Latino Sexuality Links To Check Out

I've been doing a lot, i mean A LOT of writing these past several weeks. What can I say, I've taken Anzaldua's advice and "put my shit on paper." Here's where you can find many of my musings:

Preparing For "The Talk" With Your Child Part I
This article focuses on what I've learned and what I would have done differently with my mentee of 17 years, Candy.

Preparing For "The Talk" With Your Child Part II
This article focuses on several issues not touched upon in part one such as when is the right time to talk to your child about sex, how to prepare, resources and books with a focus on children of Color, as well as suggestions from specific needs parents identify.

It's OK To Call Us Black
This article is a discussion about the intersections of Blackness with Latinidad using the film Miracle At St. Anna by Spike Lee as a popular culture reference and example of how people don't identify LatiNegros.

How Do You Discuss The Multiple Layers Of Love?
My contribution to a larger section on writings dedicated to Love.

A Misuse Of The Bodies Of Women Of Color
This article is in the spirit of Audre Lorde's "Open Letter To Mary Daly" where I take a well-known Sex Therapist to task for his use of Janet Jackson's body to address an ad about abortion that was aired for the 2010 Super Bowl.

In Defense Of Pornography
My Op-Ed in El diario/La Prensa and my pro-sex perspective on pornography with a highlight to Vanessa del Rio. The article is originally in Spanish but here is the link to an English translation if you scroll down.


A Call To Action For Black History Month
As the title says: a call to action.

The Hyde Amendment Killed Rosie Jimenez...Because of Roe & Rosie I Exist
My contribution to a series of writing regarding the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

La Femme Fetal
My article on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and highlighting the one song about abortion that comes from a pro-choice space.

American Idol & Representations of Working-Class Whiteness
How are racially White people represented on American Idol? Is there a difference when they are poor White women? Poor White men? If so what is the difference? Is there White privilege they can claim?

Why I'm An AdiPoser
Reasons why I took my clothes off for the Adipositivity Project.

Latinas & Porn

Here's my Op-Ed in Fridays El Diario/La Prensa just in time for Valentine's Day!

the translations are crackin me up! (English is below)

En defensa de la pornografía

* Bianca Laureano / sexóloga, educadora y activista que tiene el sitio LatinoSexuality.com. |
* 2010-02-12
* | El Diario NY

Me encanta la pornografía. Algunas de mis amigas feministas lo cuestionan porque piensan que la pornografía trata a las mujeres como objetos. Entiendo sus dudas. Sin embargo, género, expresión sexual, imágenes son temas complicados y la pornografía que no se puede definir solo negativamente.

Supe de la pornografía de una manera particular. Soy hija de padres hipis que emigraron a EE.UU. en la década de los 70 y nuestra casa estaba lleno de arte, libros y música. Por los libros en mi casa, desde pequeña vi imágenes eróticas. Las bailes que veía imitaban algunos actos sexuales, o al menos eran expresiones eróticas de deseo y pasión. Mi mamá tenia copias de libros como Our Bodies, Ourselves y The Joy of Sex. Recuerdo haberlos leído y pensar que las personas que aparecían eran como mis padres. Estos libros y el hecho que haberlos podido leer en mi casa muestra la accesibilidad y normalización del sexo al presentarlo como algo normal.

Algunos pueden decir que leer libros como The Joy of Sex era pornografía. Pero la primera vez que vi pornografía fue viendo en acción a Vanessa del Río. La primera latina que vi en pornografía, con un cabello abundante y piel acaramelada. Cuando me enteré que era puertorriqueña como yo, sentí una conexión instante con ella.

Recuerdo que cuando veía las películas de Del Río, pensaba: “Yo quiero entrar a un cuarto como ella y ser tan poderosa como ella, sabiendo que puedo devorar a cualquiera”. Su presencia era tan sustanciosa y atractiva. Nunca había visto a una mujer entrar un lugar y tener tanto poder, solamente con su presencia. Hasta hoy, después que ha publicado su libro 50 Years of Slightly Slutty Behavior, todavía es poderosa. Del Río está en control de cómo presenta su cuerpo, poder, imagen y sexualidad. ¿Cuantas de nosotras podemos decir lo mismo sobre nuestras imagen y sexualidad?

Muchas veces, las personas desarrollan sus impresiones de la pornografía por la manera en que fueron expuestas a ella. Muchas de mis amigas me preguntan si hay posibilidad de tener pornografía feminista. Para mí, esto vas más allá de determinar si se puede aplicar una etiqueta feminista a la pornografía. Cómo disfruta del sexo alguien, es algo personal. Y cuando dos adultos se dan y reciben placer con permiso, ¿quienes somos para juzgarlos? En lugar de eso, invito a todos a examinar qué les da placer e identificar por qué.

La manera en que conocí la sexualidad y la pornografía fue de una forma saludable y eso lo sigo cultivando. He tenido la oportunidad de descubrir qué tipo de pornografía me gusta y cual no. Eso es un regalo que me doy a mi misma.

¿Qué te vas a regalar? ¿Te darás permiso para explorar tu cuerpo, deseos y reconocer el poder que tienes?

______________________________
ENGLISH

I enjoy pornography. Many of my “feminist” friends question this because they think pornography objectifies women. I can understand where they are coming from. But gender, sexual expression, imagery, and pornography are complex, and more than negative objectification. I was introduced to pornography in a very different way.

As the child of [im]migrant “hippie” parents who arrived in the continental United States in the ’70s, my parents surrounded me with art, books, and music. Through the texts in our home, I was exposed to erotic images. The dances I saw reenacted some sexual activities, at the very least an erotic expression of desire and passion. My mother had copies of Our Bodies, Ourselves and The Joy of Sex. I remember reading them and thinking the people looked like my parents. These books speak to accessibility and normalization about sex my parents offered.

Some may argue that reading books, as The Joy Of Sex is pornography. But my first exposure to pornography was when I saw Vanessa del Rio in action! She was the first Latina I ever saw in pornography with big hair, brown skin, and when I discovered she was Puerto Rican like me, I instantly connected to her.

I remember watching Vanessa del Rio in films and thinking “I want to be able to walk in a room and be just as powerful and know I can devour anyone there.” There was something substantial and compelling about her presence. I’d never seen a woman enter a room and have power in just existing. Even today, after she’s published her book 50 Years of Slightly Slutty Behavior, she remains powerful. She’s in control of how she represents herself, her body, power, image, and sexuality. How many of us can say that about our image and sexuality?

Depending on how someone was exposed to pornography may influence her impressions. Many friends ask if there can be “feminist pornography.” For me, this issue goes beyond whether a feminist banner can be applied. Pleasure is subjective. And when consent is given and received between adults, who are we to say it’s wrong? Instead, I encourage people to examine what gives them pleasure and identify why that is.

My exposure to sexuality and pornography was healthy, and I have nurtured that. I’ve had the opportunity to discover what pornography I do and don’t enjoy. This opportunity is a gift I give myself.

What will you give to yourself today? Will you grant yourself permission to explore your body, pleasure and recognize the power you have?

foto credit: shibuya86

Sex Positive, Pornography, & Puerto Ricans!

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