Have you ever wondered what has pornography done for you? And do you know what is ethical pornography doing for you right now? Whether porn has been one of your best kept secrets, or it has been your best and most faithful ally, we assure you: pornography can be a great, GREAT, tool.
Pornography is no longer only conventional male focus, there is much more available. There is the pornography we know, but there is also ethical and feminist pornography. Are you able to differentiate between them? SexTech has changed the way we look at sexuality and pleasure. That is why we need to be able to identify each one. Knowing how to consciously choose the one we like the most and value the benefits it has brought to our life is essential. Let’s analyze ethical and feminist pornography more in depth. Are you ready?
Pornography is no longer only conventional male focus, there is much more available. There is the pornography we know, but there is also ethical and feminist pornography.
What is pornography?
For those who are not afraid to browse through pornography, it has brought them through new possabilities. What is pornography? The word derives from the Greek pornoi and refers to prostitute or from prostitution. And according to Merriam-Webster, It is the depiction of erotic behavior, as in picture or writing, intended to cause sexual excitement.
Pornography, when viewed responsibly, provides and opportunity to gain awareness about the diversity of practices and preferences that can be explored. And, we’ve realized that we can get turned on by things we didn’t even suspect we liked. In that regard, it allows us to be a little more honest with ourselves. With an unbiased mind, pornography can be a helpful tool in discovering the depths of our sexuality.
From this perspective, let’s think about what would happen if pleasure did not make us so ashamed. Could pornography stop being a taboo subject? We believe it can be because of the power of the orgasm and the honest acknowledgement of our own pleasure. The stepping stone to healthy self-esteem, to the empowerment necessary to explore different activities, is honest sexuality. And, it doesn’t matter where that honesty comes from: it is always welcome.
Sex education through Internet pornography: does it prepare us for real life sexuality?
Millennials, centennials and maybe other past generations, believe that Google has all the answers, but is it really so? How much does Google know about pleasure, clitoris or consent? If we search the word “sex,” Google will most likely show us some sex videos that have little resemblance to real life sex….
We must not ignore that the educational potential of pornography is huge. 40% of young people between the ages of 14 and 18 claim to have learned more about sex from pornography than from school.
That is why, if sex education is virtual and dependent on Google, it should be realistic and healthy. Images of sex that set impossible standards have confused our understanding of sex. We have had enough of being told how to be men, how to behave and look like women, or simply only seeing a specific type of body. If we want to build a sexuality that is acceptin of all and based on consensual pleasure, let’s show how sex exploration really look like.
Frustrations and moral stigmas should be something we work to overcome. And, that is if we seek to live our sexuality to the fullest. Why not try to live that fullness through pornography? To achieve this we will have to overcome many moral, aesthetic and gender stigmas.
Good news is that this is already being achieved with the help of ethical pornography. Thanks to the pioneers of ethical or feminist pornography, Erika Lust and Cindy Gallop. Google is already learning how to give better results, and thus, providing more realistic options when we are searching for our desires, fantasies and bodies.
Consent is sexy. Feminist and Ethical pornography
The mission among the producers of feminist pornography is to bring down the narrative of female submission and phallocentrism, which, to tell the truth, was already getting old. Perhaps an image is generated when talking about pornography made by women, but let’s get this straigh. The focus is not sugar-coated and romanticized pornography, the focus is consent and inclusion! After that, the sky’s the limit.
Characteristics of ethical pornography
Kamil Lewis, a relationships, sex and identity therapist, sums up the essential characteristics of ethical pornography:
- Real pleasure should be portrayed. It will not be as tidy or as choreographed, but it will have more creativity and real orgasms!
- It should reject hegemonic stereotypes of femininity and masculinity. It should have diverse and inclusive content: BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color), queer, disabled, body positive! and for all audiences.
- In the making, the desires and fantasies of the actors and actresses must be taken into account, and fair working conditions and equal pay must be provided.
- Not necessarily free.
The mission among the producers of feminist pornography is to bring down the narrative of female submission and phallocentrism, which, to tell the truth, was already getting old.
Pornography aimed at everyone, including marginalized women, men tired of preponderant masculinity, and people with different gender identities or racialized, now exists. And it is called ethical pornography.
In the article A guide to navigating ethical pornography we present you with a number of porn apps and projects with these features.
We all deserve a pleasant journey of self-discovery!