Erika Lust's Blog, page 7

The heart of the gay pride starts beating in Moscow!

Since 2006 the Russian LGBTG tried to get permission for a gay pride parade, but in vain. Those who went out on the streets had to suffer actions of police brutality. After the homophobe mayor Luschkow, who called gay parades 'satanic events', was removed from office, the first allowed demonstration took place last October. Now it looks like they will get permission for a gay pride parade for May 28th. It is limited to 500 people. Even though it is still very restricted, small, and not on the main areas of the city, it is a beginning. Respect for holding out so long and congratulations to the Russian gay movement!

Here's a video about the brutually repressed gay movement in Russia

Happy Easter 2011!

Time is passing by so fast! It's already Easter, and I hope the fresh smell of summer is making your bodies look for new experiences!

Thank you all for supporting feminist porn and enjoy your holidays!!!!

I'm leaving you with some sexy photos and lots of kisses from Barcelona

(I don't know how that picture got here…)

Positive Porn – the thoughts of Carol Queen

Today I've stumbled upon an interesting article about Positive Porn and the thoughts of Carol Queen, sexologist and owner of the Good Vibrations sexshop in the US.

In a discussion she hosted a few days ago she made interesting comments and I would like to highlight them here. She defined positive porn as "giving people an alternative way to think about eroticism". Indeed, it's important to know that porn, and sex! is not only for the stereotyped characters we're used to seeing in mainstream porn: super strong guys humiliating thin and large-breasted blond girls. Having an alternative is essential for people to widen their view about porn and thus forget the taboo on sexuality.

Queen also said: "If everyone had the opportunity to see themselves as erotic, then that would be a very amazing thing". I totally agree. Every person needs to accept him/herself as a sexual being and not think of sex as something apart. It's important to admit we like sex, that we need sex to have a balanced life, so that we can relieve ourselves from the social prejudices and enjoy ourself fully.

Finally, Carol Queen insisted on the educational power of porn saying that if done well, it allows individuals to interact with their sexuality in a productive way. But of course, most porn sends wrong messages that's why it's important to create a new and more respectful kind of porn.

It's important that professionals talk about the different powers of porn and I personnally really enjoyed reading about Carol Queen's opinion. Did you?

(vía the Harvard Crimson)

Life Love Lust at the Feminist Porn Awards

I recently told you about the sixth anniversary of the Feminist Porn Awards, well this growing ceremony started yesterday April 13th and will last until tomorrow which is when we'll know the winners!

My latest film Life Love Lust is actually a nominee and although I can't be with all the guests in Toronto, I wish them all to have a blast and help feminist porn get bigger!

So here is an interview with famous director Tristan Taormino for the launching of the event.

Join me at the new Fetish Party in Barcelona

Hi everyone!

Me and the Coppelia Club have organised a new and exciting Fetish Party in Barcelona, to give a kinky touch to the traditional Spanish "Sant Jordi" celebration.

So on Thursday, April 21st, me and my team will be waiting for you in the Borne district with a lot of naughty surprises!

Special fetish cocktails, some smooth spanking, official photographer, screening of short films, and discounts on sextoys, DVDs and books of Lust Store!

The entry is totally free – RSVP on facebook

This will also be an opportunity for you to discover the set of my short film Handcuffs since it was shot in Coppelia in 2009. Here are a few photos for you to get a preview of this gorgeous club and you may also watch Handcuffs for free on Lust Cinema.

We are coming together – The Slut Walk

On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police gave shocking insight into the Force's view of sexual assault by stating: "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized".

That's why women got together and marched down the street last April 3rd in a pround "Slut Walk" to proclaim their right to sexuality. "Being assaulted isn't about what you wear; it's not even about sex; but using a pejorative term to rationalize inexcusable behaviour creates an environment in which it's okay to blame the victim."

I recommend you read their speech which is really interesting and that I totally support:

Historically, the term 'slut' has carried a predominantly negative connotation. Aimed at those who are sexually promiscuous, be it for work or pleasure, it has primarily been women who have suffered under the burden of this label. And whether dished out as a serious indictment of one's character or merely as a flippant insult, the intent behind the word is always to wound, so we're taking it back. "Slut" is being re-appropriated.

We are tired of being oppressed by slut-shaming; of being judged by our sexuality and feeling unsafe as a result. Being in charge of our sexual lives should not mean that we are opening ourselves to an expectation of violence, regardless if we participate in sex for pleasure or work. No one should equate enjoying sex with attracting sexual assault.

We are a movement demanding that our voices be heard. We are here to call foul on our Police Force and demand change. We want Toronto Police Services to take serious steps to regain our trust. We want to feel that we will be respected and protected should we ever need them, but more importantly be certain that those charged with our safety have a true understanding of what it is to be a survivor of sexual assault — slut or otherwise.

We are tired of speeches filled with lip service and the apologies that accompany them. What we want is meaningful dialogue and we are doing something about it: WE ARE COMING TOGETHER. As people from all gender expressions and orientations, all walks of life, levels of employment and education, all races, ages, abilities, and backgrounds, from all points of this city and elsewhere.

We are asking you to join us for SlutWalk, to make a unified statement about sexual assault and victims' rights and to demand respect for all. Whether a fellow slut or simply an ally, you don't have to wear your sexual proclivities on your sleeve, we just ask that you come. Any gender-identification, any age. Singles, couples, parents, sisters, brothers, children, friends. Come walk or roll or strut or holler or stomp with us.

You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and on their official website.

Talking about sex

I found this great drawing on Violet Blue's blog in a post about Sex Tech. It reminded me that although sex is everywhere we look, the real sex, the sex that people have everyday is still full of questions and thus it might be difficult to talk about it, especially when you're a teenager and you want to look like you know about it, even when you really don't.

Everyone is to be interested in sex ed. The internet isn't always useful since it's full of paranoid forum discussions, stereotypes and simply false information, and the media in general send wrong messages about sexuality. As a mother and  porn filmmaker, I think the important thing is to let kids know they can talk about it – they are teenagers but they're not stupid – and nobody's going to judge them.

Anyway it's good to be assertive and open about sexuality, but it's also good to understand that it might be difficult for others to talk about it, so no pressure.

What is/would be your approach to talk to kids about sex?

Abby Winters' natural flavours

Abby Winters is a website I recently discovered and that really gave me a great impression. They offer thousands of images and videos of nude female models, and what really makes them different is that the models are like every woman. They're fresh, natural, and really correspond to my view of porn which is: great sex with real people.

They're girls like you and I and they're not scared of being who they are, of being women who like sex.

You can take a free tour to see what it's like and join the community to be able to watch all the material.

They've been online for 11 years now and they've won the "Best Membership Site" award by AVN this year.

So for me it was a really nice surprise and you should check it out!!

Answer a few questions about porn

Today I discovered on Tristan Taormino's blog that there's an online research going on about porn and how people include porn in their lives. I think it is good to know more about people habits instead of keeping seeing porn as a dirty secret. We have to admit it's part of most people's lives and shouldn't deny its important role.  So answer a few questions and help porn get better! It's quick and totally anonymous of course.

You can watch the promo video to get an idea about what this is about.

Here's a bit more information about the project:

In the past, pornography has overwhelmingly been assumed to be a 'problem', and the only really important questions to ask about it are – how much do people (and especially children) encounter it, and how great is the 'harm' that it does?  This research is different.

Our project is concerned with the everyday uses of pornography, and how the people who use it feel it fits into their lives. Pornography is of course a highly topical issue, subject to many opposing views and 'strong opinions'. And we are not saying that there are no moral or political issues.  But we are saying that the voices of users and enjoyers have been swamped.  In fact, there is very little research that engages with the users of pornography, asking how, when and why they turn to it.

We want to gather the thoughts and responses of people who have chosen to use pornography of their own accord.  We believe that there can be many different and complicated reasons for looking at pornography.  We also don't believe that all the materials that go under that label, 'pornography', are the same – only to be distinguished by how 'extreme' or 'explicit' they are.

…

Take the survey!

Room 33 – Director's cut

The new version of my latest short film, Room 33, has finally been released! This director's cut version is longer and you can see much more into what is going on in the Camper "love hotel" of Barcelona, and the credits have been added.

You can watch it for free and get more info on the official website!