I think this is a great question and one I ask myself frequently. Pornography, like many other tools (eg Critical Mass*) can serve a variety of functions, some beneficial some harmful. It is largely up to the person(s) using the tool to define its function.
I am concerned that pornography is standardizing sex. Many grow up with porn being their only source of sexual
information. Cindy Gallop gave a humorous and terrifying TED talk about being a cougar and dealing with young men who assumed sex should always end with a facial. She spoke at length about how when we watch porn alone we are not given an opportunity to have any discourse. If we watch it with others we can have a dialogue and learn how these movies affected others. Even a simple "I liked this, I didn't like that" can be incredibly useful. But its not really an option unless we demand better sex culture. One where people can feel more comfortable talking about their sexuality with others.
We could demonize all pornography for being desensitizing and it might very well be, although excessive behavior of any kind is, of course, by definition, excessive. But I can't think of a time when prohibition ever worked for a society. Telling other autonomous beings what not do to has never been popular. Tragically much of the work of environmental and social rights movements is trying to stop behavior (eg: don't drive, don't shame). Thankfully one of the joys of both sex-positive culture AND human-powered transportation is that we can encourage behavior. Both activities create virtuous cycles; the more bikes there on the streets the safer the streets are. Similarly the more exposure we have to sex-positive culture the easier it becomes to model those behaviors.**
Moreover there are additional benefits from watching porn as a
community. Obscenity is a community standard and if a community does not define it for itself another entity (usually one that controls the means of distribution, eg Wallmart, Clear Chanel, Playboy, etc) will define it for you.
[begin shameless chest thumping]
For the past seven years we have shared films on the subject of bikes and sex, calling for new submissions annually. The content is completely audience generated. No reproductions or DVD's are available, so you must go to a screening to see them.
Films include of variety of representations of human
sexuality, entirely created by amateur bike pornographers from all over
the world!
Bike Smut asks
for sex without shame and transportation without homogeny. It explores
radical politics while remaining approachable and fun. Bike Smut
believes in the importance of bringing communities together to redefine
obscenity by creating a consensual space where
different interpretations of obscenity can be watched and discussed. It is a joyous exploration into two integral parts of a quality human life.
Why Distribution Matters
Bike Smut only plays in front of a live audience. There are no DVDs for sale and no screeners for the media. This method of distribution is a challenging but vital aspect of the project. Our lives are spent in isolation when our interactions are mostly through text and technology. Our true sentiments are masked by media incapable of expressing our full range of emotions.
This issue is trebled in the realm of pornography:
- We are constantly bombarded with sexual images, but terrified to discuss sex itself.
- We tolerate lame porn because of the stigma associated with engaging the genre.
- We shy away from expression and leave our usual consumer-savvy habits behind.
This shameful silence only encourages censorship and a bland homogenization of pornography. Only when we use our voices can we challenge what we do not like. As I said, obscenity is merely a community standard, It is defined by the society we live in . If we come together as a community to view a variety of interpretations of obscenity, we can help to redefine our boundaries and inspire better communication better art and better sex.
Secondly, the avenues for distribution for the short filmmaker are limited. Once again, the mere volume of content on the internet allows the consumer a very 'throwaway' attitude to art and information once is constantly browsing. Film festivals are often expensive to enter and offer little in return.
The purpose of these films are to share ideas. They were created out of a desire to help people have a better quality of life, not just as a quick and exploitative way to earn some cash. By limiting the way in which they are seen, we can hope to create an effective forum for emerging artists to screen their work, where their ideas can be expressed, absorbed, considered and discussed.
'Turning Trixxx' is Bike Smut's sixth program of erotic bicycle movies. This year's program includes films ./;''' from seven different European cities and films by two Feminist Porn Award-winning pornographers. Bike Smut offers
a unique art experience that combines the spectrum of human sexuality
with love for the most eco-friendly mode of transportation available.
I hope this has offered some insight to my opinions. I rarely get around to talking about distribution (because phrases like "marketplace of ideas" can cause eyes to gloss over) but I think yalls get it. It is an ambitious undertaking to challenge the dominant forms of sex AND transportation but powerful opponents make for spirited fights, and it feels great helping others appreciate a cause that is so worthy, fun and emancipating!
So for me the big question is, how are YOU gonna share it? Because while it is easy to just sit back and reap the benefits, actually putting effort into helping make the show better will make you feel more a part of it and thus be more meaningful. I encourage you all to find a way to get involved. If nothing else be sure to bring some friends who might otherwise never get to experience this because we wont be sharing it ever again. This is the FINAL SCREENING of Turning Trixxx.
There are a lot of ways to connect with us, Twitter, FaceBook, Tumblr... pick your fav social media disease or if you wanna do it old school style and take it to the streets!
in bikes we thrust,
revphil
Bike Smut curator