Whether you enjoy watching porn or listening to it via audiobooks or a podcast, many of us find added visual or audio components to our masturbation habits to be a huge turn-on.
For some women, the idea of watching porn can seem shameful or ‘un-feminine’ but when asked if they read or listen to erotica, many are happier to admit they do. So the question is, is there a difference between porn and erotica?
Porn vs Erotica – is there a difference?
At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be too much of a difference between porn and erotica in that they are both focused on sex, the human body and tantalising the audiences’ senses. Both can come in different forms such as film, art, or literature, and both can be explicit. But is there a difference between the two?
For many who are anti-porn, there is a specific distinction between the two based on the idea that erotica elevates, and porn is sometimes seen as derogatory. This seems to be steeped in the rhetoric that porn is debasing and depicts unrealistic sex and body types. And although this can be argued in certain instances through the creation of ethical porn companies, we can see that this isn’t all that porn offers
On the other hand, people who write what is called ‘erotic literature’ would argue that they create porn and there is no difference between the two, with their writing describing sexual acts taking place with just as much frankness as watching or reading porn.
Treating erotica as something that moves beyond porn and sex is also an incorrect assumption; Marquis De Sade and Fifty Shades of Grey are both marketed as erotica, not porn. Although, the first book is known to depict sexual acts far more explicit than some of what is seen on your usual porn sites.
An article on ‘Phycology Today’ described the difference as, “erotica doesn’t appeal exclusively to our senses or carnal appetites, it also engages our aesthetic sense.”
While both porn and erotica depict the human body in a sensually compelling way, the main difference between the two is intention. Erotica seeks to help the audience rejoice in the human form while porn, by leaving little to the imagination, seeks to turn on the viewer. Neither of these is necessarily better than the other. It just comes down to your preference and what you desire that will determine what type you choose – a quick release or a slow build-up? It’s almost like determining how you want to masturbate; do you want to use your hands or a vibrator?
At Love Not War, we believe that there is a difference between the two. Porn is something that seeks to get to penetration fast whereas erotica builds up to it and seduces the audience at a slower pace. We do however also believe that there is a place for both of these mediums when it comes to helping people explore their fantasies and adding a helping hand for masturbation or fun in the bedroom with a partner.
Where to find good Porn?
Now we know at Love Not War that you care about your vibrators being as sustainable and ethical as possible and for this, the same also applies when it comes to your bedroom activities as well. So when you next decide on what type of porn you want to watch why not look at some of these ethically produced porn sites instead of using RedTube or Pornhub.
Sites like Bellesa, Kink.com and Make Love Not Porn are just some of the top sites that create ethical porn that moves beyond the usual heteronormative gaze. Each of these focus on creating porn that uses the female gaze and will help you get off without feeling ashamed. Bellesa is a female-owned site that creates porn for females while Make Love Not Porn offers a unique experience of being user-generated, where normal people create and upload their own videos, allowing people to view real couples having sex without the false perfectionism that porn aims to protray.
Where to find Erotica?
We have previously looked at audio erotica in our blogs, but if you’re interested in other forms of erotica why not try out sites like:
My sex life with Lola – a blog written from the perspective of a husband who is being cuckolded by his wife Lola with each story being about her sex life.
The Casual Sex Project – users send in the real-life hook-up stories.
Sugar Butch Chronicles for queer content that moves away from the heteronormative, cis-gendered view on queer sex that is usually found in mainstream porn.
And if you don’t know what you specifically want, Literotica and Girl on the Net offer a wide array of stories that will grab your attention.
Whether you are seeking to be turned on or are looking to tantalise your senses, there are many different factors that will determine what style or type of porn or erotica you want to consume. But it is important to remember that enjoying either should not be something you should feel ashamed of enjoying. Whether you’re with a partner or you’re alone with your favourite eco-friendly vibrator from Love Not War, why not look at some of the above sites mentioned for some additional ways to spice up your bedroom activities?
Written by Katrina Fairhurst