“Don’t settle for bad porn. You deserve better.”
Why else would this many sequins and boobs be at church on a Friday night, really?
Berkeley Church in Toronto’s east end played home to this year’s 7th annual Feminist Porn Awards put on by Good For Her, hosted by Elvira Kurt and Ryan G Hinds and attended by hundreds of sex-positive people from across North America. The night was all about celebrating (and tweeting) all kinds of porn and erotic material, from “Smuttiest School Teacher Award” to “Hottest Lesbian Vignette” and “Most Tantalizing Trans Film.”
What exactly is ‘Feminist Porn’? Probably a million different things to a million different people, just like people’s differing sexuality. The purpose of feminist porn seemed to expose itself a little bit to me as the night came out (haha): being sexuality told from a commonly un-told or marginalized perspective, meant to satisfy a woman’s sensitivities and complexities, and to get a woman off. Think the opposite of Sasha Grey. No chicks choking on c*cks in these flicks. And if they did they were probably choking on rubber, that they were holding themselves, while pleasuring themselves with their other hand. TMI? Suck it. Elvira loosened the already joyful mood with a poll at the beginning of the night: “Raise your hand if you’re a top – a bottom – and who doesn’t care as long as someone gets laid?”
After Olive-or-Oliver performed a hula-hoop dance routine Elvira congratulated the performer saying “Don’t you hate it when your dick-slinky gets caught in your hula hoop?” My kindergarten self giggled as I snacked on cumquats and sliced carrots. AND I think it’s worth mentioning my date was allergic to nuts. Most appropriate. Iconic figures in the queer & arts community who were in attendance included Buck Angel, Allyson Mitchell, CoCo La Créme and Carrie Gray and porn stars & actors lined the front rows. After the award ceremony finished, DJ Sigourney Beaver entertained the dance floor for the remainder of the night and someone left the party with a hickey. It wasn’t me, however I’m not saying who. Congrats on an ever-expanding genre & community and be sure to attend next year’s sexy event!
Words & Photos by Becca Lemire