Porn has a bit of a mixed reputation. Over the last few decades, we’ve seen pornography morph from ‘naughty’ magazines hidden under people’s beds, to pay per view adult films on TV, to an internet explosion of all types and genres of porn you could ever want within the click of a button.
Porn and masturbation, especially for people with vulvas, have been quite taboo subjects. However, we’re in the midst of a thriving sexual revolution where conversations around sex and pleasure are becoming more mainstream, and people are becoming more sex positive. Between actor and feminist Emma Watson promoting sexual education website, OMGYes, stocked with instructional videos on how to make women orgasm and the many influencers and pleasure activists speaking about the importance of masturbation and a fulfilling sex life, the sexual revolution is real.
So, where does porn fit into all of this?
When we speak about porn it’s a really nuanced topic as there’s a lot we have to consider - like who’s watching it, how they’re engaging with it, how the producers and performers are treated and paid, what’s going on... (basically the who, what, when where, why and how of porn).