Comments on: Erika Lust and “Corny” Porn for Women http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/ Ms Naughty looks at porn for women, the adult industry and sex in general. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:46:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: msnaughty http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-554 msnaughty Fri, 26 May 2006 23:54:22 +0000 http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-554 My reply to this Spanish person: OK, I don't speak Spanish but the garbled Babelfish translation seems to indicate that you don't think well of me (or Erika Lust for that matter). You think that I'm afraid, somehow. Indeed, I get the feeling that you're one of those people who think that my version of porn for women is "stereotypical" or "too softcore" or something like that. If we're going to make assumptions, I think I'll assume that you haven't properly read what I write. You won't have read the countless words I've written on this topic, or my standard response to these people who seem to be offended because I am making my own brand of porn that quite a substantial number of women pay for and enjoy. Perhaps you don't even speak English. I don't know. Whatever. I do know that your assumptions about me and what I do are wrong. Congratulations on your blog. I'm glad you're working to offer women your own brand of porn and your opinions on what good porn should be. The more this happens, the better porn becomes for everyone. And the sooner the women in this industry stop attacking each other the better things will become. My reply to this Spanish person:

OK, I don’t speak Spanish but the garbled Babelfish translation seems to indicate that you don’t think well of me (or Erika Lust for that matter). You think that I’m afraid, somehow. Indeed, I get the feeling that you’re one of those people who think that my version of porn for women is “stereotypical” or “too softcore” or something like that.

If we’re going to make assumptions, I think I’ll assume that you haven’t properly read what I write. You won’t have read the countless words I’ve written on this topic, or my standard response to these people who seem to be offended because I am making my own brand of porn that quite a substantial number of women pay for and enjoy. Perhaps you don’t even speak English. I don’t know. Whatever. I do know that your assumptions about me and what I do are wrong.

Congratulations on your blog. I’m glad you’re working to offer women your own brand of porn and your opinions on what good porn should be. The more this happens, the better porn becomes for everyone. And the sooner the women in this industry stop attacking each other the better things will become.

]]> By: GirlsWhoLikePorno.com Post http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-551 GirlsWhoLikePorno.com Post Fri, 26 May 2006 17:23:14 +0000 http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-551 Terrible Babelfish translation of this person's post: Ms Naughty is one of those projects of porno for women who make you hiss the teeth. It is what one does not want to get to be from greater. Feminista reformist is porno who as much fear gives. Erika responds. (To the question of porno and the women). And it does not do it so badly, the truth. Terrible Babelfish translation of this person’s post:
Ms Naughty is one of those projects of porno for women who make you hiss the teeth. It is what one does not want to get to be from greater. Feminista reformist is porno who as much fear gives. Erika responds. (To the question of porno and the women). And it does not do it so badly, the truth.

]]> By: Anne G. Sabo http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-40 Anne G. Sabo Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:17:02 +0000 http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-40 Dear Ms. Naughty, I’m a scholar working on a book on porn by women, in particular how some women have responded to degrading/discriminating pornography not by rejecting porn per se but by grabbing the business by its balls, so to speak, in order to re-vision pornography, changing it both as an industry and as a genre. I’m especially interested in those productions that successfully establish more room—a larger playfield—for women as well as men and ultimately a whole plethora of genders and sexual identities to establish/create/perform their sexual identities/practices. As I’ve been researching this topic, it seems to me the creative challenges are less daunting than getting into the ‘boys only’ club/market, getting investors and distributors. Erika Lust’s experiences, as narrated on her blog, seem representative of what other women before her have experienced (from Candida Royalle to Anna Span). Her solution of posting her indie porn for free (while requesting donations) is an interesting one. The Internet seems to open up new possibilities, with pages such as your own and Erika’s and other sites that offer porn and erotica that cater to women. Internet has become its own ‘genre,’ it seems, in addition to film, video, pictures, paintings, photographs, novels, and short stories (e.g. like the material offered on your commercial adult that offer edited material). I realize the threat of censorship cause most women to create sites anonymously, but as the links on various sites keep routing me back to the same handful or so number of sites, I’m wondering just how big the online ‘market’ is. In other words, I’m wondering if it’s smaller than it might appear—is there really a flurry of porn online by a mass of women for women?— or if the frequent re-routing to the same sites is an indication of an international sisterhood on the net with women supporting each other by advertising for each other. I’d appreciate a response, preferably directly to my email as well so we could communicate further ‘in private.’ I’m looking at several of the directors you’ve referred to recently, e.g. American Candida Royalle, British Anna Span, Danish Puzzy Power, Erika Lust, and also Danish Kira Eggers, British JoyBear, American Maria Beatty, Estelle Joseph and others. I’d love to hear from you! You can check out my project here: http://www.stolaf.edu/people/sabo/ http://www.skk.uio.no/forskning/forskersider/forskerside_sabo.html best, Anne Dear Ms. Naughty,
I’m a scholar working on a book on porn by women, in particular how some women have responded to degrading/discriminating pornography not by rejecting porn per se but by grabbing the business by its balls, so to speak, in order to re-vision pornography, changing it both as an industry and as a genre. I’m especially interested in those productions that successfully establish more room—a larger playfield—for women as well as men and ultimately a whole plethora of genders and sexual identities to establish/create/perform their sexual identities/practices.

As I’ve been researching this topic, it seems to me the creative challenges are less daunting than getting into the ‘boys only’ club/market, getting investors and distributors. Erika Lust’s experiences, as narrated on her blog, seem representative of what other women before her have experienced (from Candida Royalle to Anna Span). Her solution of posting her indie porn for free (while requesting donations) is an interesting one. The Internet seems to open up new possibilities, with pages such as your own and Erika’s and other sites that offer porn and erotica that cater to women.

Internet has become its own ‘genre,’ it seems, in addition to film, video, pictures, paintings, photographs, novels, and short stories (e.g. like the material offered on your commercial adult that offer edited material). I realize the threat of censorship cause most women to create sites anonymously, but as the links on various sites keep routing me back to the same handful or so number of sites, I’m wondering just how big the online ‘market’ is. In other words, I’m wondering if it’s smaller than it might appear—is there really a flurry of porn online by a mass of women for women?— or if the frequent re-routing to the same sites is an indication of an international sisterhood on the net with women supporting each other by advertising for each other.

I’d appreciate a response, preferably directly to my email as well so we could communicate further ‘in private.’ I’m looking at several of the directors you’ve referred to recently, e.g. American Candida Royalle, British Anna Span, Danish Puzzy Power, Erika Lust, and also Danish Kira Eggers, British JoyBear, American Maria Beatty, Estelle Joseph and others.

I’d love to hear from you! You can check out my project here:
http://www.stolaf.edu/people/sabo/
http://www.skk.uio.no/forskning/forskersider/forskerside_sabo.html

best,
Anne

]]> By: msnaughty http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-24 msnaughty Wed, 05 Apr 2006 23:27:31 +0000 http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-24 Thanks so much for your comment Erika! This conversation has been engaging and interesting. I should have said before that I admire and applaud what you're doing. Regarding porn that's a bit more "Sex and the City" and modern - this is what I believe Estelle has tried to achieve with her City of Flesh series. She made comments similar to yours regarding her frustration with porn and the way it wasn't satisfying her personally. I've also seen similar comments at the Smart Girl's Porn Club. Your viewpoint is shared by a lot of women. In any case - the more the merrier! Thanks so much for your comment Erika! This conversation has been engaging and interesting. I should have said before that I admire and applaud what you’re doing.

Regarding porn that’s a bit more “Sex and the City” and modern - this is what I believe Estelle has tried to achieve with her City of Flesh series. She made comments similar to yours regarding her frustration with porn and the way it wasn’t satisfying her personally.

I’ve also seen similar comments at the Smart Girl’s Porn Club. Your viewpoint is shared by a lot of women.

In any case - the more the merrier!

]]> By: Erika Lust http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-23 Erika Lust Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:18:27 +0000 http://www.msnaughty.com/blog/2006/04/04/erika-lust-and-corny-porn-for-women/#comment-23 “Porn made by women” and “Porn for women” After debating with Tony Comstock and Ms Naughty about “porn made by women” and “porn for women”, I want to clarify my opinions: “Porn made by women” I don’t care if porn is made by men or women, I believe in our individual differences and I don't beleive that our actions are defined by gender. It’s a fact that most porn has been made by men exploring their fantasies, perspectives and ideas. And I think that we need to see more female filmmakers exploring their ideas of sexuality and pornography. But of course porn made by a guy can work for women and a girl’s porn can work for men. I do care, however, about the quality of the product and the values transmitted. If porn offends women… or men for that matter, if it reproduces ridiculous stereotypes and stupid assumptions about gender and sexuality I get upset. And the way I see it, most porn do. “Porn for women” We are all individuals with personal tastes. Every woman wants porn that satisfies her particular taste. Some want what I call “corn-porn”, and some want hardcore, others fetish or gay porn, and some may not want to watch porn at all. This is all fine by me! But what I wanted to say in my post I am sooo sick of corny erotica for women! was: I haven’t been able to find almost any porn on the market today that I personally enjoy. I want something with a more modern touch, a kind of “Sex and the City” explicit porn. And from my discussion with other women of my generation, I know many feel the same way. My problem with corny erotica, or corn-porn isn’t its existence, but that it’s the only thing labelled “for women” on the market. So is my porn only for women? Of course not! But I decided to call my porn “porn for women” so girls who never really liked the products the porn industry offered would easily see that this is a product at first hand aimed at them, created for them specifically. So do I discriminate men? I don’t think so. The porn we’ve seen for years have been targeting a male audience at first hand. The male has been the norm even if the industry told us their porn is for everybody, and the same goes for Society in general. But even if porn at first hand has been targeting a male audience, some women do like it, and some men don’t. The same goes for my short film “The Good Girl”, it’s made for women, however some love it, some don’t, and some men find it fabulous, while to others its just crap. So, Mr. Comstock and Ms. Naughty, even if we disagree on some standpoints, it seems like we all want the same: More sexy smart films for sexy smart people. More original creative female and male viewpoints of sex, erotism and pornography, be it film, photography, writing or art. Porn that we find innovative, fun, original, challenging and that shows great fucking sex! Love, Erika Lust www.erikalust.com “Porn made by women” and “Porn for women”

After debating with Tony Comstock and Ms Naughty about “porn made by women” and “porn for women”, I want to clarify my opinions:

“Porn made by women”
I don’t care if porn is made by men or women, I believe in our individual differences and I don’t beleive that our actions are defined by gender. It’s a fact that most porn has been made by men exploring their fantasies, perspectives and ideas. And I think that we need to see more female filmmakers exploring their ideas of sexuality and pornography. But of course porn made by a guy can work for women and a girl’s porn can work for men.

I do care, however, about the quality of the product and the values transmitted. If porn offends women… or men for that matter, if it reproduces ridiculous stereotypes and stupid assumptions about gender and sexuality I get upset. And the way I see it, most porn do.

“Porn for women”
We are all individuals with personal tastes. Every woman wants porn that satisfies her particular taste. Some want what I call “corn-porn”, and some want hardcore, others fetish or gay porn, and some may not want to watch porn at all. This is all fine by me! But what I wanted to say in my post I am sooo sick of corny erotica for women! was: I haven’t been able to find almost any porn on the market today that I personally enjoy. I want something with a more modern touch, a kind of “Sex and the City” explicit porn. And from my discussion with other women of my generation, I know many feel the same way. My problem with corny erotica, or corn-porn isn’t its existence, but that it’s the only thing labelled “for women” on the market.

So is my porn only for women? Of course not! But I decided to call my porn “porn for women” so girls who never really liked the products the porn industry offered would easily see that this is a product at first hand aimed at them, created for them specifically.

So do I discriminate men? I don’t think so. The porn we’ve seen for years have been targeting a male audience at first hand. The male has been the norm even if the industry told us their porn is for everybody, and the same goes for Society in general. But even if porn at first hand has been targeting a male audience, some women do like it, and some men don’t. The same goes for my short film “The Good Girl”, it’s made for women, however some love it, some don’t, and some men find it fabulous, while to others its just crap.

So, Mr. Comstock and Ms. Naughty, even if we disagree on some standpoints, it seems like we all want the same: More sexy smart films for sexy smart people. More original creative female and male viewpoints of sex, erotism and pornography, be it film, photography, writing or art. Porn that we find innovative, fun, original, challenging and that shows great fucking sex!

Love,

Erika Lust
http://www.erikalust.com

]]>