Hyperkinks: 'strange' fantasies, ethical porn, and sex work

Posted at 20:31 on 11 Nov 2014 by Pandora Blake

Tags: Body positivity, Bright Desire, camming, Dreams of Spanking, Erica Scott, ethical porn, Fairtrade porn, feminist porn, Gender politics, Kink activism, Ms Naughty, Nimue Allen, Nimues World, Paul Kennedy, Photos, Politics, sex work decriminalisation, Sex worker rights, Sites and studios, Videos, wooden hairbrush

Kink

• I loved this Sinful Sunday image by Sub Bee. Trick or treat!
• Erica Scott's wooden hairbrush spanking from Paul Kennedy is getting some positive attention. From my vantage point behind the camera, I thought it was super hot.
• How do you find a partner who shares your interest in spanking? Jillian Keenan is here to help.
• It turns out your sexual fantasies aren't all that strange - new research backing up Charlie Glickman's stance that when it comes to sexuality, no-one gets to be normal. Girl on the Net, as ever, has an excellent take on this study, emphasising that no sexual fantasy is wrong, even if it isn't common - and that not every kinky fantasy wants to be acted out.

• Nimue's World has re-launched! Nimue Allen is now the sole owner-director of her own indie BDSM porn site - and there's some amazing new content coming out of it. Check out these blogposts about what's changed - and why having control over her own content is so important to her.
• Charities wont take porn money unless they can keep it a dirty secret. "Its not that nonprofits wont take money from the adult entertainment industry. Oh no, they simply wish the whole affair to be discreet."
• Failsafe porn to watch with a new boyfriend, a fantastic article by Girl on the Net on how to introduce the porn you like to your new lover. Namechecks MakeLoveNotPorn.tv, Bright Desire, and Clips4Sale - it's good to see the truly democratic, grassroots world of DIY porn given some love. I would also add PinkLabel.tv to the list.

• What does an orgasm look like? Some truly awesome artworks submitted to Girl on the Net's competition (sorry, she just keeps on being interesting!)
• You've probably seen it already, but this drone-shot porn is beautiful. "The plan was to take beautiful landscapes and just put people fucking in them."
• Feminist porn director Jennifer Lyon Bell shares six practical tips for shooting porn. I found number five particularly interesting - and something I could do more of.
• Some responses to Zoe William's Guardian article on ethical porn (on which more later, but meanwhile you can read my first impressions here). Erotic Scribes: "Porn is here to say 'Your fantasies are OK' when nobody and nothing else is going to say it." Yes = even if those fantasies are totally pervy. And the Telegraph acknowledges that "times are changing" - the radical idea that porn might not all be universally misogynistic and unethical (even though Gail Dines is still claiming women don't watch it). Also, apparently I'm the future of capitalism. Hokay.
• I love this new sensual film by Ms Naughty, which screened for the first time in Berlin: Tactile. Watch the full film at Bright Desire.

• Pastachips fiercely critiques the type of anti-sex-work feminism which claims to care about workers
• Is sex work good or bad? Irrelevant question - sex work is work. This issue of Popaganda reframes the issue by exploring the legal and financial realities of sex work.
• Camming: a love letter - Vex of UK indie porn studio Four Chambers talks about how sex work has changed her life.
• Last week a bill that would have made the buying of sex a criminal offence was debated in Parliament. Open Democracy has an intelligent piece on the convenient conflations of modern slavery, trafficking, and sex work.
• Thanks to the outcry from sex workers, academics, womens' groups, LGBTQ groups and MP John McDonnell, the proposed clause was dropped - this time. Here is John McDonnell's speech in full:

• I love that he makes the connection between survival sex work and the reduction of the welfare state - and above all that he urges people to listen to sex workers themselves. Bravo. I was also shocked to see how few MPs were present at the debate.
• Vice has a surprisingly sound article by Frankie Mullen on sex work, the "Swedish model" and decriminalisation. Mullen explains that we need full decriminalsation because, "At present, we're stuck with a situation in which certain aspects of prostitution remain illegal and, as such, sex workers' lives and bodies are subject to policing and ?enforced "rehabilitation". Crimes are going unreported because women don't trust the police, and abusers have the system on their side." The whole thing is worth a read.
• Niki Adams in the Guardian: Listen to sex workers we can explain what decriminalisation would mean. "Without taking sex workers experience into account there can be no protection, only repression."
• Finally, in non-sex-work news, London is to see the world's first wheelchair-accessible, gender-neutral, LGBT-friendly dance studio. With their emphasis on body positivity, accessibility, inclusivity and providing a safe space for people of all genders, sexualities and bodies to enjoy movement, Irreverent Dance are doing powerful, important work. Their showcase on Sunday night was a great night out - and their Kickstarter is open for another 24 hours if this strikes a chord and you want to lend your support.

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