Answer to Question 1
The functionalist perspective suggests that social practices such as prostitution and pornography can contribute to the maintenance of society even though they are viewed very negatively by many people. One of the functions that the sex trade serves is to help establish the boundaries of acceptable morality for society. From the conflict perspective, the sex trade is closely related to issues of social inequality and the exercise of power. The sex trade represents gender inequality in a patriarchal society, because it mostly involves men gaining rewards through the domination and exploitation of women.
Answer to Question 2
The current legal status of pornography was established in the 1973 Supreme Court case Miller v. California. According to the Miller test, material must meet three conditions in order to be considered legally obscene:
1. The average person applying community standards considers the material as a whole to appeal to prurient interests.
2.The material depicts sexual conduct, specifically defined by state or federal law, in a patently offensive way.
3.The work lacks serious artistic, literary, political, or scientific value.
Examples of the results of sexual selection, a type of natural selection.
Sexual Activity of Heterosexual Couples
Genetics and Sexual Orientation
Enduring Political Conflict
Social Problems: A Critical Power-Conflict Perspective
Sexual Scripts in the Media