New York- As pornography continues to be viewed as the objectification of women, two women are trying to prove that it’s possible to be a feminist and a porn consumer.
At an event organized by the National Organization for Women at NYU, Candida Royalle, the president of Femme Productions Inc., and Jayme Waxman, a Playgirl columnist and freelance pornographer spoke to a group of more than 50 students about the evolving women’s porn industry at the Kimmel Center last week.
The event came at the end of Women’s History Month and included screenings of Royalle’s work, which, she said, was meant to reflect women’s sexuality rather than exploit it.
“I wanted to give the genre a woman’s voice,” Royalle said. “It didn’t have to be something you would look at and feel dirty about.”
Her films feature more realistic-looking women, sophisticated plotlines and a different style of sexual behavior, in an effort to appeal to female sexuality.
Royalle first stepped in front of the camera as an adult film actress in 1974. Royalle, a starving artist at the time, said she started acting in pornographic films to make money. In 1984 she founded Femme Productions Inc., where she began producing and directing films aimed at women.
“Most of the porn out there did objectify women and didn’t reflect women’s sexuality,” she said. “Certainly there wasn’t a thing such as women’s erotica or women’s porn.”
The event began with a screening of scenes from some of Royalle’s adult films, including “One Size Fits All” and “Studhunters.” The films are a unique mix of comedy and erotica, which drew both squirms and laughter from the audience. They parody the over-the-top antics of typical porn movies, while also depicting scenes that are specifically aimed at arousing women as well as men.
“They do look different and feel different from most porn,” said Anne Barnhill, a graduate student in the philosophy department. “They’re less degrading. I think she’s on to something.”
Kristen Lombardo, the president of NOW at NYU, said that “NOW wanted to help young women celebrate sexuality and our bodies by showing them porn for women by women.”
Immediately following the screening, the audience enjoyed cake in the shape of a woman’s nude torso, complete with strategically-placed sections of chocolate and strawberry frosting.
The main event of the night, however, was a discussion headed by Royalle and Waxman. Dressed in long pants and jackets, both women appeared professional and spoke animatedly.
Waxman pointed out that, despite the efforts of women like Royalle, female-friendly porn still has a long way to go.
“We’re all sexual beings,” Waxman said. “We were born that way and why can’t we talk about it?”
Waxman, a writer for the “Stepping Out” section of Playgirl, is working on a series of how-to videos. “My goal is to make porn with a purpose,” she said. “You don’t choose sex. Sex chooses you.”
Royalle emphasized the need for more women’s voices in the pornography industry.
“There continues to be an explosion of typical, formulaic porn. People don’t want to take chances, they just want to make money,” she said, explaining why so much erotica is aimed at heterosexual males. Porn targeted at women often has trouble securing funding.
Royalle concluded by urging women to speak up for themselves in the porn industry.
“If women don’t seize control of the reigns of production, men will continue to do it for us,” Royalle said.
Asked about the Bush administrations effects on the adult film industry, Royalle said that she had not yet seen any changes, but noted that doesn’t mean they won’t come.
“When you start going after free expression, it’s a very difficult thing,” she said.
When one audience member asked how Royalle responds to those that argue all pornography is wrong, Royalle said, “It’s not going to go away, so let’s take it back and do it the way it should be done.”