Last week, the star of Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show revealed that adult entertainment might be her next venture. According to The Guardian, Susan Sarandon wants to direct female-friendly porn, because "most pornography is brutal and doesn’t look pleasurable from a female point of view."
This is indeed a fantastic idea — if it hadn't already been mined for decades by a diverse group of directors, producers and performers. But hey, there's always room for another perspective, right? Although the Academy Award-winning actress did admit that she wasn't too familiar with mainstream porn and hasn't watched enough to really "know what the problems are," perhaps she's ready to learn.
As expected, alt. porn creators across Twitter responded to Sarandon's comments with enthusiastic (and not-so-enthusiastic) commentary. Some were excited to clue her in on feminist porn, queer porn, and the many genres of alternative porn that center sexual agency in a sexy way, and others were slightly annoyed by her lack of knowledge.
Here are five things anyone should know about the subject of women and porn. But first, check out our video on sex positions for small penises:
1. Porn By Women For Women Has Been Around For Decades
Porn made by women for women is nearing its fourth decade. Starting in the mid-1970s, performance artist and feminist revolutionary Annie Sprinkle was re-defining the art form on her own terms, and in 1984, artist, activist, and adult film star Candida Royalle started Femme Productions to "put a woman’s voice to adult movies." And that's just a taste of the rich history of women-made porn for women.
2. Women Make Mainstream Porn, Too
Mainstream porn today isn't all made by men looking to exploit and abuse women, as Sarandon seems to believe. Plenty of well-known performers like Stoya, Joanna Angel, and Asa Akira continue to make their mark both behind and in front of the camera without having to focus 100 percent on the male consumer.
3. There Are Entire Sites Specifically Targeted To Women
You don't have to scour the Internet looking for lone videos of female-friendly porn because Erika Lust, Ms. Naughty, Sssh.com and Porn 4 Ladies (to name a few) are all looking out for your b(r)east interests. And, come to think of it, perhaps it's a bit limiting to define anything as "female-friendly" given than women come in infinite varieties and have all kinds of tastes!
4. It's Not Just Women Who Make Alt. Porn
The world of queer, feminist porn is far more inclusive than any other genre you'll find out there, and is made by folks identifying across the gender spectrum. Check out the CrashPad series, Tristan Taormino's work, and Indie Porn Revolution, to whet your queer porn appetite.
5. Feminist Porn Theory Is A Thing
How do you know when an underground art form is legit? Some say that it's when people start theorizing about it. Not only does feminist porn have its own articles, books, and awards, but it has its own conferences, drawing hundreds of artists, activists, sex workers, and academics from around the world to discuss porn and pleasure outside the cis, hetero, male gaze. Join the party, Sarandon, won't you?
Images: Fotolia; Giphy (5)
