Time To Admit Lesbian P0rn Is Problematic

This blog was originally published on Lustery POV

It's no secret that mainstream lesbian porn is produced exclusively by straight cis people for straight cis men. That needs to change. If you google why straight men watch lesbian porn, you'll find multiple academics jumping to explain how it is evolutionarily advantageous for "biological males" to only be aroused by visual "female stimulus". Cum on now. I don't mean to discredit the value of such research, but there's a glaring omission: gender socialization. A more salient explanation than Paleolithic programming is that we culturally hold homophobic and misogynist values, which is reflected in porn. Despite progress towards LGBTQ+ inclusion in the last decades, mainstream gender norms still largely reinforce the notion that cishet men should fear losing social status due to diminished masculinity as a result of being (or perceived as) gay. Inevitably these gender-based anxieties are amplified when it comes to selecting sexually explicit content. It might seem contradictory that homosexual consternation would result in choosing content that is seemingly homosexual; in reality, mainstream lesbian porn is a tribute to the worst cultural norms and as far removed from queer sexuality as imaginable. Lesbian porn is sold as a virility fantasy to straight men with the promise they won't see any male parts, therefore, not risk accidentally being homosexually aroused. This market commodifies lesbian sexuality while preying on homosexual fear to boost consumption. The other trope I hear over and over is that lesbian porn is made for men because they are the primary consumers of porn. No shit. Of course, the primary consumers are the ones consuming content because it is exclusively catered to them. If lesbian porn was for lesbians by lesbians inevitably more lesbians would watch it. I'm tired of the excuses, this category deserves to be made for queers by queers.

Currently, porn is still dismissed as unimportant by our not-so-secretly-porn-obsessed culture, allowing this genre to be exempt from accountability for displaying the worst stereotypes. In the top porn clips (which happen to be lesbian), on the top porn sites, you will find a formula as moribund as a Fast & Furious plot. Honestly, this category is too much of a mess for me to dissect all the problematic elements but I will summarize a few. First, lesbian porn always casts straight actors who are hyper-sexualized yet infantilized, conventionally attractive often with breast enhancements, extremely thin, mostly white or racially fetishized, and notably with no body hair (unless they're red-headed and have a small number of orange pubes). Actual queer representation is nowhere to be found; butches, non-binary folks, fatness, disability, body hair, and any other diversity does not exist in this category. We are erased and replaced by straights. Secondly, while men are usually absent from this genre (except for a sub-genre of lesbian porn I like to call "lesbians can't be satisfied without a man"), there is always an implied penis, and the plot follows a strict heteronormative script. Visual cues, such as brazen closeups of gaping holes, cast lesbian sexuality as being phallocentric, completely stripping us of our sovereignty. There's often an overt tone of shame or trepidation between the actors about touching each other, furthering the narrative or insufficiency. Basically, this genre uses every possible trick to center the male viewer's pleasure and remove believable enjoyment between the actors. Unfortunately, the real-life consequence is that straight men feel disgustingly entitled to queer bodies; most of us have experienced a dude trying to insert himself into our gay beds. Lastly, there's an egregious lack of understanding of the mechanics of queer sex. Long acrylics are regularly featured, I have yet to see gloves or dams being used, consent is absent, instead, we mostly see wild displays of inept cunnilingus. Porn isn't meant to be sex education. But porn is impactful. It's the first image of queer sexuality that a lot of us encounter, and what we currently find is an absolute joke. 

We shouldn't excuse the inherent mainstream appropriation of queer sexuality. Our sex lives are not fodder for straight men. I advocate for porn to be viewed as any other form of commercial art and held to the same standards of accountability; dehumanizing caricature isn't acceptable. Queer people have started to insist on telling their stories in movies, books, and other media. We know the ways in which we are depicted is just as important as the amount of representation. Mainstream porn still has exclusive control over the narrative of lesbian sexuality, that's not fair. We don't condone being consumed. We don't accept being appropriated. We don't deserve to be erased from our own stories. Our debasement, no matter the medium, is not entertainment. Many of my queer and feminist ancestors were against porn because they viewed it as degradation, and I see where they're coming from. I'm aggressively pro-porn and pro-sex work. BUT not at our expense. We deserve to control the ways in which we are portrayed. The images, depiction of sexuality, and stories found in lesbian porn are rightfully ours. Straight cis people do not own us, we are not just a genre. 

What I want to see in all lesbian porn is authentic, diverse, and joyful representations of queer pleasure. I don't think I'm asking for too much. There are certain companies that are making excellent queer porn, however, they haven't successfully penetrated the mainstream market yet. I dream of the day where even tube sites will only show lesbian porn that features real lesbians. I can't wait to see consent discussions and trigger plans included in this content. I can't wait to see the beautiful range of gender expressions and body types that make up our community. I can't wait to see the vastness of sexual activities explored in these films. And for the love of Dog, I need to see femmes with acrylics wearing cotton ball gloves to reduce the risk of injury and infection! And at the end of the day, my goal is never complete exclusion. I genuinely hope that in the future straight men will continue to watch and support lesbian porn that is made for lesbians because it aligns with their sexual interests, they just shouldn't be the primary consumers. When we show authentic representations of experiences in all media, including porn, everyone benefits.

I hope we got your juices flowing. As always, we aim to provide as much free and accessible content as possible; thanks to the amazing support of our patrons. Head over to our Patreon to support our work and get access to bonus content! If you have any questions or want to chat, please book a peer support session.