PICTURE OF PORN 

Gender biases are generally most prominently manifested in heterosexual relationships and are considered the most significant issue of stereotyping and inequality in pornography. As radical feminist discourse claims - women are portrayed as objects of pleasure, actively participating in sexual relationships with the function of satisfying men. The most typical portrayal would be that of a submissive and accommodating woman who avoids dominance and yields to male sexual pleasure. Men, on the other hand, are expected to take on the role of the active, dominant partner with subtly aggressive tendencies. Traditionally, men are expected to be more sexually active and to openly express their sexual desires.1

1. Stereotyping in pornography

To engage with a fictional portrayal, one must accept its narrative and the more it aligns with our personal preferences, the more likely we are to perceive such fiction as truthful. Connecting with pornographic content requires more than mere imaginative involvement. In pornography, the consumer accepts the fictional image, which serves to arouse them. Thus, for pornography to fulfill its purpose, the content must be sexually stimulating. Pornography generally aims to satisfy and appeal to the desires of the consumer in a way that maximizes the effectiveness of sexual arousal.2

The subject of appealing to consumers also brings up the need for authenticity and a sense of realism. When watching a sexual act between two people, we want to identify with the content and believe it, yet it may often feel unrealistic. This issue is partly tied to the presence of numerous stereotypes that are glaringly obvious and frequently repeated. Stereotypes in classic porn movies are not only found in the stories or division of roles but also in the visual portrayal of actors and actresses. Stereotypes of character and appearance have become such a strong and, let's say, desirable part of the genre that a significant number of active pornography consumers cannot imagine their absence. The depiction of actors in pornography is based on the explicitness of physicality. Just as we expect characters in other film genres to be thematically and costume-appropriately designed, in pornography, we expect the presence of naked bodies in various sexual positions.3 In classic porn movies, the focus is predominantly on shots of naked women, highlighting intimate parts such as breasts, genitals, or sometimes their faces. Shots from a second perspective, i.e., focusing on the male face, are rarely seen, so the dominant visual feature from a "female perspective" is the male penis.4

This way of depicting certain parts of the body, or the excessive focus on the female body, stems both from the creators of pornographic films directly and from the dominant needs of consumers. The goal is to showcase as many elements as possible that are primary to human arousal in the most efficient way and within a specific timeframe (so that the viewer does not get bored with one long scene) and over a certain duration (so the film isn't too long and the viewer doesn't lose interest again). Another typically stereotypical visual aspect, often sparking discussion, concerns the appearance of the actors. This aspect, I would say, is the most important for viewers. Naturally, we grow fond of an attractive actor in a romantic comedy, and this very aspect alone intentionally encourages us to watch films based on the cast. The same applies to pornographic films. Liking a particular porn actress and seeking out films specifically featuring her is a completely normal occurrence. We admire both her "convincing" acting performance (likely more convincing than others') and her striking physical attractiveness. As mentioned, shots of the female body dominate in pornography, but it’s not just the body of an ordinary girl next door — it’s a perfect, sensual, and idealised body. Emphasis is often placed on depicting only the stereotypically “beautiful” body parts as opposed to the more realistic or imperfect portrayals of physicality.5 Thus, the woman finds herself at a crossroads in her journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance regarding her body. On one hand, there is a sense of ugliness and criticism of her sexual expressions compared to the representation of sexual beauty and sensuality. On the other hand, a woman who discovers her own beauty faces the automatic definition of her body as pornographic. Women are often most obsessed with those parts of their bodies that are most fetishised, leading to low self-esteem and sexual dysfunction.6

2. “pornography makes sexism sexy.”

Pornographic content connects sex and subordination, presenting women as those who enjoy subordination and willingly undergo it. It portrays resistance as a desire and an experience; “no” as “yes.” By depicting subordination and abuse as voluntary actions, pornography appears acceptable in society. The overall scenario must seem like a free choice, and thus the choice is how the person came to that situation. Many people view subordination and power as an effective form of sexuality and perceive it as sexually exciting. Therefore, sexism and its disciplinary structures seem sexually attractive to them.7 ”Pornography produces a psychology perfectly suited to a social structure of sexual inequality, and in so doing provides the linchpin for the reproduction of such inequality.” (Cohen,1996)

This model of perceiving pornographic imagery turns dominance and submission into a form of sex that pornography not only normalizes but also celebrates, making the act of subordination appear desirable. Consider, for example, Taboo, a magazine published by Larry Flynt under the famous brand Hustler. At first, they focused on graphic photographs of female genitalia and simulations of sexual acts. Nowadays, Hustler magazine is considered more explicit than other adult magazines and often features hardcore themes, such as the use of sex toys, penetration, oral sex and group sex.8 Taboo is, as the name suggests, a magazine about activities that are taboo, which we currently perceive as inappropriate, crude, or something we try to avoid. More precisely, it is a magazine specializing in fetishistic materials such as depictions of sexual bondage and urolangia.9 The work of “informing and engaging the adult public” starts with the cover: In one of the editions, there is an image of a naked woman sitting on a chair, bound, with a ball gag in her mouth, a collar around her neck, clothespins strapped to her nipples, and an expression of astonishment or even fear. On the cover, it says: ball-gagged anal slaves's silent suffering "now they will pack my other holes too!" and another caption referencing the content awaiting inside the magazine: “caged cutie laps her keeper's load”. This caption refers to photographs of a woman locked in a small cage, positioned similarly to a crouching dog, so that the man sitting on the cage has access to her anal area. At the end of this series, the same woman is sitting on a birthday cake that says, “I’m a whore,” wearing a birthday hat and with a look of disgust on her face. Another cover of the same magazine shows a woman leaning against a wall, her wrists chained to the ceiling, bound with straps and mostly covered, but with a metal lock on her panties, witch the caption: punished pain doll whines, "please take the clamp off so i can pee!". In the photos inside, the woman is also bound by her ankles, and the mentioned lock is attached directly to her clitoris, appearing notably heavy. Unlike the previous example, in these photos, the woman at least appears unbothered and even seems to be enjoying it. The last example, however, probably puzzled me the most. It's a magazine with titles like Detective World or Master Detective, and the only information available is that it was published in America around the 1980’s.

In summary, these are covers featuring truly disturbing photographs, often depicting bound women, sometimes being choked and pleading for help. They often wear home clothing to make the images appear realistic in the context of violence and rape. The backgrounds of the photographs either take place in "the women's homes" or in settings resembling a basement. And now, some captivating titles: “life with Lou was sheer torture... But her girls loved every painful minute!”, “cheating housewife paid the price, semen found in her mouth, nympho begged to be all tied up like a filth whore.” These titles are still relatively fine compared to the fact that each cover always includes at least one reference to death, murder, kidnappings of women, and frustrations caused by bondage or pain. It does not add up to much of a narrative, but it covers the major points. Subordination is sexualized (naked girls bound or locked in a cage), consent and enjoyment of subordination (women enjoy suffering and humiliation, loving it when they are forced into it), pain as pleasure and part of satisfaction (“girls loved every painful minute”), girls themselves call out to be raped (“she picked up guys in bars to tie her up”). There are no boundaries between consent and coercion. Everything merges into one and the same: a connection between slavery that enforces subordination and consent that supposedly legitimizes it. At the end of the story, everything culminates in male sexual satisfaction.10

These texts served not only to provide information on the covers of porn magazines but also to directly impact their content. Pornography presents sex and its forms strongly enough for consumers to adopt them as their own and subconsciously believe in such realities. Men interact with women according to pornographic scripts. It depicts women in humiliating positions, which, based on their facial expressions, are not always pleasant for them, just as it may be in reality. Often, it involves forced subordination that the woman ultimately submits to, whether she likes it or not, signaling some kind of invisible consent. “Not always does our partner appreciate being called a slut in bed.” That’s just how it is, and we can hope it stays that way. Pornography constructs our sexual language and the ways we wish to express it. Perceiving pornographic content as a constructive model does not seem adequate.

The example based on the model of pornographic magazines can also be illustrated through various pornographic films that, for instance, feature themes of rape and justify it as a harmless fantasy. It can be argued that fantasizing about fictional rape is not morally condemnable since it does not encourage viewers to act on these fantasies. A person who has fantasies about rape does not wish to be raped, nor do they believe anyone else would desire such an experience. Therefore, someone who imagines unethical and immoral acts cannot be considered morally responsible. While it cannot be stated that this argument is entirely flawed, it is clear that such reasoning is not universal and cannot be broadly applied. Thus, it is crucial to focus on questions regarding the acceptance and consumption of such content.

“In fantasizing about a fictional waitress who enjoys rape, for example, one is evincing an attitude about the woman in the fiction; but one is simultaneously expressing an attitude towards women as a kind.” (Bartel, Cremaldi, 2018) Fantasy can point to our hidden desires. “Even if some of our fantasies do not track our actual desires, some fantasies do.” (Bartel, Cremaldi, 2018) Some desires may be immoral or impractical to realize. Actively imagining something we internally long for can amplify that desire, which might not be moral to further develop. While consuming pornographic content, we not only engage in fictional fantasies but also involve our desires in the process. Pornography can thus be used to satisfy our desires (whether moral or immoral) and, as a result, further cultivate those desires.  

There are various types of fantasies, and some arise in our minds without our conscious choice—they simply exist. We may have thoughts of committing immoral acts or even about our own death without genuinely wishing to carry out such actions. In such cases, these are a different kind of fantasy. Many fantasies are produced by our minds beyond our control. We fantasize passively—thoughts appear without us knowing why or where they came from, making them involuntary. In contrast, active fantasies are voluntary; thoughts we consciously revisit, narrate, and refine. A fleeting memory of an attractive colleague differs from deliberately conjuring up fantasies about that person. While it is generally more favorable for immoral desires to remain confined to fantasy rather than being acted upon, it would undoubtedly be healthier for their possessor to accept such desires as part of themself. Although desires may not always be something a person entirely chooses or controls, this text highlights socially immoral desires, suggesting the importance of not embracing or cultivating them further.11

3. CLIMAX

The inability to achieve climax through sexual intercourse has become a common topic, and some organisations aim to provide reassurance and normalise the absence of orgasm, especially among people in long-term relationships. Carol Queen mentions: „Mainly people think they are not normal or their partners not normal because they’re not orgasming during heterosexual intercourse and mainly I hear it from heterosexual women or heterosexual men for whom the partnership is implied to mean if you are really supposed to be together and if you are sexually normal you are supposed to have orgasms during intercourse.“12 (Queen, 2014)

This issue does not arise solely from pornographic imagery, which excessively prioritises male sexuality while devaluing female sexuality. It is a matter of general cultural ignorance about how the vulva functions, often experienced even by women themselves. The clitoris is the only organ in the body designed solely for sexual pleasure, meaning that many women rely exclusively on this outgrowth to achieve climax. The primary problem lies in the belief that the best sexual experience for a woman comes through vaginal penetration. However, for the majority of women, the clitoris is the only reliable path to achieving orgasm.13 

In ethical porn films, I noticed that the moment of ejaculation can be effectively conveyed through facial expressions and mimicry, without necessarily being the central focus. In contrast, in traditional pornography, orgasm and climax are almost inseparable components. This moment serves as a synonym for the end of every heterosexual sexual act and as the key highlight of the entire film.14 The term "cum shot," or "money shot," refers to ejaculation onto the body of the sexual partner. Such depictions of male orgasm accompanied by ejaculation are usually portrayed in an explicit and detailed manner, but their subsequent effect can be likened to a mirror's reflection. The emphasis shifts to the reaction of the counterpart—usually a woman—rather than the facial expression of the man involved. Thus, in the moment of the cum shot, the focus is primarily on the woman, who gives the impression that her satisfaction hinges on the man ejaculating on her body and face. The cum shot is shown in various styles, often with visual effects or in slow motion, but it is predominantly accompanied by loud moaning and gasps reminiscent of female orgasm.15 This form of the cum shot, a highly popular cliché from the 1970s, perpetuated the idea that a woman prefers observing an ejaculating penis over direct physical interaction. However, it is evident that this moment is not intended for a woman's perspective. The man almost always witnesses his own ejaculation, and in the case of the most typical body parts involved (face, buttocks, and lower back), the woman, no matter how much she tries, cannot see anything. Thus, the cum shot appears to be much more intended for the man’s perspective and for the male viewers’ eyes.16

“There is no such thing as normal sex. Everything is ok and stop pressuring women to think they have to have orgasms through vaginal intercourse only

– not true“  - Candida Royalle, 2015