There is no Social Sex Revolution without People of Color
By MLNP community member Aria Vega.
Sex positivity, which is the movement to free sexuality from shame and stigma, is becoming increasingly mainstream. That’s a beautiful thing! It means the average person has better access than ever to pleasure- and evidence-based information about their bodies. But this access alone is not enough.
Our understanding of sexuality, as individuals and as a society, is inextricably linked to other facets of our identity. When those aren’t accounted for, the image is incomplete, and progress is halted. That’s where MakeLoveNotPornstars of color come in.
The more Black and brown people that appear on MakeLoveNotPorn, the more accurate the picture of #realworldsex becomes, and every one of us will be better off for it.
5 ways showing people of color (POC) having #realworldsex is vital to the #SocialSexRevolution:
1. Sex positive images of non-white bodies are lacking in pop culture.
You probably didn’t need me to tell you this. The vast majority of non-white sex depicted in movies, television, and pornography is created by and for a white gaze. This creates a warped image of our personhood, and fuels ignorance.
I feel like I can always tell when a sex scene between Black people was actually written and directed by one of us. That’s when our bodies are treated with reverence and respect, free of ugly stereotypes and condescension. These moments are few and far in between.
While we wait for more people of color to be represented behind Hollywood cameras, we can point our smartphone cameras at ourselves. Which brings me to my next point…
2. If we don’t do it, no one will.
As people of color, it’s up to us to produce the images that center our pleasure and best reflect our humanity. We are absolutely entitled to take up space in the world, and we don’t need to beg the powers that be for access to it.
With the ubiquity of smartphones that allow us to both snap and share our lives on the spot, it’s never been easier claim that space. Since you have full creative control over your #realworldsex video, you can be sure that it’s shown through your own lens — literally and figuratively.
3. It can help us educate ourselves.
Due to systemic issues, communities of color are particularly vulnerable to inadequate or misleading information about sexual health and pleasure. As a result, we experience disproportionate rates of STI/HIV transmission, unplanned pregnancies, and sexual assault.
At the moment, the federal government isn’t doing much about these problems. In fact, many lawmakers are doing everything they can to reverse decades’ worth of gains in these areas. Fortunately, #realworldsex videos can help with this too.
On MakeLoveNotPorn, it’s very common to see things like barrier usage (such as condoms, gloves, and dental dams) and healthy communication before, during, and after sex. There’s even a whole #condomhot video category for safer sex inspiration. If people of color get to see people who look like us normalizing these behaviors, the benefits can spread fast and far.
4. We need to see ourselves reclaiming bodily autonomy.
Throughout American history, non-white bodies have been subjected to unfathomable degrees of subjugation and brutality. Black Americans in particular have historically had little to no bodily autonomy. This, of course, due to the horrors of slavery and the systemic abuses that followed it into the present day.
The trauma of our lineage doesn’t need to define us. We can help heal these wounds by reclaiming ownership of our bodies and prioritizing pleasure. This can help us restore and maintain our strength and vitality to go on fighting for a more just world.
5. The rest of the world needs to see us too.
As affirming and validating as it is for people of color to see ourselves on-screen, it’s not just about us. These images are crucial in humanizing us to our white peers. I wish we lived in a world where our mere existence was enough to penetrate ignorance, but we’re not quite there yet. Once again, video content can help with that.
Images have a lot of power in determining how we’re perceived by others. When done right, images have the potential to bridge the empathy gap between privileged and marginalized groups. With MLNP’s platform, we are allowed unprecedented access into each other’s most intimate and vulnerable moments. The opportunities here are tremendous.
MakeLoveNotPorn.tv is actively seeking more creators of color to demonstrate the power behind this type of representation. As with all other social movements, your voices and images are vital to the Social Sex Revolution!
For more information on shooting, submission, and everything in between, please get in touch! Email our curation team at curators@mlnp.tv.
Aria Vega is an Atlanta-based sex writer and educator doing her part to build a more sex-positive world. Follow Aria on twitter @vegadreamcast.
