Authenticity and its role within feminist pornography

Visual pleasure and gonzo pornography: Mason’s challenge to convention in ‘the hardest of hardcore’

“…Authenticity is a major question of debate amongst porn scholars, and we should of course be wary of any diegetic or extra-diegetic assertions that any particular pornographic scene has adequately either permitted or represented anything that might be called 'authentic' at all (or even, after Chow, that there even exists something that can be deemed an authentic sexuality in the first instance). Ultimately though, the question of authenticity underpins many arguments speaking both against and in favour of pornography or its possibilities, including those here; whether or not we can trust the performers' communication of both pleasure and consent before, during and after the scene, and the director's own account of her interactions with those she works with, must always be a matter of some scepticism (Downing 2014;Maina 2014;Smith 2001;Young 2014). Nevertheless, when combined with her reflections upon it, this slippage -this moment at which Mason discovered within her a sense of deeply ingrained caution at such excessive displays of sexual roughness -provides a rather rare example of both a porn performer and a porn director reflecting critically on the obvious moments of friction that must necessarily occur between 'real' sex and sex as it is performed for camera and audience.…”

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“…Both Young (2014) and Maina (2014) discuss how authenticity and realism are key components of feminist pornography. This is defined as performers having control over the sexual content within a scene or entire production, based on their own desires, fantasies, and partners.…”

“…This is not to imply that nonconsent is the order of the day in mainstream pornography, but explicit, dynamic consent on many levels is made clear through many feminist production companies. Young (2014) discusses how she gives performers choices about who they work with, what types of activities they will engage in, even lube preferences. This establishes not only sense of personal freedom, but also a workplace in which performers establish and maintain discussions of consent around each aspect of the work day.…”

“…That a performer engaged in a particular act with another particular performer on a particular day does not mean that same thing will occur on the next work day, or even in the next scene. Young (2014) discusses this as not only valuing the people she works with but also establishing a norm of negotiating for healthy sexual expression. Another key term interconnected with sex-positive feminist pornography is "fair trade".…”

Gazing upon the (disgusted) gaze: the abnormal regulation of ‘normal’ sexuality

“…But, as we see in the two news pieces cited above, this question of authenticity is central to the concerns that (might) interest the readers and that the journalists use to create narrative tension -were actual feces used? Likewise, authenticity has been discussed elsewhere as having both promises and pitfalls, within the wider context of gendered and sexual discrimination (van Doorn 2010;Webber 2013;Young 2014). This concern with authentic -rather than realistic -experiences speaks to a seemingly strong desire to be moved or affected by things themselves, so that our carnal resonance (Paasonen 2011b) is not somehow 'deceived'.…”