The best in feminist porn

For the uninitiated, feminist porn is an oxymoron, but for those who’ve attended the Good for Her Feminist Porn Awards (FPA), it’s a relief.

The idea behind it is that porn shouldn’t make you wince while you jerk it, and the porn industry should offer adult pleasure that doesn’t offend while you’re trying to get off.

“The Feminist Porn Awards create a unique, welcoming, sex-positive space that recognizes straight and queer representations of sex and sexuality in a very public and proud way,” says Alison Lee, manager of Good for Her and FPA organizer.

“It’s an event that brings a really fun and lighthearted side to porn,” says Dylan Ryan, a Toronto performer who won the 2009 FPA Heartthrob of the Year. “Because there’s so much taboo and stigma, people have a very isolated experience in relation to porn. The Awards don’t take themselves too seriously, and they are the only venue that discusses and promotes feminist porn. Sometimes porn can be intimidating, and there’s nothing intimidating about the Awards at all.”

Unique to North America, the Awards were created to inspire, recognize and serve the ongoing demand for porn with feminist sensibilities. This is the fifth year for the FPA, and there are 54 nominations, including movies from Great Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

The Awards — with VIP party, featuring burlesque and, of course, lots of performers and directors — are Friday, April 9 at Berkeley Church in Toronto.

“I heard some kinky awesome things happened last year after the show,” says Dylan, “and there will definitely be some good afterparties this year, as well. People should come and check it out.”

The festivities get going the night before with Provocative, Public Porn: The Year’s Best in Feminist Film. The event comprises a smutty screening followed by a roundtable discussion with various directors and performers, moderated by well-known Toronto burlesque performer CoCo La Crème.

Scheduled for the discussion are April Flores, a feminist pornstar who has had her body cast for the first plus-size sex toy; Shine Louise Houston, who directed industry favourite Crash Pad and remains one of the only queer, women of colour porn directors with a distribution deal; Nica Noelle, creator of Sweetheart Video and Sweet Sinner Films with Jon Blitt of Mile High Media; and Tristan Taormino, a porn director who has written six books on sexuality and has her own adult film production company, Smart Ass Productions.

“It’s a great opportunity to scope out a bunch of hot pornstars and porn directors,” says Lee, “and to see the very best of the best in steamy feminist porn that’s come out in the past year.”

Learn more at goodforher.com.

Provocative, Public Porn: The Year’s Best in Feminist Film.
Thurs, April 8, 9:30pm.
Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St W.
$12 advance/door.
516-2331.
goodforher.com.

Good for Her Feminist Porn Awards.
Fri, April 9.
VIP Party, 8-9pm; doors, 9pm; show, 9:30pm.
Berkeley Church, 315 Queen St E.
$25, awards + screening; $75, VIP (includes awards, screening, pre-party, priority seating and $250 gift bag).
588-0900.
goodforher.com.

Check out our video report of last year’s FPA: