For the past eight years the Feminist Porn Awards have been promoting and celebrating erotica at its most primal, and also its most artistic, all through the lens of feminism. The FPAs proudly state that they are “the longest running celebration of erotica focused on women and marginalized people.” Over the years, the awards have expanded from a gala event that includes a screening of the nominees and the awards ceremony itself—where highly coveted trophies come in the shape of glittery butt plugs—to a multi-day series of events celebrating art and sexuality, including a full day conference.
On Thursday, April 4 the weekend of erotica will kick off at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, with a screening of selected nominees. Some directors will be present as well, for a Q&A facilitated by CoCo La Crème. On Friday the Feminist Porn Awards Gala takes place at the Capitol Theatre, with award categories ranging from Hottest Trans Scene to Most Deliciously Diverse Cast. All day on Saturday, the Feminist Porn Conference explores “the intersections between feminism and pornography as well as the emergence of feminist porn as a genre, industry, and movement.”
The awards were founded in 2006, when the folks behind the sex-positive and feminist sex shop Good For Her decided that they needed to do something more proactive than simply raising concerns about just how many people and perspectives were left out of traditional porn. J.P Robichaud, the director of the 2013 awards, explains that “feminist porn is important because it helps to showcase the wonderful diversity that is the human sexual experience, in a way that can allow people to feel more comfortable and connected with their own sexuality.”
As for what constitutes feminist porn, Robichaud told us that in his mind it “welcomes all forms of sexual expression and creates that porn in an environment that is focused on equality, agency, and healthy practices.” Sophie Delancey, who does marketing and PR for one of the nominated websites says that for her, feminist porn contends “with feminism directly. That means thinking actively of the role of women in what you’re producing, both the ones making the films and the ones watching them.”
It’s not only the content of the porn that matters, but the way that the material is made. Robichaud explains that “women and/or traditionally marginalized people have to have been involved in the direction, production, and/or conception of the work. The work must depict genuine pleasure, agency, and desire for all performers, especially women and traditionally marginalized people. And finally, the work should make a point of expanding the boundaries of sexual representation on film, challenge stereotypes, and presenting a vision that sets the content apart from most mainstream pornography.”
It’s great, of course, (and also fun) to celebrate socially aware, sex-positive, and pleasure-oriented erotica—but given that this kind of material is still the exception in an industry that is dominated by more traditional pornography, the awards also play an important supporting role in shaping the development of that industry itself. As Robichaud points out, a lot of people “might not otherwise know this kind of porn exists” at all.