Why Color Matters
10 April 06
Bacchus asks why color matters.
I guess I’m still old-fashioned enough to dream of a world where a pretty naked woman is judged not by the color of her skin, but by the contents of her birthday suit.
It’s certainly a fine sentiment—as nice as dreaming of a world where a young woman can walk down the street in a skimpy top without being harassed. Unfortunately we have a long way to go. Here’s why color matters:
- Because mainstream pornography and erotica are overwhelmingly white. Go ahead—tour the top babelogs, the top erotic photography sites and the top alternative porn sites. The mainstream has a beauty standard—a default setting if you will—and it is most certainly not colorblind.
- Because where non-white models do appear they are regularly stereotyped. Ethnic models are commonly presented as fetish objects: the “hot-blooded” Latin, the “submissive” Asian, the “ghetto” African-American and so on. A whole segment of the industry exists specifically to promote these kinds of stereotypes. This won’t change until we change the way people look at race and sexuality.
- Because even now, in 2006, crossing color lines is a big deal. I’ve covered the porn industry’s problem with race. Given the rampant discrimination within the industry it’s no surprise the end product reflects and reinforces the worst stereotypes. Simply ignoring race won’t make the problem go away.
- Because challenging porn’s portrayal of racial and ethnic groups is no different than challenging porn’s portrayal of women. The quality smut out there today owes its existence to people who critiqued the way women are portrayed (and treated) in the Valley. It’s about time someone looked at race and porn with an equally critical eye.
To me, denying difference altogether is just as dangerous as fetishizing it. If you never look at race you end up sweeping a lot of problems under the proverbial rug. Color-blindness (like gender-blindness) is a luxury of privilege.
Bacchus argues that beauty is beauty, and I agree. Beauty is what you’ll find here, minus the stereotypes, the racial-fetishes and the monotone color scheme you’ll find in most other places.
And if I can make someone think twice before picking up a copy of “Me Luv U Long Time” or “Phat Booty Hoes” then I’ve done my job.
More: FAQ, Porn, Stereotypes, Racism, Racial Bias
# Dacia 10 April 06
I’m not sure I’m convinced that beauty is beauty, though I definitely understand the importance of stripping away the ugly cultural detritus. I think its important to really confront the ways that certain kinds of beauty are valued above others – skin color, facial features, body shape, general proportions – and furthermore, to talk about the ways that different kinds of people value (and more unfortunately, sometimes fetishize) different kinds of beauty.