In Praise of Queer Feminist Porn
Like it or not, porn is where most Americans learn about sex. The ubiquity of free pornography on the internet has made it easier than ever to watch strangers having sex. And because of abstinence only education, sex-shaming parents and politicians, when people want real answers about sex, there's no where else to turn but the google search box. Then queer feminist pornography stepped onto the scene. A movement spearheaded by people like Tristan Taormino & Shine-Louis Houston (and whose path was paved by sex-positive feminists like Betty Dodson, Pat Califa, Dossie Easton, Annie Sprinkle [nsfw-ish], and many, often unsung others), queer feminist porn sought real portrayals of pleasure with women and trans-people of all body types, ethnicities, ages, and proclivities. Suddenly, it became possible to see people who looked like you doing things you liked to do (or wanted to try) and enjoying it.
Read More. . .And Sometimes You Barrel Through
Sometimes, often, writing is work. Hard work. It’s why not everyone does it and far fewer people are successful at it. It feels inorganic to spend time and energy on something you’re not ecstatic about. I like to think about it like prostitution. It’s a transaction, an offering of time and energy to something in exchange for a return of a different kind. Does that mean I can’t make love to my fabulous partner? or that the exchange with them is cheapened? Not in my book.
Read MoreFinding the Right Story
I've been working on a short story submission for a women's erotica magazine. I started with an idea that inspired me, and I enjoyed the process. Then, I got stuck.
Read MoreRide a Black Swan
Shapeshifting as a metaphor for sexual evolution is a fairly prevalent trope. Werewolves, after all, are the mythological manifestation of a human’s animal nature, the unbridled id focused on the “3 Fs” : feeding, fighting, and sex. I just returned from seeing the season’s hit, Black Swan. The movie takes its own stab at the shapeshifting/sexual-awakening trope. Yet, instead of a werewolf, we get one really fierce bird.
Read MoreWhat is Feminist Literature?
Feminist literature presents female characters as agents. These stories present women as fully realized characters with faculties, desires, aggressions, ires, lusts, and conflicts. To call forth an oft-used quotation by Cheris Kramarae, "Feminism is the radical notion that women are human." Feminist literature treats these humans as interesting and worthy of novels and stories.
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