I have a confession to make.
When watching porn, feminism, women’s rights and equality of the sexes aren’t the usual thoughts that streams through my mind.
What kind of porn turns her on? Four women open up about their porn habits
I don’t think you can really be a feminist and watch the one-sided, misogynistic stereotypes of porn that’s so readily available online. That, and I’m lazy about finding something that fits the feminist bill.
But maybe I should.
I mean, picture the typical storyline for a minute – it’s the lazy representation of male pleasure that’s the ultimate goal.
The scene typically unfolds through the male gaze, and the cumshot seems to be mandatory to end the scene. In fact, Pornhub.com have a multitude of their very own ‘cumshot compilations’.
As the story unfolds, the female character is being used to satisfy others, but not themselves.
As a feminist, it feels like I’m letting the side down for giving the women such little consideration.
However, erotic filmmakers like Erika Lust are working hard behind the scenes to change the narrative, as well as minds like mine, so that erotic films today and tomorrow can be female-friendly as well as feminist.
‘Feminist porn is women-relevant porn,’ Lust told Metro.co.uk in a past interview.
She also believes you can be submissive as well as a feminist.
My mind-boggles, but it’s good to know that.
Her work shows men and women as independent equals, with their own desires and pleasures, who are able to and enjoy exploring them freely.
She considers herself a feminist and thinks feminism is something completely necessary, telling Metro.co.uk in a recent interview: ‘It’s the idea that men and women are equal and must have equal opportunities. Seeing what I see every day and living in the world as a woman, I am compelled to be a feminist.’
However, feminism still annoys many people.
Lust says: ‘They still wrongly associate the term feminism to women wanting to chop off men’s penises. During the years, I have been more criticised for being a feminist woman and being vocal about it rather than for being an erotic filmmaker.
‘What bothers some people about my work is not my films per se but its female and feminist perspective. They don’t want me to ‘touch their porn’, they seem incapable to see that the mainstream pornography created nowadays is completely sexist.’
The average male-written porn script seems to persist in gender role stereotyping, detrimental for both men and women.
For me, the feminism/porn debate is complicated, but like Lust, I would consider myself to espouse equality of the sexes, even though I’m borderline ‘submissive’.
More: Sex
Sky Deep, a producer nominated for a PorYes (a Feminist Porn award, no less) agrees with Lust that you can be feminist and still watch porn.
However, she told Metro.co.uk: ‘It depends on the type of porn, a person’s reason for watching it, and awareness about the ethics involved in the creation.
‘I know many people that identify as feminists who make or perform in porn films. My own recent film is also aligned with the growing queer and feminist porn spectrum.’
I’m starting to conclude that it’s very much feminist to stand strong in one’s desires and to resist feeling shame for something so natural.
‘Even though there is a lot of non-feminist porn out there, there is also a ton of porn that offers a sense of freedom, empowerment, education and fun – from a woman’s perspective. Yes, you can watch porn while simultaneously challenging gender inequality,’ concurs Deep.
So, I’m pledging to watch more feminist erotic films in the future – and I’m looking forwards to doing so.
MORE: Why, as a woman, I love watching porn
MORE: Why I stopped watching porn and started writing my own
MORE: 12 ways porn will improve your sex life
I have a confession to make.
When watching porn, feminism, women’s rights and equality of the sexes aren’t the usual thoughts that streams through my mind.
What kind of porn turns her on? Four women open up about their porn habits
I don’t think you can really be a feminist and watch the one-sided, misogynistic stereotypes of porn that’s so readily available online. That, and I’m lazy about finding something that fits the feminist bill.
But maybe I should.
I mean, picture the typical storyline for a minute – it’s the lazy representation of male pleasure that’s the ultimate goal.
The scene typically unfolds through the male gaze, and the cumshot seems to be mandatory to end the scene. In fact, Pornhub.com have a multitude of their very own ‘cumshot compilations’.
As the story unfolds, the female character is being used to satisfy others, but not themselves.
As a feminist, it feels like I’m letting the side down for giving the women such little consideration.
However, erotic filmmakers like Erika Lust are working hard behind the scenes to change the narrative, as well as minds like mine, so that erotic films today and tomorrow can be female-friendly as well as feminist.
‘Feminist porn is women-relevant porn,’ Lust told Metro.co.uk in a past interview.
She also believes you can be submissive as well as a feminist.
My mind-boggles, but it’s good to know that.
Her work shows men and women as independent equals, with their own desires and pleasures, who are able to and enjoy exploring them freely.
She considers herself a feminist and thinks feminism is something completely necessary, telling Metro.co.uk in a recent interview: ‘It’s the idea that men and women are equal and must have equal opportunities. Seeing what I see every day and living in the world as a woman, I am compelled to be a feminist.’
However, feminism still annoys many people.
Lust says: ‘They still wrongly associate the term feminism to women wanting to chop off men’s penises. During the years, I have been more criticised for being a feminist woman and being vocal about it rather than for being an erotic filmmaker.
‘What bothers some people about my work is not my films per se but its female and feminist perspective. They don’t want me to ‘touch their porn’, they seem incapable to see that the mainstream pornography created nowadays is completely sexist.’
The average male-written porn script seems to persist in gender role stereotyping, detrimental for both men and women.
For me, the feminism/porn debate is complicated, but like Lust, I would consider myself to espouse equality of the sexes, even though I’m borderline ‘submissive’.
More: Sex
Sky Deep, a producer nominated for a PorYes (a Feminist Porn award, no less) agrees with Lust that you can be feminist and still watch porn.
However, she told Metro.co.uk: ‘It depends on the type of porn, a person’s reason for watching it, and awareness about the ethics involved in the creation.
‘I know many people that identify as feminists who make or perform in porn films. My own recent film is also aligned with the growing queer and feminist porn spectrum.’
I’m starting to conclude that it’s very much feminist to stand strong in one’s desires and to resist feeling shame for something so natural.
‘Even though there is a lot of non-feminist porn out there, there is also a ton of porn that offers a sense of freedom, empowerment, education and fun – from a woman’s perspective. Yes, you can watch porn while simultaneously challenging gender inequality,’ concurs Deep.
So, I’m pledging to watch more feminist erotic films in the future – and I’m looking forwards to doing so.
MORE: Why, as a woman, I love watching porn
MORE: Why I stopped watching porn and started writing my own
