Feminist Sexual Liberation and Sexual Justice: An investigation into the role of imagination in sexual practice and social reform

Abstract

This thesis presents contemporary answers to established issues within feminist philosophy and aesthetic philosophy. It establishes theory which improves the social understanding and treatment of victims of sexual violence, as well as an investigation into the mechanism of fiction in various forms as they pertain to the bedroom and the court room. The first chapter advocates for BDSM as not only feminist, but also an appropriate blueprint of how sex should be engaged with in general. This lays the methodological foundation with a reliance on Walton’s theory of make believe (1990), which carries through the rest of the thesis. The second chapter responds to a critique raised by Stear (2009) concerning matters of taste and morality as they pertain to BDSM. Here I have established an essential point; that experiences of sexual violence will decide how aspects of sex such as BDSM are viewed. From here I develop the educated and uneducated practitioner theory which establishes identificatory characteristics of how to discern between the two. The two types of practitioners necessarily relate to the treatment of sexual violence victims and sexual partners. The fourth chapter takes an aspect from the third, that of testimony, and develops it further. By the end of chapter four I have established two new ways of approaching testimony, in particular those from victims of sexual violence. This leads to a furthering of a kind and patient approach to an issue otherwise laden with prejudice. Finally, I adopt the theories explained prior and return to the importance of fiction. I identify that the severe failure of the legal system can be demonstrated by the satisfaction gained from watching rape revenge films. Victims of sexual violence gain from these films what they do not from the justice system.

Date of Award	14 Aug 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Emily Caddick Bourne (Main Supervisor), Mihaela Popa-Wyatt (Co Supervisor) & Graham Stevens (Co Supervisor)