Pornography: A conversation between women

[fierytrini]

People view porn differently. Some watch it as a prelude to foreplay, others detest it, and some are addicted. Regardless of the why, the real question I try to work in is how women are viewed in porn and to what extent is degrades them or uplifts if that is what people think.
I particularly do not feel that it enables women in any way nor does it provide an avenue for women to be respected.

The following article is from a dialogue between American women, and at the start they provide a brief info on themselves.

Of particular interest to me is the concept of "feminist porn." While the conversation sheds some light, I feel that there is no such thing as feminist porn.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/porn-a-conversation-between-women

[M0k0]

To throw in my two cents right away, I don’t necessarily agree that there no such thing as feminist porn (I find the name somewhat problematic as opposed to say, female-friendly or female-centred but that stems from my issues with the way people in North America have this tendency to reduce things to convenient catch-phrases). As the article itself shows, a growing number of women are developing porn and erotica from behind the camera and putting out a body of work that is more female-focussed and involving sexual scenarios that are more realistic.

Also, I profoundly disagree with the view expressed in the article that there is no room for politics when exploring sexuality. I think pleasure IS political especially when one considers the ascetic philosophies behind political office, political activism, social awareness and the notion of image in corporate boardrooms, employment in general and Parliament. In the Caribbean especially, we need to be having much more conversations of this nature.

[fierytrini]

The concept of female centered might make for a different approach, but women will still be exploited to some degree.

What is the fascination with pornography in the Caribbean as well? There are websites that are geared to expounding the "Caribbean flavour." The websites just add to the notion of portraying Caribbean women as "exotic" and  "dark beauties." Considering those terms, it's almost as if women in the Caribbean are distinct from the rest of the Porn industry. They probably are as they do not conform to the cookie cutter images of blonde, light skinned women with enhanced hairless body parts that are rampant in mainstream pornography.

[leslie]

The idea of feminism has always been a conflicting one for me, especially as I never perceived it as a homogenous or all-embracing movement. Feminists have different motives and agendas (which is not bad in itself), all of which are not necessarily beneficial for females in general. Therefore, I am uncertain what feminist porn would really mean or in what ways it would benefit female porn actors or porn viewers collectively.

M0K0 pointed out a relevant detail in the discussion about there being no room for politics in porn or other sexual explorations. I agree with M0K0 that pleasure can take on a political dynamic. Any thinking person would make it his/her business to ensure that even in pleasure that a certain mindfulness is maintained throughout. If porn should remain in an apolitical realm, then wouldn't that render feminism (whatever people believe it to mean) in porn obsolete?

I think female empowerment in sex would have to take a lot of things into consideration including who she sexes, why she sexes and how she sexes, or not. A constant engagement in the politics of racism, colourism, sizism, sexism and other issues, and using that to direct sexual action is the only real empowerment. Whether or not that could be done in porn is left to be seen although I highly doubt it.