June 21, 2001

3:49 PM

OK, so we all know the cliche about men being visual, and woman being narrative as it applies to the appreciation of web erotica. Is that true? As a male, I know what turns my crank, (I don't think my sharing that is important considering it's banality) but have no idea if the internet has grown as a sensual media by women for women. Nerve.com seems to have a balanced approach, but that's all I know. So I ask all the ladies in the MeFi house what intelligent stuff do you click to scratch that itch, if at all?
posted by machaus (26 comments total)

i think they all just go to kottke.
posted by moz at 4:02 PM on June 21, 2001

uh, no. we all don't.
posted by centrs at 4:04 PM on June 21, 2001

If this seems too creepy, please keep in mind that I am happily
married.
posted by machaus at 4:04 PM on June 21, 2001

That's okay -- it still seems plenty creepy.
posted by jjg at 4:13 PM on June 21, 2001

You, sir, are a PERVERT!!!!

(hee hee just kidding)
posted by y6y6y6 at 4:33 PM on June 21, 2001

note to self, metafilter: politically rabid, sexually puritanical, hide in dark corner
posted by machaus at 4:35 PM on June 21, 2001

Actually machaus, I really liked your question. My answer would almost be a big emphatic NO, as in, NO, it has not grown as a sensual medium for women. Scarlett Letters is the only site I can think of run by a woman, and the few other sites I've seen were still more pornography than erotica, and just didn't do it for me (or anyone else I've asked).

I'd write more, but I'm at work, and starting to get strange looks - I'll add my other cent later.
posted by annathea at 4:38 PM on June 21, 2001

[covers himself in invisible dust and pops his head round the door for an educational peek]
posted by Kino at 5:00 PM on June 21, 2001

uh, no. we all don't.
posted by centrs at 5:33 PM on June 21, 2001

banality turns your crank?

i guess that gives another meaning to 'bored as fuck'.

...

thank you! thank you! the next show's at 11!
posted by jcterminal at 5:34 PM on June 21, 2001

You'll just want to cozy up with your hon and a home-cooked meal, maybe a couple of DVDs. You'll feel like staying at home, kicking back and knockin' some boots. Or maybe you'll be up for a weekend getaway, just the two of you. Fuggetaboudit. Your hon isn't going to be on the same page this week (especially if s/he is a Gemini).

I admit, she's not a Gemini. About the site, I can say, at least the Horoscopes suck!!!

signed: WornOut WonderDude!

(Again?????!!!!!)
posted by Wulfgar! at 6:16 PM on June 21, 2001

I personally dislike Nerve. The erotica is flimsy, watercolored, and limp, and the non-fiction makes what should be an exciting, arousing subject about as much fun as a bag of wet hair. I may not enjoy what is generally offered as men's erotica (the exact girth and length of a penis does not excite me, sorry) but if you wanna know where a whole load of girls are making good porn for themselves and their friends, slash is where it's at.
posted by headspace at 6:26 PM on June 21, 2001

Having never fallen into the men=visual women=emotional Mars/Venus "theory" of sexual arousal, I usually get my start at David K. Every's Nightcharm.
posted by galachef55 at 6:59 PM on June 21, 2001

The replies to this question are the best answer you're going to get.

Quite simply, no woman has responded with a proper reply to the question. However, if you were asking men, then you'd probably have at least a few by now.

Truth is, women might like to flaunt it, but they sure don't wanna type about it.
posted by wackybrit at 8:10 PM on June 21, 2001

[Takes the bait and... erm.. rises]

Oh hang on... almost...

'the exact girth and length of a penis does not excite me, sorry'

....that's my next attention grabbing post out the window then; Guess i'll just have to settle for plan b: LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT MEEEEE!!!
posted by Kino at 8:17 PM on June 21, 2001

Just to clear up any confusion among Mac people who did a double-take at seeing the name "David K. Every" associated with a porn site, David K., who runs Nightcharm, does not appear to be Macintosh evangelist and former MacWEEK columnist David K. Every. I've met the latter, and David K.'s picture is not him. Furthermore, I think I can say with some assurance that the Mr. Every I know is not gay. (Not, of course, that there'd be any reason to be alarmed if he were; it just seems unlikely a straight man would run a gay porn site, though I'm sure stranger things have happened.)
posted by kindall at 9:10 PM on June 21, 2001

Pardon me, wackybrit, but I am a woman, and I responded with a proper reply to the question. I don't like Nerve, or Nerve-esque mags; I like slash, I know lots of other women who like slash, I provided a link to the wonderful world of slash. (Could have included a link to the visual delights of gay porn at Bad Puppy, but I refrained since the question was "intelligent," and there's nothing particularly intelligent about my response to hot boy on boy action in living color.) I reckon Annathea's answer is a proper reply, and galachef55's as well.
posted by headspace at 9:30 PM on June 21, 2001

i think headspace has it. being the quasi-anime fan i am, i know a lot of women into slash and in my case, "bishonen" (or 'pretty' boys). which, in the online porn world, is much like guys being into lesbians and teens.
posted by moz at 9:53 PM on June 21, 2001

And for those women who are into pretty women (would that be "bishanen"?)--

I've been promised a membership to Suze.net for my upcoming b-day. This is what I consider "ideal" porn.

Yes, of course, I dig "naturally beautiful" women, the kind of women who aren't airbrushed, don't have implants, and aren't attacked regularly by feminists screaming bloody exploitation, but I see *them* every day. If I'm going to pay money, I'd much rather do it for what I -don't- see every day--like those insanely beautiful women, wearing insanely high heels, pouting insanely pouty lips.

As for written erotic fiction, Alt.Sex.Story archives are a good place to begin; I could just be biased as a long-time contributor of erotic pieces. Writers like Ann Douglas, BronwenSM, Celeste (of Celestial Reviews) and Silverine (shameless self plug) make the rummaging through the inferior stuff worth it.
posted by precocious at 10:09 PM on June 21, 2001

[chomps his imaginary popcorn, holds onto his imaginary hat and ever so slowly fumbles around wondering where he stashed that invisible dust]
posted by Kino at 10:13 PM on June 21, 2001

Personally, Im a very visual person, but I love to read as well, so I like pictures and words. (Books with pictures?) I happen to enjoy Nerve. I have a subscription to the print version. I enjoy they're alternative-themed writings, and I really like their regular "Eye of the Beholder" series, where they have the same model(s) photographed by three different artists. Can't say Nerve really gets me hot and bothered though.

I am just as likely to pick up a copy of Maxim magazine and check out the cheesecake photos as well as read their very testoterone-oriented articles. Of course, I find Maxim much more entertaining that erotic.

Overall, I don't turn to the internet to get titillated though, so I'm not very aware of many of the sites available out there. I'll have to go check out the ones mentioned thus far in this thread.
posted by phichens at 10:37 PM on June 21, 2001

Talking of which.. There's a rather nice stash of Peter Kuper artwork here (including a thriving archive of his E.o.t.B short, which it sounds like that nerve thing is inspired by or something). Non of this is porn related, but if it helps, underneath these clothes i am naked 'n stuff.. romping through hell on a greased pony.. yelling "bring out your meat, bring out your meat, i needs me a vixen, the night is young yet"...... with a credit card in my hand and a gleam in my eye... all three of them.
posted by Kino at 11:28 PM on June 21, 2001

Oh, I loves me some bishonen and yaoi, moz! Now if only I could convince my male friends to give me my copy of Zetsuai and Bronze back... Precocious- if you're into pretty anime women, the girls are bishoujo, and you're into yuri. *grin*
posted by headspace at 6:59 AM on June 22, 2001

I just read the Abercrombie + Fitch catalogs I buy off of eBay...
posted by spilon at 8:25 AM on June 22, 2001

I think a great place to start with Web porn/erotica/whathave you is Jane's Net Sex Guide.

Clean Sheets is a wonderful, wonderful site, currently edited by Susannah Indigo. (She used to do the writing for the now-defunct "Erotasy" site; I believe she has a book coming out in September.) And I feel compelled to make full disclosure...I'm biased; one of my own short pieces is on there, too. (No linkie, though -- I don't want to disclose *that* much! :) )

Enjoy...
posted by metrocake at 9:31 AM on June 22, 2001

In this conversation on the Well Suzie Bright talks about her book How to read / write a dirty story.
posted by rjs at 4:13 PM on June 22, 2001