Discuss the concept of zoning to regulate pornography. What are its negative effects?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Compared to legislation, a more fruitful approach has been the attempt to regulate, or eliminate, the sale of pornography through zoning. In the city of Renton, Washington, an ordinance was passed forbidding adult film theaters within 1,000 feet of any residential zone, single- or multiple-family dwelling, church, park, or school. Such zoning laws are content-neutral and can avoid First Amendment issues. In Spokane, Washington, after adopting a zoning ordinance regulating sex-oriented businesses, the city established zones where such businesses could be located and gave nonconforming businesses one year to relocate to those zones.
One of the counters to the use of zoning ordinances is that they separate middle- and upper-class women from pornography, so that they can easily ignore it. At the same time, zoning often results in sex-oriented businesses being located near lower-class and minority communities, forcing residents to confront it on a daily basis. Further to this, this prevents middle- and upper-class women from engaging pornographic discourse and challenging the stereotypes in it. In jurisdictions where they have been enacted, there is no evidence that these laws have reduced the number of offenses against children or victims. In some cities, the result has been to render large numbers of offenders homeless.