askchapo

I think there's not much to it* beyond moral panic against queerness, in tandem with the selection of trans folk as the domestic pariah group.

Of course, porn and the sexual exploitation that has always existed within that industry existed unchecked for many years, but it will continue to do so despite these performative bans. We should all be very much on board with the understanding that the empire which has used soft power to pressure capitalists into compliance (de-banking, regulatory fines, tax benefits) is a client of exploitation, not an incompetent opponent to it.

What this campaign aims to do instead is make access to expressions of bodies outside of the window that the state provides via traditional media much, much harder. Capitalism has survived 300 years by using convenience as the ultimate pacifier of the proletariat, so making something less convenient is a conscious decision we must take note of.

The policies are also convenient for asserting the (American) state as an empire.

We have seen how the Federal Reserve can bend the world economy to its will by altering a few numbers on spreadsheets: among other things, the entire Chinese local government system borrows against the dollar for its massive infrastructure/economic programs! The rate has been used twice this year to bring the Chinese govt. to deals that have become the inflatable armbands of American economic buoyancy.

Meanwhile, how does the US manipulate the economies and politics of its vassals? Well, the graciously-provided payment system that is an American duopoly between Mastercard and Visa for one thing. If the American government shifts domestic policy in one direction, it can mimic this across the Anglosphere by directing its payment services to do this, too.

Debanking is an insanely powerful tool, and along with advertisers (who are primarily driven by US political culture) the US can effectively pull the rug on anything it wishes. Trans people being made a pariah allows the empire to galvanise allied fascist movements that were stagnating with racism alone, and the banking/advertising industry turned about-face to support this at its command. Just look at how many companies suddenly dropped pride culture, and with it followed with quiet complicity with the Neo-Gestapo and Israeli bloodlust.

I know I started this with "not much to it beyond..." but I stand by that! The simple fact is this is the US Empire doing what it has done since it become the primary villain of humanity - manipulating its domestic politics and exporting the new order to its vassals along the tendrils of the international bourgeoisie.