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

LatiNegr@s Project: Jimmy Santos

An Afro-Argentine drummer and vocalist who is best known for his work in condombe, rock and jazz.

Here's a video of condombe:



A few folks have uploaded some audio of songs that Jimmy Santos had a hand in crafting such as Abuelo off the album Afrocandombe. Visit the website of the band he joined Raices and check them out in action below:



Listen to Jimmy Santos accompanied by singer Nora Benivenidez's live performance at the ARUA studios in Buenos Aires.

I spent at least 4 hours on this post. The fact that I could find very little (or a whole lot of the same cut and pasted things) about Jimmy Santos I think is telling. Telling of how he has yet to be granted the full respect and inclusion in Argentine and South American history. If you are someone who can change this I ask you to please do so!

Under $5 Valentine's Day

Are you broke like me? Do you only have about $5 in your budget to pay for something sweet, special, and lovely for a lover/friend/partner/etc.? Here's my top suggestions to use those dollars and help them stretch! I'm totally assuming people have 1. access to the internet (i.e. if you are reading this you probably do), 2. $5 to spend, 3. a desire to celebrate this day, 4. own certain items (stereo, stove, pots, pans, scissors), 5. people may have electricity. I recognize that this may not be what many people have/own/can access. And the last 2 suggestions, my favorite, are for you.

1. Make a Mix Tape
Yeah I said mix TAPE (if you were born AFTER 1990 this makes limited sense to you so make a mix CD). What better way to be all "I really thought of you so much to take the time to make this tape"? Yeah. I thought so. You can still buy cassette tapes for pretty cheap. This of course won't work if you don't have equipment to play cassettes (although if you are like me, frugal, you DO because you still have the first and only stereo your padres gave you for your sweet 16).

2. Make Breakfast
Eggs, toast, and one potato (at least in NYC) is under $5 including tax. Breakfast is my specialty...and pick up line. I'd make scrambled eggs (a dozen for $1.75 in NYC) and make some toast or biscuits ($1 for jiffy mix and you need to add a egg I think), and the potato I'd slice it and fry them or mash them up and bake them.

3. Make A Card
I love me some glue and a magazine and some scissors! People often enjoy things that you create for them. It's more personal. Take your scissors (or a knife or exacto knife) and cut out images, words, phrases that you think reminds you of your boo. Put them together on a recycled piece of paper or some cardboard (or really anything you want). If you don't want to spend money on a magazine, go fish around in the mail for catalogs, the newspaper for ads or the funnies.

4. Compile Emails And Make Into Scrapbook/Journal/Book
If you and your boo sent lovely/erotic emails or IMs to one another compile them and put them in a book. This can be as fancy or simple as you like. If you want to spend money on the fun/colored paper that is fun go for it.

5. Make Your Own Lube
Here's a video that will help you see how easy it will be to make your own lube, that you can also use as a massage oil. Decorate the bottle/jar as suggested in #3. If you can, try to ignore that she only used White people in her images.



6. Give A Good Meaningful Bellybutton to Bellybutton Hug
No arms between the chest, no handshake as we hug, but a full on bellybutton to bellybutton hug. We all need affection and touch and often we do not get what we need because sometimes we don't know how to ask for it. Sometimes we got to give what people don't ask for but that many of us do need to experience.

7. Give A Compliment

This can be in multiple forms. It doesn't have to be on this specific day either. As long as it is something that you believe and is honest. People love to hear compliments even if they are obscure, esoteric, and about things we rarely notice.

8. Gift Something You Own That A Person Admired
I enjoy doing this from time to time because it helps with the de-cluttering of my life and space. My mom is a hoarder so I often worry that it will rub off on me. Recent things I've gifted include: books, movies, pens, pins, make up, clothes, soaps, candles, and mugs. It's good to know what you gift is going to a good home.\


foto credit (in order of how they are shown): JGPHOTOS, fedek6, nkzs, juliaf, ba1969, nilkes, riesp, mmagallan

LatiNegr@s Project: María Isabel Urrutia

A Afro-Colombian Olympic gold medal winner in weightlifting, today María Isabel Urrutia holds a seat in the House of Representatives in Colombia. Over a decade as an athlete at the Olympic level, Urrutia won Colombia's first and only gold medal in history with the women's 75kg.






As a politician, Urrutia has advocated against government corruption and centered the poor and working-class during her tenure. She's said what makes a good weightlifter is "A mix of physical and mental strength. The person who is strong, cool and calculating tends to do very well." I'd argue the same is for politicians.

foto credit: movimientopolitocoasa.com
foto credit: elpais.com
foto credit: co.terra.com

WTF John Mayer?

If you are not in the "loop" or if you are a White sexologist who has NO clue how to discuss what is going on with Mayer's racist, triflin, -ism ooozing comments you need to take some time to sit and read the following analysis:

Over at Like a Whisper there are several posts that analyze this hot mess. First start with:

Ode To White Men Who Think They Are Black
follow that up with the most recent article:
John Mayer Apologizes for "Trying To Be Clever."

Read my homegirl AJs piece over at Racialicious called: When Racefail Meets Playboy: The John Mayer Interview.

Then check out John Mayer: A Black Woman's Response: A letter to the singer & his "white supremacist" penis

I'd also like to remind people that Playboy is the same space that when interviewing rapper Lil Wayne who shared his history of sexual abuse and rape which writers described as "how he's been a playa since his childhood days playing board game."


As more analysis appears I'll add to this list.

Operation Ignore John Mayer is in effect see more below



Added on February 15 from my homegirl (PC I didn't ask how to quote you but it's YOU) via twitter is Margaret Cho's response Mayer.

foto credit: Thumbs Down Picasso Painting by Yvonne Ayoub

LatiNegr@s Project: Susana Baca

Famosa Afro-Peruvian singer of over 3 decades, Susana Baca, is a pioneer in the Afro-Peruvian movement. Sometimes I just want to post fotos and songs and lyrics because the musica speaks more than I could ever write.

Let these songs and the musica be texts for your to consume, absorb, and learn from. What do you hear? Do you hear the indigenous instruments de Peru? De Africa?





Here's a trailer from the documentary based on her life: Susana Baca Memoria Viva



foto credit: belef.org

LatiNegr@s Project: Kid Cudi

Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi aka Kid Cudi, is definitely a product of being exposed to mid-west hip-hop crews such as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. He too is from Ohio and born to two educators: a Mexican-Native American father and African-American mother.

In an video interview Kid Cudi was asked about an alter ego he created named Juan Pablo. He shares his reasons for creating this alter ego:

Cudi explained that because he is black and Mexican, Juan Pablo is a character he created to resemble his Mexican roots. Scott (as I still like to call him) demonstrated Juan Pablo's Mexican accent as he said, "My swagga on a hundred thousand trillion, you can't say anything to me."

Meanwhile, he still hadn't caught on that I was the one who had revealed his secret!

"He's got swag, but he's so silly," he told Tim. "But people just let him do his thing, because he has so much confidence in himself."

Check out the video below. It's clear that there is some examination into identity through this "alter ego" and a performance of "Latinidad"/Mexican identity. I wonder if Kid Cudi would identify as "Chicano" or "Xicano."

MTV Shows

I read an interview with him where he stated that he thinks hip-hop has evolved to lyrics being more simplistic, which I read as more accessible. He states:

Q

. On the track "Man on the Moon,” you say there’s no point in dense lyrics. Why’s that?

A. If you make it too complicated, people sometimes don’t catch it. If you make it too deep, people don’t catch it. The only way you can win is if you simplify it. Motherfuckers that wanna actually spit the real shit and make it intriguing don’t get props for it.

Q. So the way that Jay does it isn’t worth it?
A. Jay-Z came from a time when lyrics mattered. People still care and lend an ear to what Jay-Z has to say. A new n****, people ain’t really going to be that receptive.

foto credit: http://bit.ly/cINJue and i'm very happy to have found a foto of him smiling!