading the whole time and also puts some critical distance between the audience and the images, which can help them both analytically and emotionally.
5. We suggest that in mixed-gender groups, the first segment of the question-and-answer period be reserved for women to respond. Men can be quick to fill the conversational space and often crowd out women's voices. If you follow this suggestion, at the end of the script, as you introduce the question period, explain this policy and assure the audience that everyone will get a chance to speak. If a man insists on ignoring the policy, enlist the support of the women in the audience to shut him down. For example, you can turn to the audience and ask, "Would you like me to allow him to continue to speak?"
6. For the discussion after the slide show, come into the audience if possible so that you can stand near the questioner, looking the person in the eye and acknowledging them. Listen attentively to each question, even if you've heard it a thousand times.
7. Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." It's OK to let the audience know that you are relatively new at this and there are things that you are still figuring out, or that you have haven't had a chance to research, or whatever.
8. If you get a hostile questioner, or one who "takes over" and wants to go on and on, you need to shut him or her (usually him) down. You are in charge, and you are responsible for ensuring that the discussion remains open and productive. Let the questioner have his say to some reasonable extent, respond as best you can, and then say something like, "We'll have to agree to disagree about this; I'm going to move on now."
9. If you don't know how to respond to a question in a purely factual or "intellectual" way (or sometimes even if you do), it can sometimes be good to draw out and respond to the feeling behind the question. Sometimes the person really wants her or his feelings heard and validated, more even than he or she wants an answer per se.
10. Humor is good, if you can manage a bit here and there—it really helps break the ice and open things up!
11. To feel (and be) prepared for these discussions, read (and re-read) widely about the issue. The point is not to memorize lots of details, but rather to soak in the relevant literature so that you can easily discuss basic points and ideas. If there are a few particular passages from important books and articles that you find especially clear and helpful, bring them with you for easy reference, or even make them into slides that you add to the show (but remember that the show will be most effective if it doesn't get too long).
12. This isn't for everyone, but it can be helpful to surf some porn sites every now and then to stay up on the pornographers' latest tricks. Reading Adult Video News online (avn.com) and other news sites about the industry (xbiz.com) is helpful in understanding pornography.
13. Remember that the basic points of this critique are pretty straightforward, and many questions can be brought back around to these basic points pretty easily!

Presenting the slide show can be challenging, but many also find it very rewarding. By sharing this information, you can change how people see the world, validate many women's feelings about pornography and its role in their lives, and draw more people into a movement for social justice. Good luck!

Download Tips for Presenting the Slide Show in PDF format.



PREPARING FOR AUDIENCE QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES
After the formal presentation of the slide show, the presenter(s) typically lead a discussion. A number of common questions and challenges arise in those discussions. Here are some that we hear most frequently, with suggestions for how to answer them.

Download Preparing for Audience Questions and Challenges in PDF format.



SUGGESTED AUDIENCE HANDOUTS AND RESOURCES
As noted in the script, it is imperative to provide the hotline number for the nearest Rape Crisis Center at the start of the slide show. Providing additional written information from the Rape Crisis Center and/or contacting the center in-advance to request an advocate be present during the slide show is also highly suggested.

In addition to the resources you choose to provide, we suggest audiences receive the following handouts:

Pornography is a Progressive Issue (article by Gail Dines and Robert Jensen)

Recommended Books and Websites on Pornography

"But What Can I Do?"