I think porn serves a purpose. I think it’ll always serve a purpose. You can find examples of erotic art spanning all of human history, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon, so women need to be part of the process of making it. We need to be represented, not as objects or props, but as active participants, producers, and consumers worth creating for. We need to take charge and express our own desires.
Any time you go long enough without input from women, you’re creating a climate for misogyny to thrive. Very little porn is made with women in mind. A lot of porn is incredibly misogynistic, but porn is not inherently misogynistic. Porn can be incredibly feminist. It’s the same as any other form of media. Superhero comics have been criticized for misogyny, and are often created with men as the target audience, but that doesn’t mean comics are inherently bad or only for men. The comics industry gets better the closer we get to balancing the gender ratio of the people creating it. The porn industry has a long way to go, but it can get better just like anything else.
The success of women-driven projects like Smut Peddler and Filthy Figments attest to this, that women are interested in smut. We’re eager consumers who aren’t often catered to, we’re talented creators with a lot to say. Let’s lose the guilt and shame and silence. Long live ladyporn!