Visual erotica for women

[SparklingExplosionGoldBrass]

Because the discussion on this at Ladyfest was fascinating but didn't go on long enough, I fancy continuing it here.
Soo, iirst off, why aren't there proper erotic magazines (with pictures of naked men in them) for heterosexual women?

Yes I have read the book The Whole Woman, but over 10 years ago. As I said, I thought she was great, a breath of fresh air whenever I saw her on TV. The book was not what I expected based on what I had heard and watched of her over the years preceding. Too much of an angry and illogical vent in places, and could have been edited better. Don't want to hijack this thread but happy to discuss and argue about it wherever. Probably fair to say the media took the worst of it (IMO), focussed on it, criticised it, and ignored the rest.

I can't remember all the names. There's a book I've got somehere about radical lesbian separatism written by three Australian women, one of whom I think was called Bev something. I went through a spell of collecting odd fanzines and independent zines about 10 years ago, and there were various people I met at various discussions and public debates.

It does sound rather random, though, that book SGB.

nope, I didn'T get see 'angry illogical vent' when I read The WHole WOman. I got 'life changing experience'

And I agree about Bridget JOnes. the only bit I liked about it was that she lived on her own (at the beginning) and was always pissed

I know, and when you think of all the absolute shite male literature that's out there winning prizes which you read because of the rave reviews before realizing they're doing nothing but stating and regurgitating the obvious.

lol @ celebration of mediocrity

so true. I read books of supposed groundbreaking theories, or literature, and I think 'I've heard this before...oh yes, it reminds me of my musings with my 15 year old friends'

I'm not quite sure what I'm being ticked off for here. I read a lot, and not all of it is widely available or 'proper' literature. ALso, I don't see why listing the names (if I could remember them) of individual human beings I've had disagreements with or thought were fucking idiots over the years is supposed to be proof of anything.

I do think ANdrea Dworkin is (was) a malevolent whinyarse, though. SHe has always reminded me of the sort of white person who, having been mugged by someone who is not white, is forever insisting that all ethnic minority people are violent criminals and can't be trusted.

INteresting blog on the original subject of the thread.

ANd Dittany, women who want to explore the whole issue of women's sexuality are not fucking popular with anyone.

well, yes, but my first intro ever to someone talking no holds barred about female sexuality was Germaine Greer- she's a radical feminist not a sex-postitivist feminist. She's had loooooads of sex with looooads of different kinds of people

From your link, I agree that this is a big problem, now more than ever:

"She started with the obvious, but deeply troubling status quo that women find themselves in - constantly considering ourselves as sexual objects, never subjects, always the gazed-at, never the gazer, and hence internalising the notion that our pleasure comes from being seen as sexy and desired by men. "

BUt, ironically, I think porn is responsible for this in a big way

yes, GG is critical of intercourse. That's why I found her writing on female sexuality quite liberating. As you say, she was a lone voice in the nineties.

Yes, I have read some Dworkin: As I said, malevolent whinyarse. With a huge sense of self-importance.

Dworkin certainly hawsn't been sidelined or silenced, either. Everyone's heard of the wretched woman, she has sold thousands of her idiotic books (one long hissy fit, the lot of them) - though it was highly amusing that she got her own book banned when the Canadians briefly introduced her ridiculous porn law.

SGB, I thought Dworkin was a mumsnet thing, like nice ham and mooncups. I'd never heard of her before the feminist topic was set up about 6 months ago.

Sakura: best giggle of the day, ta.