It is suggested that McConahay's analysis marginalizes the importance of these contributions and denies the unity inherent in feminist critiques. The essence of the feminist critique is that pornography states the terms upon which men relate to women -- terms of domination by subject (male) to object (female). While the concept of symbolism is central to the feminist critique, it is on a different level of discourse than that used by McConahay: Symbolism is not an operational term used to categorize interests or motivations of individuals, but, rather an explanatory concept to describe a process of culture formation. Symbols serve to create and define human needs. Thus, in the case of pornosymbolism, society does not question its hidden assumptions that sex is for men, that women serve men, that force and violence are stimulating, and that domination is erotic. While studies cited by McConahay purport to demonstrate the harmlessness of pornography, they rather affirm how deeply hidden its assumptions are. Although feminists agree on the harms done by pornography, they disagree about the degree to which it should be regulated. These disagreements largely concern competing values, especially those reflected in the first amendment. An understanding of the feminist perspective should contribute to a better understanding of social harm, fuller debate about appropriate sexual behavior, and more creative alternatives to inequalitarian norms that make most pornography socially and morally, if not legally, unacceptable. 21 footnotes.