Debating porn in the feminist movement was a major contributor to the feminist sex wars of the 1980s and 1990s, which divided feminist scholars into anti-porn and pro-sex factions (Stewart, 2019). A main argument against porn stated that porn has not only harmed women, but is itself harmful because of its subjugation of women (Stewart, 2019). In general, third- and fourth-wave feminists do not hold the same anti-porn attitudes as second-wave feminists, prompting many feminist scholars to call for a reassessment of the type of pornography women consume (Stewart, 2019)—specifically, whether pornographic women actually watch embody this mainstream sexual experience. can be modified to reduce female submission to pornography. As in every aspect of society, women had to make a way for themselves through the male-dominated infrastructure, so it was only a matter of time before women reassessed and rethought the world of pornography. This has resulted in the creation of “feminist porn”, which focuses on 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 depicts various body types, ages, genders and sexualities, includes boundaries and protections, challenges stereotypes and maintains a sense of realism. All this 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 developed from film theory (Altmann & Altman, 2022). The Female Gaze discusses the differences in heterosexual male versus heterosexual female perspectives in film and how these 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 connection, intimacy, passion, longing, and communication not found in mainstream porn (Stewart, 2019).
Why is feminist porn necessary?
Feminist porn allows those looking for an online sexual outlet to find media that caters to their beliefs as well as their needs. A very important 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 Korsianos states is emphasized through the similar characteristics that many female porn actresses have, such as long hair, thinness, makeup, breast implants, and high heels, creating an ideal of how they should look (2007). This creates a default that the man is the viewer and the woman is the object of observation. To address this default, the narratives must be reversed. here comes the concept of feminist porn. Feminist porn not only facilitates the female gaze but allows for a transition from the heterosexual, male-dominated porn scene to a more inclusive, broad and less intimidating environment.
Ok, but what does feminist porn consist of?
Feminist porn includes diversity in terms of body shapes and sizes, age, sexuality, gender, couples, race, ethnicity, and disability (Steber, 2020). This allows many more women, men and gender non-conforming people to find actors they resonate with, creating a more fluid and connected sensual experience when watching porn. Feminist porn has worked to dismantle harmful stereotypes enforced by the mainstream porn industry, such as unattainable expectations about weight, body hair, sexual prowess, female submissiveness, and male aggression. Furthermore, many feminist pornographers define good porn for women as one that includes all aspects of female sexuality. As defined by Stewart, this includes depicting her desires, pleasure, experience of sex and orgasm (2019). Feminist porn not only focuses on creating porn for women, but seeks to disrupt and expand conventional definitions of sex (Stewart, 2019) by creating porn that resonates with people who have minority genders and sexualities. Unlike porn’s focus around the male orgasm, feminist porn expresses the many varieties of pleasure that other people experience. In terms of female-to-female gender representation in pornography, mainstream lesbian sex is portrayed in a way that appeals to straight male audiences, as opposed to the authentic queer experience (Brehas, 2021). Corsianos explains that mainstream lesbian porn must be constructed as “the straight male fantasy,” where women seem to seek out lesbianism not as a form of pleasure and empowerment, but as a tool to please male audiences (2007).
How does feminism translate to off-screen porn?
A key aspect of feminist porn is its concern for the rights and safety of its actors off-screen (Stewart, 2019). Feminist porn ensures fair and equal treatment for participants, allowing for a more comfortable, welcoming, safe, and empowering environment (Stewart, 2019). Consent is an issue that dominates 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 sexual acts or very different power dynamics that are common in mainstream porn (Steber, 2020). In contrast, feminist porn ensures that consent by the actors and consent throughout the scene empowers all involved, regardless of any differences (Steber, 2020). This is not to say that feminist porn consists of “vanilla” porn. There are kink and BDSM feminist porn productions that ensure consent is present in all aspects of filming. As with all scenes produced in feminist porn, limits and boundaries are set beforehand and during filming. Additionally, the emphasis is less on genital-focused aspects of mainstream porn, and more on the connection between 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 favor of the male experience in mainstream pornography. For those underrepresented in the media, feminist porn is a welcome advancement in the realm of pornography, as it provides representation for minority groups while representing various experiences that are neglected in mainstream pornography. As for who should watch feminist porn, it varies based on preference, subjectivity, and availability. Feminist porn has worked to highlight the female sexual experience, and while progress has been made in diversifying actors in the porn industry, misrepresentations or lack of representation may occur. Represented sexual experiences may also contain aspects of sexuality that do not align with everyone’s definition of feminism. Finally, due to the volume of feminist pornography compared to mainstream pornography, it can be difficult to find the specific sex scenes one craves (Corsianos 2007). However, if you are more interested in the consent and ethical aspects of pornography, feminist porn may be for you. Feminist porn ensures that values and beliefs are not compromised when consuming porn, considering morality and consent as a top priority. Overall, it’s not a question of whether we should all be watching feminist porn, but whether or not mainstream porn should adopt the progressive practices that are part and parcel of its mission.
Feminist porn uses the female gaze to capture and portray the female sexual experience that is overlooked in mainstream porn. Feminist porn also focuses on diversity, authenticity, empowerment and consent, allowing for the representation of marginalized groups. From the on- and off-camera consent process to less aggressive and more sensual depictions 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 views, desires, and needs of many more individuals, however there is still much to be accomplished. The porn industry needs to re-evaluate the negative stereotypes, expectations and sexual experiences it promotes and emphasize the importance of consent, representation and safety in pornography. Combined 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/
Korsianos, M. (2007). Mainstream pornography and “women”: Challenging sex 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
Feminist Porn. Trouble. https://www.bustle.com/wellness/feminist-porn-sex-experts-differs-mainstream
Stewart, RS (2019). Is Feminist Porn Possible? Sexuality and Culture, 23(1), 254-270.
