POV: You’re Watching Porn Made For Men
/The discussion of porn in the feminist movement was a major contribution to the feminist sex wars in the 80s and 90s, which split feminist scholars into anti-porn and pro-sex categories (Stewart, 2019). A main anti-porn argument stated that porn not only caused harm to women but is harmful in and of itself due to its subordination of women (Stewart, 2019). In general, third and fourth-wave feminists do not hold the same anti-pornography behaviours as second-wave feminists, prompting many feminist scholars to call for a re-evaluation of the type of pornography being consumed by women (Stewart, 2019)-namely, whether the porn women are watching truly embodies the female sexual experience, whether mainstream porn carries anti-women connotations, and whether this can be altered to diminish female subordination in pornography. As in every facet of society, women have had to pave a way for themselves through the male-dominated infrastructure, thus it was only a matter of time until women re-evaluated and reimagined the world of pornography. This has resulted in the creation of “feminist porn”, which centers the “female gaze” and experience.
What is feminist porn and how does it capture the female gaze?
Feminist porn is a genre of pornography that portrays various body types, ages, genders, and sexualities, includes boundaries and protection, challenges stereotypes and maintains a sense of realism; all while ensuring ethical processes off-screen (Altmann & Altman, 2022). Another key aspect of feminist porn is the inclusion of the female gaze, which is a concept grown from film theory (Altmann & Altman, 2022). The female gaze discusses the differences in heterosexual male perspectives versus heterosexual female perspectives in film, and how those differences are portrayed using language, camera angles, character perspectives and the fetishization of women (Altmann & Altman, 2022). In feminist pornography, the female gaze is used to capture aspects of female desire and portrays a sense of connectedness, intimacy, passion, longing and communication that is not found in mainstream porn (Stewart, 2019).
Why is feminist porn necessary?
Feminist porn allows those searching for an online sexual outlet to find media that caters to their beliefs as well as their needs. A very prominent aspect of mainstream pornography is its catering to the male gaze. Corsianos argues that most porn scripts are written by heterosexual men and intended for a heterosexual male audience (2007). A necessary feature of the male gaze is the objectification of women, which Corsianos states as being emphasized through the similar features many female porn actors have, such as long hair, thinness, makeup, breast implants, and high heels, creating an ideal of what they “should” look like (2007). This creates a default of the man being the looker, and the woman being the object of observation. To counteract this default, the narratives must flip; in comes the concept of feminist porn. Feminist porn not only facilitates the female gaze but allows for a shift from the heterosexual male-dominated scene of pornography to a more inclusive, broad and less intimidating environment.
Okay, but what does feminist porn consist of?
Feminist porn includes diversity in terms of body shapes and sizes, age, sexuality, gender, pairings, race, ethnicity and disability (Steber, 2020). This allows for many more women, men, and gender non-conforming individuals to find actors that they resonate with, creating a more fluid and connected sensual experience when watching porn. Feminist porn has worked to dismantle the hurtful stereotypes enforced by the mainstream porn industry, such as unachievable expectations regarding weight, body hair, sexual ability, female submission and male aggression. Additionally, many feminist pornographers define good porn for women as one that includes all aspects of female sexuality. As defined by Stewart, this includes the portrayal of her desires, her pleasure, her experience of sex, and her orgasm (2019). Not only does feminist porn focus on creating porn for women, but it has sought to unsettle and expand the conventional definitions of sex (Stewart, 2019) by creating porn that resonates with people who hold minority genders and sexualities. As opposed to centring porn around the male orgasm, feminist porn expresses the many varieties of pleasure experienced by other people. In terms of female-to-female sex representation in pornography, mainstream lesbian sex is depicted in a way that attracts the straight male audience, as opposed to the authentic queer experience (Brehas, 2021). Corsianos explains mainstream lesbian porn to be constructed as “the straight male’s fantasy”, one in which women are seen to seek lesbianism not as a form of self-pleasure and empowerment, but as a tool to please the male audience (2007).
How does feminism in porn translate off-screen?
A key aspect of feminist porn is its concern about the rights and safety of its actors off-screen (Stewart, 2019). Feminist porn ensures fair and equitable treatment for its participants, allowing for a more comfortable, welcoming, safe and empowering environment (Stewart, 2019). Consent is an issue prevalent both on and off-screen in feminist porn and is achieved through a discussion of boundaries, health concerns, protection and limits (Steber, 2020). During the scene, feminist porn does not depict any non-consensual sex acts or vastly different power dynamics common to see in mainstream porn (Steber, 2020). Feminist porn instead ensures that the consent from the actors and the consent throughout the scene provides empowerment to all involved, regardless of any differences (Steber, 2020). This is not to say that feminist porn consists of “vanilla” porn. There are productions of kink and BDSM feminist porn that ensure that consent is present through all aspects of filming. As with all scenes produced in feminist porn, limits and boundaries are set in advance and whilst filming. Additionally, the emphasis is less on genital-focused aspects seen in mainstream porn, but more on the connection between the actors (Steber, 2020).
Should we all be watching feminist porn?
The goal of feminist porn is to represent the female sexual experience that is overlooked in favour of the male experience in mainstream pornography. For those who are underrepresented in the media, feminist porn is a welcome advance in the realm of pornography as it provides representation of minority groups while representing various experiences neglected in mainstream pornography. In terms of who should watch feminist porn, it varies on preference, subjectivity and availability. Feminist porn has worked to emphasize the female sexual experience, and although there has been progress to diversify actors in the porn industry, misrepresentation, or lack of representation may occur. The represented sexual experiences may also hold aspects of sexuality that do not align with everyone’s definition of feminism. Finally, due to the amount of feminist pornography in comparison to mainstream pornography, it may be hard to find the specific sexual scenes one craves (Corsianos 2007). Yet, if you are more concerned with consent and the ethical aspects of pornography, feminist porn might be the one for you. Feminist porn ensures that values and beliefs are not compromised when consuming pornographic materials by regarding ethics and consent as the highest priority. Overall, it is not a question of if we should all be watching feminist pornography but whether or not mainstream porn should adopt the progressive practices integral to its mission.
Feminist porn uses the female gaze to capture and portray the feminine sexual experience overlooked in mainstream porn. Feminist porn also focuses on diversity, authenticity, empowerment, and consent, allowing for the representation of marginalized groups. From the consent process on and off camera to the less aggressive and more sensual portrayal of sex, feminist porn ensures that the dominant, heterosexual male experience is not the only one highlighted in pornography. Feminist porn has allowed the field of pornography to include the viewpoints, wants and needs of many more individuals, yet there is still much more that must be accomplished. The porn industry must reevaluate the negative stereotypes, expectations and sexual experiences it promotes and emphasize the importance of consent, representation and safety in pornography. In tandem with feminist porn, this can allow for a more welcoming, safe, inclusive and healthy environment for sexual expression.
Sonya Gill (she/her), BAH Psychology Class of 2025, Queen's University
References
Altmann, G., & Altman, G. (2022, April 20). What Is The Female Gaze? The Female Gaze.
Retrieved November 12, 2023, from https://www.thefemalegaze.com/what-is-the-female-gaze/
Brehas, A. (2021, September 22). ,. , - YouTube. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from https://archermagazine.com.au/2014/12/feminist-pornography-beyond-the-male-gaze/
Corsianos, M. (2007). Mainstream pornography and "women": Questioning sexual agency.
Critical Sociology, 33(5), 863-885. https://doi.org/10.1163/156916307X230359
Steber, C. (2020, July 28). Sex Experts Explain Everything You Need To Know About
Feminist Porn. Bustle. https://www.bustle.com/wellness/feminist-porn-sex-experts-differs-mainstream
Stewart, R. S. (2019). Is Feminist Porn Possible? Sexuality and Culture, 23(1), 254-270.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-018-9553-z