For example, I was interviewed by Rosalie Scolari for The Scavenger recently and was so happy about the way it turned out. Rosalie asked some great questions, and it was nice to have a chance to give some props to my friends and colleagues — people I really respect. I am digging The Scavenger’s “Queer” category on the site. Definitely keeping an eye on them for good reads about sex, gender, and sexuality diversity.

While I didn’t choose the title of the interview, I’m pleased with it. I’ve been using the phrase “Genderqueer” a lot — it’s my intention to add visibility to the word and our experiences. Read the whole article at TheScavenger.net.
Here’s a clip:

Now to find a cute German-speaking friend to translate…

On the show, some of the things we talk about which have links (let me know if I missed anything!):

• Queer Porn Director Courtney Trouble
• Award-winning Director Shine Louise Houston (who won Good For Her’s Feminist Porn Awards‘ Visionary Award) films:  The Crash Pad, Champion
• We talk a lot about CrashPadSeries.com and about what a deal it is to get the Level 3 membership so you can download episodes (over 70!)
• Recent films: Belladonna’s Strapped Dykes, Dangerous Curves, Billy Castro Does the Mission
• Upcoming Work: Tristan Taormino, PaddedKink.com
• Nenna of NennaPresents.com (Her film is  Tight Places: A Drop of Color, which I posted about.)
• Opportunities to get into queer porn
• My interview with Jasper James on Good Vibrations Magazine
• Jasper wants to review sex toys — Good Vibrations Affiliate Program (or Babeland)
• My Karma Pervs project! (With sex toy contest sponsorship by Sugar — Lesbian-owned, women and trans -run sex toy store)
• And the question on everyone’s minds… MASTURBATE-A-THON!

I get so shy and was happy to hear all the people who called in. For those of you who found out about me through the show, thank you for coming to my site!
Also, I’m on Fetlife, Facebook, and Twitter.

I love sharing my thoughts and am thrilled that students are creating dialogue about queer sex, pornography, and are questioning the interpretations of sexual media. And I love reading their final papers!

So from here on out, I’ve got a new approach to interviews with students. I’m going to post each finished paper that is sent to me with this permission by it’s author, and possibly share it with other queer/feminist academic sex sites.

The most recent one I’ve received is by Mikayla Dennis. Thank you for sharing your work and allowing me to post it!

Women and Pornography

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines taboo as “a prohibition imposed by social customs.” Every culture has its specific taboos. In Judaism, it is taboo to eat to pork.  In Egypt , it is taboo to eat an entire plate of food; it is seen as impolite. Blowing your nose in front of others is a taboo is South Korea . Universal taboos do not exists, but a vast majority of cultures do not condone incest, murder, suicide, or pedophilia. Taboos change with time in the United States . What was taboo one hundred years ago could be widely accepted today? Divorce is an example of a taboo that has changed with time. In 1909, divorce was practically unheard of. Only 12 percent of all marriages ended in divorce in the early 1900’s. Today, 50 percent of first marriages, 67 percent of second marriages and 74 percent of third marriages in the United States end in divorce. Repression of female sexuality was very commonplace one hundred years ago. For women, sex was only for procreation purposes and those who yearned for sexual gratification were considered to be living outside the Will of God. Today, women are allowed to express their sexuality freely. As the sexuality of women continues to evolve, women’s influence in the pornography industry continues to increase.

Female sexual practices in the United States have also changed over the years. During the Victorian Era, it was believed that only men could derive pleasure from sexual activity. Women were not allowed to engage in sexual activity freely. Extreme lack of sexual fulfillment and understanding of female sexuality lead to many women being diagnosed with “hysteria.” Hysteria is defined as, “a condition of extreme excitement characterized by emotional disturbance, sensory and motor derangement and sometimes the simulation of organic disorders” (Company 517.) It was believed that nearly three quarters of all women suffered from hysteria. Symptoms of hysteria included a sense of heaviness in the pelvis, tendencies to indulge in sexual fantasies and “excessive” vaginal lubrication (Lerman 101.)  Physicians would treat hysteria in women by giving patients vulvular massages. The goal of these massages was to achieve “hysterical paroxysm” also known as “sexual orgasm.” After treating numerous women a day for hysteria, physicians grew tired and began to seek assistance in achieving the desired results. By 1870, a clockwork driven vibrator was available for use by physicians to treat hysteria and by the turn of the century battery powered vibrators were available for private purchase. They were being used as masturbatory aides but were not marketed as such. Vibrators were marketed as a domestic appliance in periodicals. This lasted until the 1920s when they began appearing in pornographic movies.

Pornography is currently defined as the depiction of explicit sexual subject matter for the purpose of sexual excitement. The previous definition of pornography related exclusively to prostitution. In 1857 the English medical dictionary defined pornography as “a description of prostitutes or prostitution, as a matter of public hygiene” (Dunglison 783.) Before the invention of the movie projector in 1876, pornographic material was only available through print (photographs and magazines.) Almost immediately after the invention of movie projectors, pornographic movies were created. The first sexually explicit movie was released in U.S. theaters in 1970. By 1982, movies were being produced on videotape. Videotape allowed viewers to watch sexually explicit videos in the privacy of their homes. Although the internet was invented in 1957, it was not accessible for popular use until the early 1990s. The availability of internet for home use allowed for even more privacy than videotapes. As of 2006, there were 4.2 million pornographic websites and 68 million pornographic search engine results (Ropelato.) The internet allows people to access pornography and remain anonymous. Research has found that 1 in 3 adults who access pornographic websites are women (Ropelato). Theresa Flynt, the vice president of marketing for the men’s magazine “Hustler” states that women account for 56 percent of their business (Blue.)

The roles women play in pornography have increased drastically since the 1980s. Before then, women’s roles in pornography were limited to on-screen positions. Over the past twenty-five years, women have become very active off-camera. One of the first women producer/director of pornography is Candida Royalle. Candida Royalle began her career as a pornographic actress but shifted her focus to director. In 1984, she founded the company Femme Production to “create materials that bespoke a more loving and healthy attitude toward sex and women” (Nagle 156.) Belladonna, Stormy Daniels and Devinn Lane are examples of additional female pornographic actresses who followed suit. As of today, there are over 50 female pornography directors and/or producers. Many of the films produced by women, focus on the sexual activity between the actors instead of the climax of the male actor, also known as the infamous “money shot.”

Some people and groups express negative attitudes toward pornography. The anti-pornography movement was sparked in 1969 when the Supreme Court decided that people can watch what they desire in their own homes. After this ruling, groups such as Women Against Pornography and Women Against Violence Against Women sought to educate the general public of the ways pornography harm women. These groups believe that pornography incites rape and other violent acts against women. Major players in the anti-pornography movement are Catharine MacKinnon, Andrea Dworkin and Gloria Steinem. In an interview, Catharine MacKinnon said she believes that pornography desensitizes people to violence against women (Jeffries.)  In 1986, TIME magazine published an article titled “Pornography: the Feminist Dilemma”. The primary reason many people and groups object to pornography is because of the belief that pornography degrades women. Avid anti-pornography protester Jon Leo stated: “By its very nature it tends to degrade women and treat them as sexual playthings for men.”

This article did not mention pornography that depicts two women engaging in sexual activity. The anti-pornography movement has loss a substantial amount of support over the past ten years. The movement has made no impact on censorship.

As the anti-pornography movement began to fade, the support of pornography gained momentum. Groups such as the Feminist Anti-Censorship Task, Feminist for Free Expression and Feminists against Censorship Force publicly declared their support of it. Those who support pornography reject the idea that pornography harms women. The principal idea is that pornography demonstrated the sexual liberation of women. This approach to pornography became known as the sex-positive movement. The sex-positive movement advocates for the acknowledgement of individual sexual diversity. This includes the acceptance of heterosexuality, homosexuality, transsexuality, polyamory and masturbation. Gayle Rubin, Wendy McElroy and Carol Queen are several key players of the sex-positive movement. In her article, “The Necessary Revolution: Sex-Positive Feminism in the Post-Barnard Era,” Carol Queen explains her view of sex-positivism.

She states:

It’s the cultural philosophy that understands sexuality as a potentially positive force in one’s life, and it can, of course, be contrasted with sex-negativity, which sees sex as problematic, disruptive, dangerous. Sex-positivity allows for and in fact celebrates sexual diversity, differing desires and relationships structures, and individual choices based on consent. (2008)

Before researching this topic, I considered myself to be in support of pornography. I firmly disagreed with those who presented the argument that pornography posed a threat to “traditional” family values and that it incites violence against women. While researching this topic, I came across information that cemented my initial belief. I also learned that women are more involved in pornography production than I originally thought. The involvement of women in the production of pornography has increased drastically over the past one hundred years and will continue to climb. The industry created by males for male enjoyment has grown to include women in every aspect of production. With 13 billion dollars grossed in 2008 alone, the pornography industry shows no sign of slowing down.

If you have connections to a Space, Play-space / Dungeon where Poly Patao Productions can film on November 20th and 21st, please let them know. This would be a donated space that would allow them to film interviews and a play party specifically for the documentary.

Ignacio is looking to do a group interview and or smaller one-on-one interviews of Queer Kinky People of Color, and also those who are performance artists whose work expresses Kink, Transness or POC focus.

PLEASE let them know asap:
1. If you can participate
2. What day and time of the day is good for you
3. If you can forward this info via e-mail, text, calling…what ever is clever for you
4. If you know of a space
5. If you would be interested in being filmed at a play party created by us for the Documentary.
6. If you are a performer/ artist

Project Summary: “Shades of Kink” is a documentary featuring individual and group interviews of queer[1] people of color and their race and gender analysis of the kink[2] world in which they navigate.

Goal of “Shades of Kink”:

• Create a forum for Queers of all races to discuss via a political lens, a racial, class and gender analysis of the Kink world.
• Show wider issues of government control of bodies specific to individuals who identify as queer and kinky.
• Delve into the internal racism and transphobia within the kink world.

Contact:

Ignacio Rivera

917-554-5438
polypatao@gmail.com

www.IgnacioRivera.com
Facebook: Ignacio Rivera
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ignacio_Rivera
Fetlife: Papí_Coxxx

[2] Kink, in this context, acting as an umbrella term that encompasses many things, including but not limited to polyamory, BDSM (Bondage, Dominance, sadomasochism) practitioner, fetish, Leather, Non-vanilla player, etc

“Hi, I’m the dummy who fell for a plot to join what was most likely a fake lesbian porno, as chronicled in today’s feature from our Film Issue. I contacted some real queer porn pros to find out just where I went wrong. If you’re a homophobe, sitting at a desk and have a boss you’re scared of, or haven’t lived long enough to legally know what a dildo is, get out of here right now…”

That’s a killer intro, I am crushing on this writer already. I wonder if she’s cute? Liz’s interview commentary is great and the responses from the four of us range from empowered awesomeness to outrageous stories. Anyway, read more at Liz Armstrong’s “This Is How You Do It” feature in Vice Magazine.

P.S. Liz kicks off the article with a picture of twincest (my performance art project with Syd). Twincest is defunct — check out our epitaph at twincest.net — but I hope it is always remembered because it was a project of sex and media and art and that’s porn to me.

Layover recently was picked up by Good Vibrations, and I remembered that I had wanted to post some of the interviews I’ve done to this blog. Check out some photos from the film from my blog post about the premiere.

Femina Potens EXCLUSIVE Interview with Selina Raven and Jiz Lee

By: Francesca Ochoa

Selina Raven and Jiz Lee, two of the many amazing performers in Layover, a hot, kinky spin off of 70’s femdom- turned –queer- as –fuck, shared a drink, some thoughts on the power of radical porn, and some juicy behind the scenes reflections. But first, an introduction…

Selina Raven: I started working as a dominatrix in 1998, and that was my first formal introduction to the sex industry. I have a very firm belief that men should not be profiting from women’s sexual labor.  When I started working as a dominatrix, I was working at a house owned by a woman and ever since then I’ve been very careful that the profits of my sexual labor go to someone I love and trust or a woman- ideally, they go mostly to me. Most of my income comes from professional domination. I don’t do a lot of video work, mostly because I want to make sure that the reoccurring income goes to a cause that I believe in. I am very happy that this is the case for this film, Layover.

Jiz Lee: My introduction to the adult industry was through Shine Louise Houston’s first film, The Crash Pad.  I have been doing films with Shine ever since, all of her feature films and her website. Now, my main income comes from doing web work for adult toy businesses and partly through affiliate programs with Shines company and other women friendly, feminist toy companies that I support.

Francesca Ochoa: One of the interesting things about feminist and queer porn is that it is a medium for women and queers to control their bodies and body images. I think where the money goes is a huge part of that. Do you think companies such as Madison’s and Shine’s can maintain their own viable and autonomous community of radical porn? Or do you see it as something that will be co-opted by the larger mainstream industry?

S: I think by its nature it is going to be a small enclave of industries in cities that have a large queer population like San Francisco and New York.  I don’t know that it would be something that would be co-opted by the mainstream just because it is such a homegrown and community grown kinda thing. The perspective I have goes all the way back to On Our Backs Magazine in the late 80’s. Susie Bright was like “hey, you know lezzies actually have sex drives- it isn’t all about cuddling.”  Its been interesting for me to watch the evolution of this because initially there was On Our Backs and Good Vibrations, just these little bits and pieces of queer and lesbian sexuality, and it has been great to see it expand in the direction that it has been. Its tremendously exciting to see that there is queer porn out there and that there are more, well, just more of what turns me on.

J: I think the more there is out there, the larger that market will be.  In some ways we are fostering our own market and consumer base by putting our work out there. I also think it is okay if the mainstream views it. One issue that I often hear is “ oh, you’re doing queer porn, but what if some straight dude watches it?” I don’t care. Actually, I think it is great.

S: Yes, please! Give us your money, straight man…

J: Yeah, and if they like it, and it informs them on how different bodies look and act and maybe helps dispel some misconceptions about queer sex, and their turned on by it, than yeah, more power to ‘em.

F: That actually hits upon my next question about audience. SF has these wonderful kinky ma and pop, insular-seeming porn companies, but you are both okay with the outside world viewing it?

S: Well yeah, there has to be a genuine alternative to the plastic princess stuff that comes out of the San Fernando Valley.  There is such a narrow image that gets fulfilled in the mainstream porn industry. But, there are all kinds of niche markets and all kinds of turn- ons for people and that’s what’s fascinated me about sexuality most throughout my life: where people get there individual ideas about sexuality and how fetishes are formed.

J: Yeah, if I ever was on Miss America or whatever pageant, my answer for world peace would be Queer Porn. I honestly think that it could change the world.  Alright, say you have someone who was a homophobe, or totally confused with hatred about a person they’ve never met. And say they watch our kind of porn and develop an understanding, maybe think its hot. And then, maybe, they meet someone who they can relate to what they’ve seen in that porn. They have a reference for that sexual orientation or gender identity that they’ve seen on screen. And for people who may have never seen a body or gender performance like there own on screen, it might validate them and help them to feel secure. If you’re ok with your own self, then you feel better, treat other people better, and then there is no war, just world peace, flowers, bunnies and kittens.

S: There’s no war because everybody’s so comfortable with their sexuality, they are too busy fucking!

(Giggling. Unknown bar patron enters stage right and starts playing a banjo. Cringing.)

F:  So, Layover… You (Selina) were recounting earlier how this project got started

S: Oh the genesis of Layover… so, Madison contacted me and asked me If I was available to do a girl/girl scene and I said yes. She put myself, and the girl I was going to be doing the scene, with in contact with each other. At some point during the email exchange I made a comment, “ah, you all are making me feel very sexy during my Mrs. Robinson years” and Madison took that idea and ran with it. The next thing I knew we had Layover. It is strongly influenced by The Graduate since I did call myself Mrs. Robinson, and low n behold I became her.

J: When you watched The Graduate did you ever identify with Mrs Robinson?

S: Well, the actual character in The Graduate is an unhappy character because she is powerless and she is seeking to regain power by having these interactions with a younger man. I don’t identify with her so much. Its more that she is one of those iconic roles. Once you get passed thirty, you start looking for these images.  Hollywood and LA porn and cinema tell you that you are pretty much dried up by the time you are over 25. I’ve spent a lot to time looking for images of women that are still strong, powerful, and sexual. Mrs. Robinson is just an easy target. Interestingly enough, Anne Bancroft was only 36 when she played that role. I was like “hmmmm, ok…” I still got a lot of years ahead of me doing this, I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon!
Also, I think its fun to take things that happened right at the beginning of the American sexual revolution and put a queer spin on it.

F: Using the birth of feminist media and recasting it in the birth of queer media-

S: Yeah, yeah. It’s fun to play with that kind of power dynamic.  I don’t how prevalent it is in queer culture now, but in gay male culture you see daddy/ boy pairings, and, um, there aren’t that many hot mamas out there. So, it’s my job to change that one boi at a time.

F: You two did a scene together. How was that?

J: I got to be the boi! I went on You- tube immediately and started watching the scenes with Dustin Hoffman. I think I was acting the most shy I’ve ever been.  Usually, when I approach porn my character is really fun and exploratory with really switchy energy.  It was really fun to play the seduced and sexually shy.

S: There were a lot of big eyes and blinking…. Like, “really? Blink, blink, blink,”

J: “Oh my gosh Mrs. Robinson, can you do it again?” ha! Pretending like I’d never seen female ejaculation… Which by the way was amazing.

S: That’s something that I haven’t shared with too many people.  It was actually the first hardcore scene that I’ve done.  I liked it because there was that power dynamic there. The main point of my work life is playing with power in a sexual manner.  That movie and that role kind of encapsulated all that for me at once. It felt good to take what is a natural component of my personality, and be able to play with it in that way. “I get to be a dirty old lady, this is great!”

J: And I got to realize that I like that

S: Awesome. It was great, because I found you really attractive too, and I do have this thing for young boyish types.  It was a great experience. The general atmosphere on set was very supportive, sweet, and low key. Sort of a “hey, we’re all in this for fun. Think nasty thoughts.” We (Jiz) were also separate for most of the time, and didn’t get a lot of chit- chat, getting to know you time.  I think that added to the whole-

J: Meeting you for the first time-

S: “Oh, I just opened the door, and I happened to be a little aggravated right now. Hmmm. I think I’ll use you.” Yeah. That was fun.

F: It’s been a year since the scene was shot.  Is there anything particularly memorable that sticks out to you?

J: Huh. We had laid, my dress shirt, on the kitchen table during out scene.  It got ejaculation all over it.  The filming went in reverse order, so I had to put it back on.  It was wet.

S: I felt kind of bad about that. Ha. When you are in the moment you just go for it. I guess I was pretty turned on

F: Any final words on porn/ feminism/ identity?

S: No. Watch it. Make more of it.

J; Watch it. Buy it. Tell others about it.

S: Get inspired. Make porn yourself.

*Be the first to read the FP  interviews and recieve more info about Femina Potens events, festivities and prizes by signing up for our monthly newsletter! email feminapotenspress@gmail.com

The interview originally appeared in the Femina Potens Newsletter. You can sign up to receive it via email at feminapotens.org.

Needless to say, I’m very excited about it. And really flattered, because the book will also include an interview that Morty did with me.

In the interview, I talked about gender and sexual expression, nudity vs. passing, and making the leap to go into porn. There’s not many porn performers out there who are genderqueer, or trans (masculine spectrum). Of those I know, a quick shout-out to Papi and Wil who appear in Morty’s most recent film Trans Entities, which you can order the DVD through Babeland or watch now via HotMovies4Her. Papi and Wil identify as being ‘Trans Entities’ and if you’re not interested in the film for their fucking, you definitely should be interested in watching it for their gender expression which is spiritual, raw, and absolutely beautiful.

Anyhow Morty just shared with me and some of the other writers and interviewees — just you wait to see who’s included! — some fantastic blurbs about the book! So I share with you. And I’ll let you know the second I find that it’s available.

Which interviews, chronicles, and This is a bold, brave, beautiful collection of work. The stories and interviews are windows into some of the most misunderstood and underrepresented people in our community: trans and gender-variant folks and the people who love them. Diamond has collected the voices of a diverse group of writers, and their words inspire, challenge, and incite. This should be required reading for anyone interested in what love and relationships in the 21st century “really” look like.

-Tristan Taormino

———————————————

Having been around the trans and genderqueer scene for nearly two decades, I sometimes slip into thinking that I’ve seen and heard it all before–then something like Morty Diamond’s latest anthology comes along to remind me that that’s simply not true. Representing an erotic range that runs from steamy to stony, the writers and interviewees showcased in Gendered Hearts make it clear that gender, embodiment, and sexuality continue to evolve, but that (cheesy as this might sound) love persists in ever-emerging forms.

Susan Stryker
Associate Professor, Gender Studies, Indiana University
Author, Transgender History (Seal Press, 2008)

I LOVE PornSaints.org, and am so happy to see some of my favorite stars as pornsaints such as Lorelei Lee, Madison Young, Sasha Grey, Stoya, and Buck Angel, too! In PornHeaven, you get to make your own stats, so instead of the traditional model boob size, I get to represent the genderqueers and hapas, yey. Check out Pornsaints.org, buy art if you can, and if you’re in SF, “Oh oh oh Christ” runs until January 4th and features more pornsaint artwork and other pieces, including some fucktastic collages by Carol Queen such as Rosie Emergent, by Carol & Robert Morgan Lawrence.

Babeland Blog: Babe of the Month Jiz Lee

Their previous Babe was none other than filmmaker, friend (with less than 6 degrees of separation!) Tristan Taormino… and write now, my savior as she’s the author of Opening Up, a book that’s been my bed-side validation recently. I value it so much that I’m giving a copy to another well-known porn crush who I ran into last week at the live taping of a tag-team scene on Ultimate Surrender at the Armory (aka Kink.com Disneyland).

Dallas interviewed me about working with Pink & White Productions (rumor has it that Shine and the gang will be making a special trip out to visit their staff soon), about my thoughts on “lesbian” porn — there’s a fantastic thread over at the CrashPadSeries (free) forums about a recent scene you should check out if you’re also interested in the company’s queer perspective. In the interview I also talk about what inspired me to get into the business (aka Shawn — who WOULDN’T be inspired by her?) as well as some of my favorite experiences, and toys. So hop on over there and read part 1 and 2. Thanks for the sweet interview Babeland. I like yous.