“Pornography is about dominance. Erotica is about mutuality.” –Gloria Steinem
Erotica. Even the word itself is sensual, powerful. It has been the preferred method of facilitating sexual release among women for the past century, if not longer. Unlike porn, which often depicts women in a highly submissive role and generally seems more concerned with male pleasure (both of the actor and the viewer), erotica has historically been a bit more egalitarian when it comes to sex roles. And, unlike porn, erotica has been actively and proficiently marketed to women. If you have any doubts about this, take a walk through the Romance section the next time you are at Barnes and Noble. It’s gigantic.
Here is why I think erotica is great:
Like any decent novel or story, erotica can draw you into a new world. Good erotica, like a good novel, should make you feel as though you are a part of the story, that you can empathize with the characters, feel what they feel. Erotica often provides context to the sex, giving the characters backstories, and perhaps a future, providing them with some sense of humanity greater than simple sex objects. It gives the reader the option of exploring fetishes and other sexual predilections without actually exploring them. It lets you, as the reader, decide what it is that turns you on, and what doesn’t. For example, if you have always been curious about BDSM but are not sure if you are ready to commit to trying it, finding erotica about the subject may help you ease into the idea and decide whether or not it is for you. It allows you to experience the sex you have always wanted: Boyfriend doesn’t go down on you very often or very long? Bam, there is a story about a guy who loooooves to eat his girlfriend out. Don’t have a boyfriend? There is erotica about the perpetually single girl who gets swept off her feet by the sex of a lifetime.
The newest craze in erotic literature was created through the advent of fan fiction. Now you can read about the sexual encounters of the characters from your favorite works of literature or TV programs, be it the classics like Pride and Prejudice, newer works like Harry Potter, or shows like “Dr. Who.” I’m sure by now everyone knows that Fifty Shades of Grey developed out of “Twilight” fan fiction. Fan fiction is great because it builds on relationships that you have already established with certain characters and allows you to further explore some of the sexual tensions that more not have been fully developed. Another reason fan fiction is great is that it is so easily accessible. The internet is rich with the dirty and smutty, and if you cannot find the character pairing you want or the type of sex you desire, I would, quite frankly, be shocked.
I fully endorse erotica, in case that was not already evident. The only commending comment I can make about Fifty Shades of Grey is that it helped to reduce some of the stigma that stills exists around erotic literature. While there were many aspects of the novel that I took issue with, if it helped you to realize some of your fantasies or desires, then, hey, more power to you. And I encourage you to go out and continue looking for whatever it is that makes you feel hot and bothered.
Stay sexy, St. Olaf,
H.