Sexual liberation through three women

On this second day after International Women's Rights Day, I felt like talking to you about those who have helped us in our sexual emancipation.

Because if today it may seem increasingly normal for most of us to walk into a shop, buy a sex toy and treat ourselves to a solo orgasm, that hasn't always been the case. And let's be honest, there's still a long way to go.

What is sexual liberation?

It is the act of women emancipating themselves, freeing themselves from the control exercised by the patriarchy over their sexuality and intimacy. For example, sexual liberation helps lift the taboo on subjects such as masturbation, orgasm, and fantasies among menstruating people. Liberating oneself sexually is also and above all about bringing women's pleasure into the spotlight — pleasure that has often been pushed to the background. Considered less important than that of men. Sexual liberation means taking power and reclaiming control over one's body, desires and wants, without letting oneself be guided by the will of others.

Today I'd like to introduce you to three women. Through their work and commitment, they have helped and continue to help women live their sexuality on their own terms. They guide women in exploring their fantasies, their pleasure and their desires.

Let's gooo!

Lora Haddock: the orgasm provider

Lora is the creator of the well-known intimate toy brand Lora Di Carlo. With her high-tech sex toys, Lora wants to give everyone the opportunity to experience deep, powerful and fabulous orgasms. To achieve this, she and her predominantly female team of engineers developed a true technological gem: the Osé. It took several years and 8 filed patents for this toy to come to life. In 2019, at the technology and electronics innovation trade show, the Osé received an award — the best innovation in the "robotics and drones" category.

A few days later, Lora had this award taken away from her because her product was deemed "obscene, profane and immoral". Yet, at this same trade show, innovations dedicated to male pleasure such as inflatable dolls gold augmented reality headsets designed for immersive porn were able to compete without any issue... After a mobilisation and strong condemnation from the media and the brand, the Osé was able to reclaim its award. Since then, the brand's creator has regularly spoken out to denounce sexism in the tech industry.

Erika Lust: the fantasies director

Erika is a Swedish director, screenwriter, pornographic producer and writer. Her mission? To make your fantasies real by elevating them. How? Through her artistic lens and feminine sensibility.

With her predominantly female team, she moves away from the "male gaze" — that is, the masculine perspective. This choice allows her to create feminist porn that de-objectifies women. In her films, women are no longer perceived as mere objects of desire. They become the heroines and mistresses of their own desires and fantasies.

Her films are inclusive and erotically intelligent. As for the storylines, they are sometimes realistic, sometimes sensual and dreamlike — all with a particular attention to aesthetics. Always with respect and consent from the actors and actresses, who are, in some films, willing novices seeking to fulfil their fantasies.

In her films, nothing is overplayed, pleasure is not feigned. You won't find any close-ups, phallocentric scenes, gold dubious titles along the lines of "I catch my half-sister by surprise". For Erika, erotic films, beyond being entertaining, also serve an educational function around sexuality. That is why she tries, through her work, to convey the reality of feminine desire and pleasure. With inclusivity at the heart of her work, she makes sure that everyone feels represented in her films. In short, Erika Lust breathes fresh air into the rather macho world of porn — and that's something to celebrate.

Betty Dodson: The queen of masturbation 

A pioneer of women's sexual liberation, Betty Dodson was a feminist artist, author, coach and sex educator. She championed the sex-positive movement for the majority of her life. For over 30 years, she organised masturbation workshops to help women reclaim their bodies. She helped hundreds of women accept their vulva and learn to orgasm.

In 2007, her workshops even helped more than 400 women diagnosed as anorgasmic to achieve pleasure. She fought for half her life to allow all women who denied themselves pleasure and self-censored, to experience it fully. For her, masturbation was a powerful tool to enable women to emancipate themselves sexually. Her wish was to help as many as possible reach that goal. Through her books, videos and workshops, she passed on her knowledge and expertise in sexual education.

Today, her associate Carlin Ross continues this work of transmission through the website she had founded with Betty. A true goldmine of information on masturbation — I recommend you take a look if the subject interests you!