It is an overdone, and often inaccurate, adage in our culture
that "sex sells." More often than not, the sex which sells is
neither empowering, enlightening, beneficial -- or even all that
interesting -- to the individual consumer or to culture at large,
and sometimes, isn't even sex at all. Mass-media depictions of
sexuality often represent a view of sex that is so limited --
by way of heterosexism, sexism, ageism, sizeism, etc. -- it appears
meaningless to those who understand it to be the vast array of
diverse emotional, psychological, intellectual and physiological
human life that it is.
Femmerotic is sponsored by Scarlet Letters, the original online magazine of erotica created by women, which
premiered in February of 1998. The Femmerotic network initially
appeared at femmerotic.com, in the summer of 1999, but has recently
relocated to Scaret Letters to incorporate it more fully into
its mother-site and lend it greater visibility. At both Scarlet Letters and the Femmerotic network, we seek to empower the feminine
principle by offering material and resources which are expansive
and may be beneficial to all genders, races and creeds, and define
that feminine principle as an aspect of sexual and personal identity
which is vast, individual and transcends simple genitalia, genetic
structure and the standard definition of bio-gender or normative
gender roles.
Our mission at Femmerotic is to promote independent sexual material and resources which not only
are empower and enlighten, but which seek out sexual growth, rather
than capitalizing upon sexual stagnation. In addition, any of the sites on our network and within our
resource listings endorse and practice fair and ethical consumer
relations and business.
It is difficult at best, especially on the internet, to independently
produce sex-positive media and get it seen; and as a surfer, it
is all too often difficult to find it. Many adult-oriented businesses
and services on the Internet engage in or support unhealthy, one-dimensional
sexuality, or contain content or advertising which is flatly insulting
to or exploitive of given genders, races, age groups, or creeds.
In addition, because the subject of sexuality is so heated in
our culture, and is often still viewed as taboo or subversive,
promoting a site or service which empowers sexuality becomes difficult
at best, and nearly impossible at worst: nonadult venues will
not promote it because of the subject matter, and mainstream adult
promotion often includes material many sex-positive producers
and advocates do not want to support for fear of it decreasing
their profits.
The Femmerotic network seeks to represent the very best of sexuality
on the Internet. We seek to give independent media, services and
venues which produce and promote healthy, well-rounded and educated
sexuality as well as ethical business practices the attention
they deserve, and present them to the surfer who wishes to treat
sexuality as they would any other potent aspect of human life:
with respect, joy, awareness and insight.
Join the Femmerotic™ Network:
Would you like us to consider your site for the network? If your
site adheres to the following basic standards, we'd love to see
it:
If it promotes and endorses positive, well-rounded, healthy human
sexuality for all genders, races, sizes, ages, orientations and
creeds.
If it conducts fair and ethical consumer and business practices,
including, but not limited to: accurate, legal meta-tags and truthful
promotion, a lack of exit windows, popups and other flavors of
spam, fair and honest billing or sales, respect and educated treatment
of copyright, trademark and fair use, and straightforward and
truthful content, advertising and endorsements.
If it is an independent, unique, and original product or venue
you feel would be an excellent and needed addition to our network.
If your site meets those general qualifications, contact Heather
at: network@femmerotic.com, and we'll take a look and get cracking!
12.07.06: Scarlet Letters -- in case it isn't glaringly obvious -- is currently
on an extended hiatus. The web has changed, we've changed, and
we're trying to figure out how we both fit together now, which isn't a process we want to rush.
In the meantime, by all means, enjoy our years of past content,
all of which still remain in the public and subscription areas.
If you're looking for more current SL-related content, you can
have check out upcoming books from editor Heather Corinna and previous co-editor Hanne Blank, check out Heather's current sexuality sites, or explore sites through the femmerotic network. We hope to be back with you soon, as fresh, challenging and
unexpected as ever.
No part or portion may be republished or reprinted in electronic
or any
other format, in any language, translation, or version, without
express
permission from Scarlet Letters and the individual author or artist indicated
per byline, except brief passages which may be quoted in a review.
