My latest piece for This is Africa includes…
“I’m an African feminist so clearly any porn that I make would have to reflect that political standpoint. My relationship with porn has gone through many cycles. I don’t recall watching any ‘blue films’ (as we used to call porn in Ghana) during my teens. In my first ‘serious’ relationship in my early to mid 20s my partner and I tried to jazz up our sex life by watching porn. Specifically we watched what is usually classified as ‘Black porn’, which tends to feature Black British/Black American/Mixed Race women. Somehow that didn’t bring the excitement we were seeking, and we eventually threw away our stack of porn. Probably part of our inability to enjoy the porn was because I couldn’t switch off my brain from what I was studying during my Masters in Gender. At the most inopportune moments I would blurt out comments like, “Do you think she is really consenting to that?” and “How do we know that woman wasn’t trafficked?” What got to me the most were the frequent cum shots on a woman’s face. “Eugh, there is no way she can be enjoying that.” Then I read Andrea Dworkin and Catherine McKinnon and stopped watching porn for ages.”…
Read the entire article and please share your comments on TIA.
9 comments On What would African feminist porn look like?
Hi, i have never had sex before,how can i start? am 25 years old.
Wow there is always that one question that throws you for a loop. This is definitely one for me. I would say have sex with someone more experienced…let them know you are inexperienced though so that part of the attraction for them can be the thrill of showing you the joys of sex 🙂
I read that piece over at TIA, very well written. I never like commenting over there, i don’t know why. Nyhoo, do you know where I can get a hold of that twi blue film?
I’m curious as to why you don’t like commenting on TIA 🙂 I’m guessing because you have more of a sense of community over here? Thanks for the feedback Am. Ha! I have no idea where that twi blue film can be located…I’m sure there’s more than one in existence though
I thought about it…..at the core of it, I’m just lazy. My login info is saved on my devices, I don’t have the time to start registering on their site. It takes only 5 minutes, but it seems like a lifetime to me. I rebuke the demon of laziness.
Ha! I get you though. I also think more websites have to work hard at making it really easy for people to comment. There are so many times I have tried to comment on someone’s blog and given up because of CAPTCHA or some other device that just makes it unnecessarily difficult
Firstly I’d love to direct and/or produce African Feminist Erotica! 🙂
I think you covered some of the more important basics such as express consent on and off screen, fair wages and royalties although I would add image rights for whenever an actress/actor’s image is used in advertising, trailers etc.
You also mentioned showing the use of dams and condoms within the film. I’d like them to include use of or taking the contraceptive pill.
I’d like to see directors tackle the nuances of erotica and porn. If only to provide choice to viewers.
I’d love to see more women finance, direct and produce erotica and/or porn.
I’d love to watch African feminist erotica/porn with storylines where sex is integral to the film but there is also an interesting background story.
I’d love to see African feminist erotica/porn that represents bisexual sex, lesbian sex, gay sex, heterosexual sex, BDSM and sex where one or both partners in the couple have physical disabilities – diversity.
@Saffron – Do it! There’s a ready market out there I’m sure. I LOVED all the points you made about what you would also like to see in African feminist porn. Totally co-signed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
How did I not see this before!! This is currently one of my hassles!