Please enjoy this educational and humerous mini documentary I made for my LGBTQ Theory class, about how gay male porn is problematic. ( a paper that accompanies the film will be posted soon!)
I find this pretty offensive. Steven, you make a lot of broad generalizations that make me uncomfortable—as a gay man, as a feminist. Not all porn media is the same and not every consumer is the same. Please don't make assumptions about my ability to have a meaningful sexual relationship with my partner based on my porn consumption. I found this video to be fairly shallow in its scope and understanding of the gay porn industry, especially when using The Tyra Banks show as a primary source for the concept of "Gay for Pay." If you continue to probe the world of queer studies, Steven, please become more aware of the straight privilege inherent in judging the activity of LGBTQ people.
Definitely interesting to be looking into this, and I don't find it offensive. I think it's cool to be open about such themes as a straight guy. I didn't know about the whole pay for gay business, though I definitely see how it plays in to the gay fetishization of the heterosexual male. However, I'm surprised that you didn't catch on to the more obvious disbalance in gay porn (maybe you didn't watch enough :-) There is a very hierarchical structure in practically all (mainstream - gaytube etc) gay porn that is parallel to straight porn. There is the top guy and the bottom guy. All that matters is the top guys pleasure. The bottom guy is often "raped" consensually (you can see that they are experiencing pain, and their erections go away: because they're not having fun). This theme is very strong in gay porn, whether in one on one sex, or gang banging the "slutty bottom" movies, all the way through to s&m where the violence against the bottom is more explicit (though sometimes less real, there are sm clips where you can see bottom guys really enjoying the action). I'm currently looking for gay porn that subverts these stereotypes, but it's not so easy to find. Anyhow. Hope that is interesting to you.
Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteHey is it possible toread your essay? I can`t see the link.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight! And nice title opening :P
I find this pretty offensive. Steven, you make a lot of broad generalizations that make me uncomfortable—as a gay man, as a feminist. Not all porn media is the same and not every consumer is the same. Please don't make assumptions about my ability to have a meaningful sexual relationship with my partner based on my porn consumption. I found this video to be fairly shallow in its scope and understanding of the gay porn industry, especially when using The Tyra Banks show as a primary source for the concept of "Gay for Pay." If you continue to probe the world of queer studies, Steven, please become more aware of the straight privilege inherent in judging the activity of LGBTQ people.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find this offensive, but I've read "Refusing to be a Man." I wonder if it sounds too judgmental without the full context?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely interesting to be looking into this, and I don't find it offensive. I think it's cool to be open about such themes as a straight guy. I didn't know about the whole pay for gay business, though I definitely see how it plays in to the gay fetishization of the heterosexual male. However, I'm surprised that you didn't catch on to the more obvious disbalance in gay porn (maybe you didn't watch enough :-) There is a very hierarchical structure in practically all (mainstream - gaytube etc) gay porn that is parallel to straight porn. There is the top guy and the bottom guy. All that matters is the top guys pleasure. The bottom guy is often "raped" consensually (you can see that they are experiencing pain, and their erections go away: because they're not having fun). This theme is very strong in gay porn, whether in one on one sex, or gang banging the "slutty bottom" movies, all the way through to s&m where the violence against the bottom is more explicit (though sometimes less real, there are sm clips where you can see bottom guys really enjoying the action). I'm currently looking for gay porn that subverts these stereotypes, but it's not so easy to find. Anyhow. Hope that is interesting to you.
ReplyDelete