Whether on the football field or the set of an adult film, gorgeous new porn actor Brick Cummings is always devoted to delivering optimum performance. And while The Feminist Sexpert has yet to see Brick play football, she has seen his adult work and–Ladies–the gentleman ain’t lyin’!
Brick, in fact, had a dream of becoming a NFL player and played his favorite sport in college. Yet he had another dream, one that ultimately set the course of his life and career.
“I’m a good fucker,” he proclaimed, and very truthfully. “Not to brag, but I have a high sex drive and like to please in the bedroom.” (The Feminist Sexpert repeats: He ain’t bragging).
Eager to put his skills to work, this Florida native accepted the offer of a talent scout to commence his career as a porn performer; performing for sites like Desperate Amateurs and the popular (especially with The Feminist Sexpert) See Him Fuck–that scene performed with Latina beauty Camila Cortez.
“She was so energetic and professional,” he said. “I loved working with her.”
Brick impresses as a true gentleman who respects female talent; a trait that carries over to his on screen performances.
“I always want to make the lady I’m with feel comfortable,” he said. “I’m there to be helpful.”
Ensuring his partner’s comfort and pleasure is always part of Brick’s game plan, which also involves working out, eating right, and approaching every scene with a fresh, positive mindset; one that also emphasizes presenting positive portrayals of people of color.
“I’m very methodical when it comes to my performances,” he said.
And the method is working, given the fact that–mere weeks into his career–Brick is already booking scene after scene, and looks forward to a bright future as an adult actor and content creator. Look for him soon on The FlourishXXX, where he recently completed a scorching scene with Gianna Dior also featuring Isiah Maxwell, and subscribe to his Only Fans at https://onlyfans.com/brickkummings.
“This is the best job I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’m having a blast!”
And in enjoying porn and adult entertainment, Brick invites us ladies to share this experience of sublime sensual adventure.
“If you want it, go for it, without reservation,” he said. “You only live once.”
Flesh for Fantasy: The Feminist Sexpert Remembers Flesh Gordon
The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of a seminal motion picture–the Feminist Sexpert never has been precisely certain as to what seminal means, but what the heck? It sounds impressive. The fact remains that the scifi epic known as Flesh Gordon is a one of a kind motion picture. And, all things considered, that’s probably a very good thing. Indeed.
Flesh Gordon, as one might expect, best can be described as a riotous porn parody of a science fiction masterpiece called…2001: A Space Odyssey! Nope, Flesh Gordon, of course, was the softcore version of Flash Gordon–one that essentially takes the time-honored comic book hero known and beloved throughout the generations and turns him right on his–um–ear?
Flesh Gordon is the warm, oh so sentimental tale of evil Emperor Wang, who targets the planet Earth with his sex rays. Hunky blond Flesh Gordon and beautiful adventuress Dale Ardor fly in to save the day, battling as they do a creature shaped like a certain male organ (and it sure ain’t a prostate) and assorted villains.
Although possessing of a sizable cult following, Flesh Gordon cannot in any way be considered femme porn. The film contains tasteless rape jokes and grossly stereotypical LGBT characters (Prince Precious? Really? And Dale Ardor is kidnapped by predatory lesbian aliens). Yet the picture is worthy of note to any femme porn historian, primarily because–much like its sequel, Flesh Gordon and the Cosmic Cheerleaders–the original Flesh Gordon is centered around a sexy, gorgeous male hero custom designed to appeal to women.
Leading man Jason Williams is described by IMDB as a handsome and charming blonde actor who starred in dirty exploitation flicks. It was quite a novelty of that time–or, really, any time–for the male body to be put on display in all its glory, as the visual centerpiece of a film. And Williams, said to be a kind and amiable gent in real life, also played the White Knight in the XXX musical fantasy version of Alice in Wonderland.
It would have been easy for directors to morph Flesh Gordon into Felesha Gordon, staging a cut rate version of Barbarella in the process. Yet the narratives of both Flesh Gordon movies necessitated and called upon the total objectification of the male–with the delicious Vince Murdocco taking the title character to even riskier extremes in the sequel, Flesh Gordon and the Cosmic Cheerleaders, as he is abducted by said cheerleaders and also dominated by a BBW space queen. Interestingly enough, the actress playing the space queen is now a leading casting director in Hollywood, though I won’t mention her name.
Much like the Joan Collins/Oliver Tobias scorcher The Stud, Flesh Gordon (doncha just love these oh so subtle titles?) represents the rare and welcome exhibition of a gorgeous male form in a straight softcore movie. I’d love to see a reboot free of offensive jokes and stereotypes–but if viewed in just the right frame of mind (horny and maybe slightly intoxicated comes to mind), Flesh is a fun flick.
In the future, when a woman’s crying like that, she isn’t having any fun!–Louise Sawyer, a title character in the film Thelma and Louise–a film deservedly listed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
So last year commenced the 50th anniversary celebration for the film Deep Throat, a pornographic film credited with launching the ‘porno chic’ movement–a celebration in which the Feminist Sexpert did not take part, because she thinks the flick reeks. She wrote a column detailing the reasons behind her stance here.
Ah, but she’s not done yet.
Now comes the news that, to cap off the big ol’ Throaty Party, a campaign called #VoteThroat has been launched–a campaign that promotes the inclusion of the film Deep Throat in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
In this column, I would like to address and refute the reasoning presented behind this campaign.
1. The Throaty Committee claims that, despite a stated goal to list a full spectrum of films from all genres, the Library of Congress has yet to include an X-rated film in its heralded registry. This is incorrect. Midnight Cowboy, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song and Medium Cool all were rated X at the time of their release, as was Pink Flamingos–and all four are now featured in the registry. In fact, a number of sexually provocative movies are featured in this esteemed listing, including the aforementioned Cowboy, She’s Gotta Have It, Sex, Lies and Videotape, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Harold and Maude, Son of the Sheik, Jezebel, Mom and Dad, and many others.
This year alone, Dee Rees’ fantastic Pariah joins a handful of LGBTQA films to make the list.
It may be true that no pornographic film is featured in the registry–but why start with Deep Throat? The Feminist Sexpert, for example, would love to see Candida Royalle’s Femme, a movie that single handedly revolutionized the couples market and marked the inception of feminist porn as a marketable industry, on the list. Another likely candidate would be The Devil in Miss Jones, though I personally am not a fan. Andy Warhol’s Blue Movie was the first explicit sex film to be released nationwide in the United States. Boys in the Sand was the inaugural gay porno to receive a wide release. And Andrew Blake’s beautiful Night Trips was the first XXX film to win a top award at a mainstream international film festival.
2. They listed When Harry Met Sally. Why not Deep Throat? Sure. When I think of When Harry Met Sally, a wise, sweet, gentle romantic comedy, I also think of a porno movie about a woman who discovers that her clitoris is located in her throat.
But yes, the Throat Throng believes that, because of its featured and famous orgasm scene (I’ll have what she’s having and all that), new registry inductee When Harry Met Sally is comparable to Deep Throat. Here’s the problem: in her faked orgasm scene, Meg Ryan’s character of Sally was demonstrating just how easy it is for a woman to fake a climax; something far too many women do every day. In Deep Throat, by contrast, the audience is supposed to believe that the heroine gets her proverbial jollies solely from the performance of oral sex. In other words, just be a good girl and fall to your knees to please your man–only in this way will you find true happiness.
3. Deep Devotees insist that Deep Throat is woman positive, sex positive and fun to watch. This is the saddest, and most grossly inaccurate assertion put forth by the Throaters; that Deep Throat is a light-hearted, fun-loving film that makes a positive statement about women’s sexuality.
The movie’s star, Linda Lovelace, aka Linda Boreman, insisted for years that she was coerced into the making of the film Deep Throat–not by the film’s cast and crew, but by a manager husband who abused her for years.
Boreman’s story drew much support from legendary feminist Gloria Steinem, and credence from witnesses and the affirming results of several lie detector tests.
If you look beyond the blank eyes and childlike smile that she displays in the film, you see the bruises on her body. And as Roger Ebert stated in his brilliant review of Deep Throat, “It is all very well and good for Linda Lovelace, the star of the movie, to advocate sexual freedom; but the energy she brings to her role is less awesome than discouraging. If you have to work this hard at sexual freedom, maybe it isn’t worth the effort.”
And as far as being a peachy couples flick, well the immortal Ebert has an answer for that. “The word just sort of got around: This is the first stag film to see with a date,” he wrote. “There were a lot of couples in the audience Sunday afternoon. Most of them, I thought, left the theater looking a little grim.”
Two points I will concede: Deep Throat exceeds 10 years in age. And it does indeed boast a female lead character–like the vast majority of porn flicks. Congrats on that.
The Feminist Sexpert herself never has attended a public showing of the film Deep Throat. She has, however, visited the film research room of the Library of Congress. When I was researching my book Ladies in Silver, a chronicle of women who worked behind the scenes in the silent film industry, I basked in the beauty and tradition of this hallowed hall–a place that people go to celebrate the very best in film.
Deep Throat has no place at the Library in Congress. Linda Boreman does have a place in history, but it was one for which she constantly had to fight.
During her appearance on the TV show Woman2Woman in 1984, Linda Boreman asked an adult theatre owner point blank, “Do you realize that whenever you show the film Deep Throat in your theater, that you’re showing me being raped?”
The woman said nothing for a moment before mumbling, “No, I don’t realize that at all.”
Just before the turn of the century, the women’s sexual revolution seemed to finally make its way into the visual realm; with feminist porn pioneers remaking love, so to speak, by presenting and representing the essence of feminine desire in the frames of high quality erotic films and other compelling media. At the forefront of this movement was Sssh.com, feminist porn for women and couples. As imagined by award-winning director and producer Angie Rowntree, Sssh.com is porn, re-imagined. Female-led and Female-focused, this revolutionary website is a source for ethically produced, explicit, sex-positive films–the true evolution of indie adult cinema.
Copyright Angie Rowntree
The Feminist Sexpert is a proud writer for Sssh.Com. And she is proud to interview a femme porn pioneer, Ms. Angie Rowntree!
FS: Angie Rowntree, I am honored to welcome you as a guest to The Feminist Sexpert Interviews. We know you as a groundbreaking, award-winning adult filmmaker, one of the first to cater to women and couples. As both a director of erotic films, and a curator and creator of films at Sssh.com, what is your formula for a high quality and entertaining feminist porn film?
AR: Whether I’m creating or curating, I aim to present sex-positive films that have an emphasis on mutual pleasure, and especially a woman’s pleasure and perspective. Ultimately I want my films to provide something much more than just a depiction of sex, which is why Sssh original films are very story-driven, with strong characters and interesting plots. Another important aspect to me is that my films are visually compelling. Other than beautiful cinematography – I also really love symbolism, foreshadowing, and other visual elements. After all, arousal begins in the mind.
FS: When you started Sssh.com, it was one of the very few adult websites geared toward women. I understand that you got a skeptical response from many–but what kind of feedback have you gotten from women and couples over the years?
AR: The women who found my site in the early days were incredibly supportive and encouraging. I think, like me, they were tired of being told “women don’t like porn” or “women aren’t visual,” when in fact, hardly anyone at that point had even tried making adult entertainment for women. I was in virgin territory, so to speak! Honestly, I’m stubborn enough that I probably would have forged ahead with my goals even if I’d had no positive feedback at all. However, knowing that there were people who were interested in consuming exactly the kind of films I wanted to make definitely provided me with added determination.
Image from Sssh,com
FS: Sssh.com has grown to include so many forms of erotic media over the years, including audio erotica, erotic literature and radio plays, guided masturbation (I even hear that some upstart called the Feminist Sexpert is joining your writing staff!–winks). Do you feel that ASMR and erotic audio is a new frontier for erotic content creators?
AR: Actually, Sssh has always included, from the beginning, multiple forms of erotic media. In fact our first audio story was released in the early 2000s (in realmedia format). We’ve also always had a heavy focus on sexual health and wellness and have tried to find new ways to expand on that over the years.
ASMR has been around for a while now, but it’s definitely an underutilized and under-explored area of erotica. I love ASMR for the same reason I love books; as the listener, no matter how rich and detailed the audio is, your imagination still gets to fill in a lot of the blanks, so to speak. This is why we have pointedly avoided using “visual stimuli” in our ASMR or guided masturbation, because we want our members to enjoy creating and visualizing the “characters” they connect with.
FS: As a director, you have won many mainstream and indie adult industry awards. In addition, your films are renowned for their superior production values, cinematography, and writing. Do you have a favorite among your films, and what do you seek to achieve with each work?
AR: My primary goals for each film are the same. For one, I want to take the vision in my mind and deliver it as faithfully and completely as possible to the screen. Equally important – maybe even more important – is that I deliver something that resonates with my viewers, site members, and fans. To that end, I am really proud about Mirror Game, which has garnered over 56 wins and nominations from mainstream and adult festivals, including the 2021 XBIZ Award for Erotic-Themed Movie of the Year.
AR: Honestly, my favorite is always the film I’m working on next. I’m a restless creator and never truly satisfied. I also feel like I get better at my craft with each new film, so no matter how proud I am of a film I’m constantly looking back and re-envisioning, “How would I do that part differently if I did it again now?” In a sense, my dissatisfaction, however small it might be, with my past work is what pushes me to reach even higher on my next one. Don’t get me wrong; I’m very proud of all my films, I just think it’s so vital to continue to evolve and improve.
FS: I know that you are also a proponent of ethical porn. In today’s adult landscape, which seems to feature a great deal in the way of rough porn, how can we help to protect and preserve the humanity of performers?
AR: I feel compelled to note that it’s entirely possible to film porn that is both ethical and “rough.” If this were not the case, then producing ethical and responsible BDSM would be just about impossible. Ethical porn is certainly not limited to, nor is it embodied by any one “niche” of adult entertainment.
For me as a director, it all comes down to communication, consent, and cooperation. Directors and the performers they work with must communicate clearly and cooperate fully. Everything must be done with informed consent from the performers – and there must be a clear, unambiguous understanding that if a performer changes his or her mind, then they have the authority to call a stop to filming at any time. This is how I have always run my sets; and I hope the added emphasis on these crucial principles in recent years means that this sort of ethos is spreading far and wide in the adult industry now. Bottom line: ethical porn is a way of doing business.
FS: What advice would you give women who wish to create their own work as adult directors and writers?
AR: Follow your vision. If you encounter critics, ignore them and keep pushing ahead. I like to believe, or at least truly hope, that we’re past the point where women have to listen to the kind of negative garbage I received as feedback in the 90s – but if you do get any of that, just let it roll off your back and keep pursuing your goals. Even though there is more “female-friendly” adult entertainment now than there used to be, there’s still plenty of room for more! The more diverse our styles, aesthetics, and approaches are, the better it will be for our audiences – and of course, the more opportunities we’ll ultimately create for the women who follow in our footsteps.
Image from Sssh,com
The Feminist Sexpert agrees! Visit Sssh.Com today to check out their stellar line of films, erotic fiction, audio works, and an exciting new feature called Soiree–the ultimate adult movie date night.
“Sssh.com is proud to announce the arrival of “Sssh Soirée” – a new feature on the site which allows couples to watch porn together even when they’re apart, creating an entirely new kind of erotic experience by integrating fantasy and reality into a single package,” read a related news release. “Using Soirée, viewers can watch any movie or video content on Sssh.com while seeing and hearing each other in real-time, affording a level of interaction and intimacy that can’t be accomplished in a text-only chat environment.”
Members can host a “Soirée” by sending an invite link to their guest and creating a private, virtual viewing room. Then they can keep in touch by video and/or audio throughout the film. Privacy is ensured via this encrypted site, and so is fun! The Feminist Sexpert saw a trailer, and can’t wait to try Soiree soon!
For more information, go to sssh.com/soiree/, or contact Rowntree at twitter.com/AngieRowntree or [email protected] to request a demo of the platform.
A real-life story of sheorism played itself out in my home community of Tampa Bay, Florida, recently, as a 24-year-old woman successfully fought off a rapist who tried to attack her as she exercised one evening between the walls of her apartment gym. This empowered young warrior woman fought valiantly for her life and bodily autonomy, running, punching, kicking and blocking until she exhausted her attacker and made her escape.
While many people rightfully lauded this woman for her bravery, quick thinking and her incredible show of strength, certain Internet commenters took it upon themselves to criticize the fact that she visited her apartment gym alone at night. And in one FOX News report, issues of ‘gym hookup culture’ was raised, with a mention made of women changing the way they dress when they visit the gym.
OK, that’s it. The Feminist Sexpert has had it. These people had better listen up, because I have some things to say.
It could be that this woman’s work schedule only allows for late night workouts, in a well lit gym at her apartment. It was likely because of these workouts that she successfully fought off her attacker. Where was apartment security? How did her attacker (who had previous offenses) get on the property? And why wasn’t the attacker in jail for his previous offenses?
I was once parked into my apartment parking space by an unbalanced neighbor in a car, waving at me and telling me that he felt a connection and we should get to know each other as he refused to move. I stayed locked in my vehicle, yelling and waving him out of my way until finally he moved. I then drove to my apartment office and reported his behavior.
This incident happened to me at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, and led me to wonder, Why was he allowed to move in to my apartment complex in the first place? Oh, and although I’d never met this individual, some people did question if perhaps he had read one of my erotic books and was simply reacting ‘like a horny male.’ Another said that, as a ‘pretty blonde woman,’ I was a target, and perhaps I should change my hair color. These are not the questions to be asking, and the target of an assault is not the individual who needs to be interrogated.
Also, in regards to any conversations regarding the way that women dress when they work out–sure, let’s all wear parkas and multiple layers to the gym, then end up passing out from heat exhaustion and overexertion. Men often work out completely shirtless, and somehow manage to successfully complete a workout without women sexually assaulting them. And yes, sometimes people do mutually, consensually flirt or plan dates as they exercise. This has nothing, and I mean NOTHING to do with assault.
Let’s say that a man visits an ATM machine late at night after leaving work, and valiantly fights off an attempted mugger. Would anyone blame him for being at that location at that late hour, or question his choice of apparel for the day?
This heroine deserves better than this paternalistic tripe. And women deserve better than a culture which tries to dictate the way that we dress, work, work out, and live.
Phil Harvey Adam & Eve Warehouse Expansion Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Once upon a time, a rather bashful but infinitely curious college girl and aspiring romance writer–one who thought she’d never care much for porn–saw an ad for a movie in Playgirl magazine that looked too good to resist. They used the man’s image to sell the movie–imagine that–and it actually looked romantic as well as smexy! The movie was released by Adam and Eve, and its title was Hardbound–a hardcore romantic comedy starring Nina Hartley and Dale Dabone, and written by Deborah Chinn.
When she ordered this film, she was told she she’d get a bonus motion picture entitled Party Girl Pick Up.
“Um, I don’t forsee myself enjoying Party Girl Pickup, somehow,” she informed the operator, who helped her find a classy couples feature more in line with what she would enjoy. That film was The Dinner Party, an erotic classic directed by Cameron Grant.
On many an evening, while up late studying, she sat on the phone line with A&E operators, asking for more good porn suggestions and regaling the patient ladies with endless suggestions about how to make better porn for women–all the while assuring them they were on the right track! She’s sure they were most relieved.
Under the leadership of Phil Harvey, who passed away Dec. 3, Adam and Eve was a signature creator and releaser of premiere films for women and couples; releasing Candida Royalle’s landmark masterworks of feminist porn, along with compilation tapes consisting of scenes that showcased the beauty of the male form, created especially for the female viewer. Now directors like Kay Brandt and Jacky St. James and writers like Selena Kitt helm Adam and Eve productions, We ladies owe a real debt of gratitude to Adam and Eve, for finally giving Eve something decent to watch pornwise!
Harvey was also a well-known warrior for free speech and AIDS awareness issues; and often, at the head of Adam and Eve tapes, one would see ceremonious adverts for the Free Speech Coalition, that featured dialogues regarding the importance of free speech–voiced over images of downtown Washington DC and some shots of the Lincoln monument. I often wondered how ol’ Abe would feel about being featured in a porn flick–who knows? He mighta liked it.
Postscript: A little while later that gal evolved to become the Feminist Sexpert. Thank you, Mr. Phil Harvey.
Businesswoman Holly Corbella is a first-time nominee for the XBIZ Awards, featured in the category of Retail & distribution – home party company of the year for her amazing company PARTIES BY BELLAS. This fun, vivacious woman has turned Girls’ Nights In into an art–which makes her a prime candidate for a Feminist Sexpert Interviews profile!
FS: What first inspired you to get into the pleasure products industry?
HC: It was not something I ever thought about actually. I wanted to have some fun with my girlfriends so I hosted a girls night in. The party was a huge hit and the lady asked me if I wanted to join so I said sure I’m up for that challenge. It was an amazing 3 years working for passion parties then they unfortunately closed. I was devastated and so was my team. We had 7 days to decide to move over to the company that bought passion parties or cancel our consultant ids. As a team we decided to move over to the new company as we loved The little family we created. It was completely different, so many rules to learn and ways of doing things. Two weeks into the new company I was fired. I hosted a couples party which I was told later on was against the rules. I didn’t know at the time as this was a party I had previously booked. I was told when starting with the new company we had 30 days to complete previously booked partied and transition to the new company. I hosted a mini pity party for myself for about two or three days not being able to leave the house. Then people started to reach out and tell me to start my own business. This was never something I had previously thought of and well the rest is history.
FS: What inspired you to start your own company, and how do you go about it?
HC: My inspiration to start parties by Bellas was my customers, family and fiends. My support system is why parties by Bellas is in Business today. I am truly honored and grateful for all the amazing people in my life. I took my anger and all the sadness I had about losing my business with another company and decided to make a positive spin. I was going to start my own company the way that I wanted it to be!! I was under a one year noncompete so during that time I slowly put together my business. I took online business courses which was some thing that I’ve never done before. I was researching all types of adult products and all sorts of other companies. I just wanted to see what was out there and what was out there and what was missing. From that I started my little family a company that is consultant friendly.
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FS: The toy domain is one arena of the adult industry in which women hold great power. How do you feel this industry has inspired women?
HC: It feels great as a women to be taking control of my life and my sexuality. I think it takes a strong women to open a business let alone a sex related business. I absolutely love meeting other like minded women and helping them to grow their careers with me. This industry is a great career for women not just because let’s face it Sex is going no where so we never have to worry about that and if covid taught me anything I am an essential worker when everything is shut down lol. Also from my experience unlike any other field I have belonged to these women I have met in the “sex industry” are not ones to tip toe around things they express how they feel. They are having as much fun as I am so the positive vibes surround us. We all help each other to grow and it’s just a great industry to be a part of. We stick together.
FS: How do you feel the party format promotes toy sales? How do you feel that it promotes female bonding?
HC: I feel in-home adult parties is the best way for a woman to find an adult product that is perfect for her. She is able to see the item an how it works before purchasing it. It’s also in a comfortable atmosphere either by herself or surrounded by friends who might have some inside perspective to add to the conversation.Talking about sex is one of the hardest things for people to do. I’ve been told at my parties because I am so open and comfortable about this particular subject it makes partygoers feel comfortable talking about things that they’ve never felt comfortable talking about before. This then brings the women who are at the party together opening up about their most secret of thoughts. Now creating a bond only they will have with each other.
FS: I understand that you’ve been nominated for an XBiz Award? Tell me about it!
HC: Yes, I have been nominated for a XBIZ award! I am beyond excited about this as this will be the first time for me. I was nominated in the category for best in-home parties. I know everyone says that just being nominated is enough and it doesn’t matter if I win. Of course I want to win but this nomination for me made me have my “I made it” moment. I’m up against companies that have been around much longer than parties by Bellas and have many more consultants. Parties By Bellas is still very much seen as a small business as we are just under 30 STRONG.
FS: What are some of your favorite products that you offer, and what are your product categories?
HC: It’s really hard to pick just a few items. I do love our new Bellas kick ass self defense line. I feel it’s very important for a women to be able to feel dave and be able to protect herself. As for the adult line I’d have to say my favorite sex toys are on my website under hollys picks. Just too many to list.
Parties by Bella’s is not just a sex toy company. Yes we have a great selection of sex toys but we have an array of other items such as; self-defense Products, Bath and body items, CBD, Pet products, sexual enhancement items and much more.
FS: How can people learn more about your business? List all relevant websites, social media, etc.
HC: How to connect: I am also a sex life and business coach. I also own an event planning company.
Website: www.partiesbybellas.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Holly’s Parties By Bellas
Facebook: Bellas wedding & event planning
Facebook: Bella Lady Boss Life & Business Coaching
IG: Parties By Bellas
I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but the Feminist Sexpert certainly has. Most of the porn films considered all-time classics are not precisely female friendly. And that is the understatement of the day, the month, the year, the millen…–that’s just a really big understatement!
Let’s take a look at the standing roster of motions pictures considered porn classics:
Behind the Green Door: She gets kidnapped.
Debbie Does Dallas: Teen girls sell their bodies to old, pervy, sleazy men.
Deep Throat: A woman discovers she can only achieve climax by giving bj’s. Really? On a more serious note, star Linda Lovelace lodged assault and abuse allegations against her husband/manager and others involved in the film.
Pretty Peaches: An innocent young woman sustains a head injury and loses her memory. While wandering around looking for help, she is raped repeatedly. This is a comedy.
Water Power: Rape. Torture. Murder. Mayhem. And it’s supposed to be hot.
The Devil and Miss Jones: She dies and goes to hell.
As actress Joan Van Ark said on the brilliant Diane English show Women of the House, on an episode that addressed the treatment of women in Hollywood films, “I’ve played a woman who was stalked, a woman who was raped, a woman who was kidnapped, car-jacked, high-jacked, and sky-jacked. And frankly, I mean, I’m tired!”
“But Feminist Sexpert!” You might be saying at this point. “Everybody knows that feminist porn didn’t exist before Candida Royalle directed her first film in 1985.”
Well there’s a reason that Royalle, who directed 15 femme porn classics before sadly passing away in 2015, is granted the lioness’ share of credit for the inception of the femme porn movement. And that reason is, she friggin’ rocked. From comedies like Stud Hunters to heartfelt romances like My Surrender (one of the few porns that makes me cry every time I watch it, and not out of terror or disgust–“Turn it off!”), this woman was a skillful director who made love stories out of sex stories–in addition to her role as a woman who supported and encouraged other women and minorities in the adult industry. Myself included. Yet to trace the true origins of feminist porn, we must make like the Hot Tub Time Machine peeps and journey back a full decade before the premiere of Candida Royalle’s debut film, Femme. We’re talking BC on the timeline–Before Candida!
In 1972, the first porn film made by and for women debuted on the underground film scene. Goldenrod, the story of a handsome Casanova who learns valuable lessons about how a treat a lady–all while satisfying as many women as humanly possible and then some. “Back in those days, there was a lot of talk about women getting into explicit films and making feminist porn. It was the first time the feminist movement had thought about this,” Webb’s ex-husband, filmmaker Charles Desantos, told The Rialto Report (https://www.therialtoreport.com/2020/11/15/charles-desantos/). “So we decided to make a film from a woman’s perspective, and she directed it and actually used her own name. It turned into quite a thing. It was shot in 16 mm, and it had a feminist angle to it. We called it ‘Goldenrod.’”
In an interview that Webb conducted with The San Francisco Examiner in 1973 (https://www.therialtoreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/RR-The_San_Francisco_Examiner_Sun__Dec_23__1973_.jpg), she described Goldenrod as a moral film that also happened to be arousing. And while lost for years, this one of a kind production is now available in the Dragon Art collection through Something Weird Video.
Ah, but what about lesbian porn? Well the fact is that lesbian sex acts have been recorded for film since the days of black and white stag film loops; yet they never were shot by virtue of the female gaze. This all changed in 1974, when indie filmmaker Barbara Hammer created a work of motion picture art called Dyketactics.
“Hammer’s breakthrough work, Dyketactics (1974), is an experimental film that features more than 100 shots in just over four minutes, with images superimposed on top of one another,” reported Art News. “Hammer often described the work as a depiction of lesbian sex from a lesbian point-of-view and positioned it as filmmaking about women devoid of the ever-present male gaze.” https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/barbara-hammer-dead-79-12157/ Into the ’80s came a smattering of films made by and for lesbians, with Tiger Rose Distributing releasing titles such as Where There’s Smoke and Fantasy Dancer, and Exotic in Nature; and Fatale Media coming up with gems like Suburban Dykes and BurLEZk (lesbian striptease).
“Fatale Media — the company that released the film in question — was born in 1984 with an explicitly defined mission to “reflect the feminist right for [women’s] control over our bodies, thereby promoting female sexual autonomy,” wrote Marcus Dowling in the article On “Suburban Dykes,” And The Advent of Sublimely Sexy Sexual Awareness. “When a suburban couple explore phone sex and BDSM via an escort service to spice up their sexual experience, that’s well within the scope and range of Fatale’s stated aims.” (https://marcuskdowling.medium.com/on-suburban-dykes-and-the-advent-of-sublimely-sexy-sexual-awareness-6017106c5e0a)
Swinging back over to the other side of the spectrum, we saw our first feminist male porn hunk in 1978. And no, don’t even think I’m going to say John Holmes. For while he was the first household name male porn star, his actions on and off the screen were anything but feminist. No, the gentleman of which I speak is Jesse Chacan, a stunningly gorgeous Native American actor who also reigned as Mr. Nude USA (Question: Do they still host such a competition? And if so, why oh why is the Feminist Sexpert not a judge?) Also notable as the first Native American actor to portray a Native American character in his films, Chacan is known in particular for his star turn in Deep Roots, a 1978 feature renowned for its tender love scenes and its generous shots of Chacan’s flawless body. Chacan’s image is featured prominently in the film’s cover art, and his name appears above the title–virtually unheard of for that time, or for this one for that matter.
This flick also holds the dubious distinction of being one of the few directed by a pretend woman; indeed, credited director Lisa Barr is actually Joseph Bardo. Oh well, this movie still rules; thanks to Jesse, and to Lisa/Joe!
The first video magazine for women was–of course!–Playgirl On the Air, a Playgirl Magazine video series that debuted in 1984. Featuring filmed centerfold shoots, interviews with celebrities such as Mark Harmon and Sybil Danning, and softcore sex scenes shot from a woman’s point of view, the series veers from the adorable (the volumes feature adult cartoons, and one includes a trailer for a filmed Tom Jones concert) to the chic–with a sexy music video displaying music and production values ahead of its time. And if you choose not to fast forward through the interviews to get to the centerfolds, you’ll hear some empowering messages from Sybil Danning about the importance of “sheroes” on the big screen.
The inaugural male stripper tape takes the form of the Chippendales: Tall Dark and Handsome, an entertaining party tape that shows the signature hunks of the Chippendales dance troupe to their very hottest effect. Within a framing story that finds a trio of fun-loving women taking in the show, we see several choreographed striptease routines and fantasy sequences.
A couple of cool trivia facts about this movie: It features Chippendales legend Michael Rapp (the one they always sent out to do talk shows), action star Deron Michael McBee, and XXX porn stud Colt Steele. Comic Maureen Murphy (a popular performer on the Johnny Carson show) and comedy star Judy Landers stand out among the gals. Another factoid: Just about every video store in the ’80s and ’90s featured this title in the adult section–because although it’s not remotely hardcore, the film was the only widely available sexy type tape for women at that time. Out of every single adult section, we generally got one friggin’ tape–and if it wasn’t this, it was the Sean Bean version of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
The title of the first romance novel committed to adult film is somewhat up for debate. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, director/screenwriter Victoria Arnelle brought a series of filmed romances to the screen, complete with gorgeous covers that likened book jackets and extremely hot male leads. Oh, the women are cute too. And while Arnelle’s work is novel and interesting, with some original plotlines and dialogue, I’m sad to say that each of these titles features themes not at all at home in feminist erotica. We see heroines kidnapped, slapped, and sometimes forgiving of abusive lovers. Also, they break the girl code by messing with attached men–even their own sisters’! Vicky, WTF? Still, we must acknowledge the effort to produce a romantic feature for a female audience.
As far as true literary adaptions, I happily credit the amazing 1993 softcore feature Cabin Fever with being the first feminist romance story realised on film–and beautifully so. Based on an erotic story featured in Lonnie Barbach’s Erotic interludes, Cabin Fever is truly a thing of beauty–and oh so hot. Lonnie Barbach just may have been the original Feminist Sexpert, with her books lauded as having a positive impact on women’s sexual expression. Bringing her words and images to the screen was director Deborah Shames, the first female softcore director. This older woman/younger man love story is both tender and thrilling, sexy and sensitive, and features a gorgeous leading man whose character shines through with uncommon sensitivity.
My absolute, all time favorite softcore series has to be Love Scenes, a collection of four videos geared toward the visualized fulfillment of women’s sexual fantasies. Director Ron Lawson cast Playgirl models, male exotic dancers, and top tier male models alongside strong, glamorous actresses in a host of female-geared fantasies.
This series scored countless good reviews and AVN rewards, and remains pretty much unprecedented. Featured fantasies include a male model seducing a female photographer, a pool boy charming the lady of the house, a dancer ‘auditioning’ for a female director, etc. Each interlude is softly and tastefully shot, with lingering shots of the male body and lots of tender foreplay. Even cooler, the content of Love Scenes was determined by a female review panel.
And speaking of unprecedented–I’ll conclude this with a look at the introductory feature from the Godmother of Femme Porn: Ms. Candida Royalle herself.
Her 1985 debut feature was indeed titled Femme, and contained a series of vignettes capturing the essence of women’s sexual fantasies. A housewife dreams up an encounter with her favorite soap opera star, a woman makes it with two hunks in an art gallery, etc.
Both tasteful and tawdry, this is a beautiful film–and girl, it sure did start something!
+++ Featured Image: Candida Royalle from Femme Productions.
As we celebrate Pride Month, we also give thanks for those film studios, publishing companies and other media entities that cater to the queer community–including a new adult film site that releases content by and for bi and lesbian women.
QueerCrush.com, a new lesbian studio run entirely by queer women, is the brainchild of Electra Rayne; a beautiful, talented longtime performer who aims to show the world how queer women and Sapphic nonbinary folks actually like to have sex–something of a rarity in an industry in which male content creators make stereotypical ‘girl/girl’ porn for an audience of manly men.
“As a bisexual woman in a relationship, I saw very little adult content made for me,” she said. “Also, I wanted to make porn that my girlfriend would like. She loved the idea of lesbian porn, but couldn’t find anything made for her.”
A joint venture between Vegas-based performers Rayne (owner/director) and Dahlia Von Knight (head of production), QueerCrush launched last year and has now produced more than fifty scenes–all of which present lovely vignettes of authentic, nonscripted, spontaneous lesbian sex.
“We feature real-life couples,” said Rayne, “as well as women who want to act out their fantasy crushes on performers they love.”
Rayne most literally gives these women ‘free Rayne’ to perform their scenes in the way that they choose, in accordance with their desires.
“We direct them to have sex in any way they choose. We don’t tell them how to do the scene,” she said. “In all of my time as a performer, I’ve never had a director ask me for advice on how to shoot an authentic lesbian scene.”
Rayne herself appears on the site, along with adult luminaries that include Alex Coal, Casey Calvert, Penelope Kay, Lotus Lain, Rebecca Vanguard, and Sinn Sage. Also appearing are models that one might not normally see on mainstream porn sites.
“We have a focus on diversity,” said Rayne. “We have women of different ages, colors, sizes, looks, identities, and physical abilities.”
Photo supplied by Electra Rayne
All Queer Crush content is produced ethically, with full consent, preliminary interviews and check-ins in place. Performers select everything from their makeup and wardrobe to what they want to do during their scenes.
“My ultimate goal is always to maintain a safe, comfortable and fun set,” said Rayne.
And it’s all geared toward the female gaze.
“Straight men aren’t likely to like our content,” said Rayne. “This is for queer women and nonbinary people.”
And how does Mrs. Electra feel?
“My partner loves it,” said Rayne. “She doesn’t even mind that we have a porn studio in the house.”
Luna Storm, a BBW performer who recently shot for the site, said of her experience with QueerCrush: “I love that we got to pick our own partners and that the connection was really authentic. We were able to just have a great time and explore each other. The entire experience was super chill and I can’t wait to work with QueerCrush again!”
“QueerCrush is queer porn at its absolute finest!” wrote veteran performer Casey Calvert, who also directs for Lust Cinema. “My experience working with them was incredible. Every step of the way I was encouraged to be myself and create content in a way that feels true and genuine to me and my sexuality. I can’t wait to work with them again!”
A QueerCrush scene has been selected for screening at the 2023 San Francisco Indie Porn Film Festival. The site has also earned sponsorships from Sliquid Lube and Peepshow Toys–patrons can use promo code “queercrush” on either company’s website for a discount, with a portion of their purchase price going to support the site. Right now during Pride Month, QueerCrush.com is offering new customers 20% off for life – locking in a permanent $19.99 pricing.
For more information about QueerCrush and to subscribe to the website or buy/rent individual scenes, visit QueerCrush.com. Interested performers can visit the site as well and click “Model For Us” for information about the application process.
OK, before I even start this blog I’d like to make some caveats. When I make reference to rape porn or erotica, I’m not referencing consensual bondage fantasies. I’m not slut- or kink-shaming anyone. And I am not calling for the illegalization of any pornography created by and for consenting adults, unless actual injury or the crossing of a performer’s boundaries occurred during the production. This column represents my views on this subject, nothing more.
The other day I was chatting with a friend of mine who works as a rape crisis counselor. She confided to me that several clients (whom she did not name) had come to her with a story about their assaults–a story that centered around another story.
“I told him I didn’t want him to get rough with me during sex. But he told me that he supposed I had rape fantasies, like all women did, and that I’d probably enjoyed 50 Shades of Grey,” the survivors revealed. “He told me that he knew I wanted it. Then he ignored me when I said no.”
“He raped me.”
Although sickened and enraged by this story, I was far from shocked; especially not when, at the time of the release of 50 Shades of Grey, at least one sexual assault took place immediately after the perpetrator allegedly had seen the movie and directly copied its aspects–right down to use of a man’s fashion tie as a restraint. Not to mention countless instances in which rape survivors have reported being triggered and traumatized by works like 50 Shades, and the more recent 365 Days, which glamorizes both sex abuse and drugging and kidnapping.
From a high school classmate’s assertion that the fact 9 1/2 Weeks was written by a woman proved that “Women like that sort of thing,” to the countless times that online trolls have insisted that rape can’t be all that bad because women fantasize and enjoy books and films about it, a single unfortunate truth emerges: Men use rape fiction–and rape fantasies–as excuses to rape, or at the very least to show less empathy for rape victims.
Of course, at this point, we also must discuss other truths as well. The fact is that bad people will use just about anything as an excuse to blame the victim: from the length of the survivor’s skirt to the amount of alcohol consumed by the perpetrator or survivor before the attack, to films and TV shows. When a rapist rapes, it’s the fault of the rapist. Period.
I also find it interesting that, when men fantasize about being dominated by women, nobody accuses them of coveting a violent relationship in real life. Sure, countless men fantasized about Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, and Kathleen Turner in Body Heat. But would they want to meet the business end of an icepick in real life? I hope not.
Many experts say that, instead of a desire to be threatened or harmed in real life, the core of the rape fantasy seems to be that women are afraid of acting on certain desires, for fear of being seen as slutty or promiscuous–so in their dreams, they fantasize about a man seizing control of them. My question is, though, why do we still feel ashamed to want and enjoy sex?
I was lucky enough to come to sexual maturity in the ’80s and ’90s, when fearless, openly sensual heroines ruled the book and screen. Jackie Collins filled the pages of her sexy potboilers (like “The Stud” and “The Bitch”) with strong women who demanded satisfaction, in the boardroom and the bedroom. Kathryn Harvey’s Butterfly took us inside the walls of a male bordello that catered to women, my friend Dara Joy took us to an erotic netherworld where the heroine rescues the chained up hottie hero, and Nancy Friday’s Women On Top explored the fantasies of the modern woman–which proved to be more feminist and assertive than in years past. Hence the title.
On the silver screen, we still saw stories of sexually repressed women pleasured and liberated by seductive rebel men–but they were seduced, not raped. In the 1983 film A Night in Heaven, repressed school teacher Faye Hanlon (the fantastic Lesley Ann Warren) succumbs to the temptation of a handsome college student (Christopher Atkins, arguably the male answer to Marilyn Monroe in terms of sex appeal). Atkins’ Rick moonlights as a male stripper who, when spotting his teacher in the crowd of a strip show, tempts and teases her with a sultry lap dance and a soul kiss. Later, when he sees the married and still reluctant Faye in public, he tempts her further by praising her beauty, telling her that he enjoys erotic dreams about her, and presenting her with the old standby of a romantic red rose. Finally, when efforts to heat up her marriage fail, she joins Rick in a motel room for a heated session of lovemaking.
In the movie Thief of Hearts, the delectable Steven Bauer plays a burglar who breaks into the home of a married couple, stealing the wife’s diaries and acting out the fantasies found within them. He pleasures Mickey, the subject of his desire (played by Barbara Williams, a smart and refreshingly real beauty), by praising and enlisting her talents as an interior designer–then, when she arrives on the job, luring her to his bedroom for some explosive sex. He tells her he’ll do anything she has ever wanted and imagined. Earlier in their courtship, he takes her for a romantic boat ride and makes a big and most impressive show of oiling up his perfect body before her hungry eyes. But later in the movie, when Mickey discovers her lover’s criminal past and he becomes overly aggressive and demanding, she leaves him and returns to her husband.
So what happened between then and now? Well again, as a proud Playgirl of the 90s and early 2000s (I even worked for the magazine and cable station), I saw what happened to women who bought Playgirl in public–they were laughed at and called desperate and sick. So were women who bought erotic romance novels with barechested hunks adorning the covers. I read a viewer’s review of A Night in Heaven stating that Faye’s husband should have murdered Faye and Rick over their affair–even though, ahem, her husband was cheating as well, with an old family friend.
And as someone who enjoys male revues, I have been told that I’m acting unladylike, that I’m allowing the dancers to wield sexual power over me, and that I should trade in male strip shows for Christian singles dances. I explain to them that I often exclaim, “Oh my GOD!” at regular intervals during lap dances.
I’m also aware of the fact that, due to the proliferation of free porn on the Internet, more young girls are seeing rough, cheap, male-directed porn at a far too young age–they grow up thinking that’s how it’s done, instead of demanding something better and more respectful.
So, in my opinion, there we have it. Women who tried novel and modernistic ways of expressing their sexuality were shoved back into the closet–and under the whip.
I know that some women would disagree, saying that–after a long day of wielding power in the boardroom–they just like to safely surrender for a while in the bedroom. Understood! But some of today’s books and films–and, sadly, real life sexual relationships–are crossing the line between voluntary bondage into intimidation, the misuse of alcohol to weaken a woman’s defenses, physical pain–and, sometimes, rape. And no matter how you look at it, that ain’t cool.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656-4673.