You may have noticed the term “feminist porn” turning up more frequently in recent years and news cycles. In many cases, it’s used to label and market certain adult content; and yet, even in that context, we’re still often left with a lack of understanding as to what constitutes feminist porn. That’s because the definition will vary depending on who you ask.
I define it simply as porn in which women’s pleasure is equally valued, and in which the sex is more authentic. There is a focus on consent, female agency, and transparency, and it’s ethically produced.
To me, feminism is about women making our own choices, being treated equally under the law, and having our autonomy respected. Individual women have the right to view feminism in different ways, and those of us who make films have the right to express our own vision of feminism without worrying about whether the content we create fits inside a box—one that other people have constructed, and for which they’ve defined the criteria and limits.
It’s important to note that feminist porn (or any pornography, really) should never be about pigeonholing female sexuality into any one singular expression. The term can become problematic if we attempt to say feminist porn must always equal a certain kind of sex. When it comes to fantasies and desires, women are just as multifaceted and complicated as men, if not more so. I’ve been conducting a survey in the members’ area of my feminist porn site, Sssh.com, since 1999. Sssh.com is an award-winning, premier destination for sex-positive, ethical porn made by women. I created the survey to be able to answer a simple question: what do women want in their porn? Over 76 percent of the members responding are women. Still, I can say with some confidence that I cannot answer the question; the variety and variations in the data over the years show that there’s just no putting women’s sexual desires in a box.
The notion of feminist porn is often closely intertwined with ethical porn and porn for women—so you might see these terms used interchangeably. Although, it’s important to note that ethical porn is not a genre or specific film style; it’s a way of conducting business, and I know many mainstream porn studios that are ethical.
Ethical production standards can include negotiating everything with the actors in advance. This ensures that everyone fully and enthusiastically consents to the sex acts; feels safe, in control, and respected throughout the process; and is paid a fair rate for their work. For instance, on my sets, I encourage actors to bring their own creative nuances to the scenes, whether that’s through character development, storyline, or their personal style of sex.
So why all these labels, then? Because they let people know we are doing something different from mainstream pornography—not better than, just different. It’s important that there are other visions.
We put more focus on inclusivity and diversity. There is a natural flow to the sex. The narratives and sex are presented from a female perspective. At Sssh.com, we have a very heavy focus on mutual pleasure and empowering storylines. There is a misconception that porn for women is just soft lighting, candles, moody music, and softcore sex. That is far from the truth.
Just as feminist porn honors female pleasure, it always honors female choice. Consent is a vital aspect of feminist porn, and this also extends to giving actors the opportunity to choose their scene partners and be able to stipulate other aspects of how the sex is portrayed.
Moreover, feminist porn is typically regarded as inclusive porn. You will find more variety of physical appearances and body types than what you might see in more mainstream porn. In fact, one could argue that feminist porn has done a great deal to promote body and sex-positivity, which are (happily) becoming more normalized in Hollywood and popular media.
Still, people often think that feminist porn is just for women—and it’s definitely not. You can expect films that empower and affirm as much as they thrill, and sex that is filled with passion and chemistry. Feminist porn is for anyone who wants something a little different—and something with a little more equity.
