A naked couple is having sexual intercourse in the missionary position. The woman is holding the man’s neck with her right hand as he props himself above her.
This photograph interested me because there are distinct signs of power dynamics to explore. Most notably, the woman physically on the bottom is gripping the man’s neck in what looks like a somewhat tight hold. Although many people might have a knee-jerk reaction and assume that this man is attacking the woman, my first instinct is to believe that she is controlling him, moving him toward and away from her in motions she enjoys. The thought of being made to move for the pleasure of a partner is intensely arousing to me, and this image instantly triggers that arousal.
Sadly, rape culture reactions overwhelm almost all public discourse about pornography. Heteronormative, pornographic depictions of sex are likely to trigger simple feelings of arousal. The leap to rape culture isn’t one that happens because of pornography but because of reactions to it, perhaps even more precisely to the specific overabundance of hegemonically skewed representations of what sex can be like.
The crux of the matter is that intentionality does not follow from appearance. Especially in sex, people should be free to be what they feel, not what they look like.
Update (July 28th, 2009): Sociorehab, the creator of this image, wrote in to me to say this:
That’s our picture and I wanted to let you know that the assumptions you made were correct. I wasn’t in control. Her hand on my neck squeezed, pulled and pushed as she pleased. I could only give what she let me give.
Thanks for letting us know, and thanks again for creating and sharing a beautiful picture. :)
(via biandbi, sociorehab)