In this Daily Beast article, Jacob Bernstein explores the phenomenon of lesbians watching gay male porn. The article brings up so many great points about desire and attraction. What do people watch when they watch porn? There are many different theories about what men are actually watching when they look at porn, but what about women? Contrary to popular belief, women apparently watch just as much porn as men, so what are they watching? And why in the world are lesbians watching porn with only men in it?
Bernstein points to a scene in the new movie, The Kids Are All Right, where a lesbian couple sits down and watches gay male porn. This left some viewers scratching their heads, and the author interviewed a few folks to get their take. Women’s erotica producer, Tristin Taormino, explains, “Our feminism remains with us when we grab the remote. So when there’s no women around, it… gives queer women the ability to get swept up in the action of the film without thinking, ‘Who is this woman? Is she having a good time? Is she coerced?’ With gay porn, for a second, we can go there and not think about politics and sexism… there’s something about removing women from the equation that’s freeing.” She adds, “You don’t have to want to have sex with a man to be attracted to masculinity in a specifically sexual context.”
Another interviewee points out that women in porn don’t look realistic enough, or that they look they like aren’t enjoying themselves. Even most lesbian porn is made for the male gaze, and it’s obvious. So that’s why some lesbians say they like watching gay men have sex. They appreciate that there are no women being objectified, and watching palpable sexual desire is hot any way you slice it. It’s not the bodies that some women watch, it’s the sexual interaction itself.
Photo from The Kids Are All Right , Focus Features.
