Posted by Brad Chisholm on May 17, 1998 at 15:05:47:
I am interested in your thoughts on the visually erotic. My interests are both scholarly and personal. I am a Film Studies professor with an interest in how "the erotic" differs between men and women. I know little of what women find visually erotic, and I am disappointed and appalled by what passes for visually erotic imagery designed for male audiences. Surely there must be delicious, respectful erotic alternatives to what we know today as "hard core" images. On a related matter, I am researching the topic of "The Invisible Penis." As a man, I have always found it uncomfortable that the history of motion pictures and photography is filled with images of fully nude women and almost devoid of images of fully nude men.
So, if anyone who gets this message has advice, insights, feelings, or any reactions to the following three questions I would be grateful...
1) What imagery do women find erotic?
2) How does this imagery differ from traditional erotic imagery aimed at hetero males?
3) Why is the male penis so invisible (relative to images of fully nude women)?
4) How do women feel about the absence of the penis in erotic imagery today?
My wife points out that the way I pose these questions assumes that all women and all men are alike, and I realize
I am looking for broad generalizations. But that's a starting point that I hope will lead to an understanding of
individual differences later on. Finally, I want to say that I am new to the internet and am not sure that my questions are
the most appropriate for this forum. If you feel I shouldn't be dealing with this subject matter here I will certainly withdraw.
Thanks for reading this message,
Brad Chisholm