Life

A Social Sex Revolution Is Happening This Weekend

by Laken Howard

Have you ever watched porn and thought to yourself 'That is not what real sex is like'? Although it's nice to indulge in the fantasies mainstream pornography provides, it can be a far cry from what your day-to-day sex life looks like. Men who last hours upon hours are few and far between, as are women who can come a dozen times in a row. It's important to separate what we see in mainstream porn from our expectations about IRL sex — and that's exactly what MakeLoveNotPorn does.

Founded by advertising exec Cindy Gallop, MLNP is a space for people to celebrate having #RealWorldSex, just like you'd celebrate your relationship status on Facebook or a particularly fire selfie on Instagram. It's a platform for "socially acceptable and shareable sexual content" — something that previously didn't exist. Instead of unrealistic acting by traditional porn stars, MNLP stars are real people having real sex; sex that's messy, silly, passionate, and everything in between. These homemade sex tapes, Gallop hopes, will help people, particularly young men, get rid of the inaccurate ideas about sex that have been ingrained in their minds.

At the NYC Porn Film Festival on Saturday, June 4, MLNP is hosting a "Social Sex Revolution" event in NYC, featuring two short talks and a screening of some of their "real world sex" films — and you can buy tickets in advance for only $12. I spoke to Madam Curator Sarah Beall to find out more about the goal of the screening, and how MLNP plans to change the way society views sex and pornography.

It's Not Amateur Porn

MLNP wants you to know that they don't consider their homemade videos to be 'amateur porn' — that implies that only porn stars are 'experts' at sex, which is certainly not the case. They live by the mantra: "Pro porn. Pro sex. Pro knowing the difference." While MLNP certainly believes in having spaces for the theatrics of traditional porn outside of their site, they also think it's crucial that people watching porn know that it's largely acting, and that real sex doesn't always come with all the bells and whistles.

The Films Highlight Real Moments During Sex

When is the last time you saw something candid happen in porn? Possibly never. MNLP flicks, however, are teeming with less-than-perfect moments that make up real sex. "In the middle of scorching hot action you'll see cats jumping onto the bed and sleeping through their owners' screaming orgasms," says Beall. The romps will also include the use of condoms and lube (something rarely seen in porn), as well "the kind of tender, mid-romp care and communication that will give you all of the feels."

Sexual Self-Expression Is Healthy

Why is it that porn dominates the Internet, but women have to deal with awkward stares when they breastfeed publicly or post a nipple shot on Instagram? It's a ridiculous double standard, and one that MLNP combats with their work. At the end of the day, people want to watch other people have sex — the stats about traffic on porn sites proves that. But MNLP is helping showcase "sex the way it really happens in the real world in all of its messy, silly, awesome, glorious humanness." There's no shame in wanting to express yourself sexually, and it's far better to watch a realistically sexy video of a couple getting it on than to ensconce yourself in a world of fabricated passion.

MNLP Stars Are Empowered

"Over our three years in operation, we have heard repeatedly that it is usually the woman in a straight couple who will suggest sharing #realworldsex on MLNP.tv and we love that," Beall says. "I think MLNP.tv is particularly beneficial for women because it allows them to celebrate their #realworldbodies and #realworldsexuality in a way that they control and isn't hampered by the expectations of the traditional male gaze." The company is also founded and curated by an entirely female team, and Beall says they are "feminist women supporting women through the work [they] do."

You Can Be A MLNP Star

Arguably the best part about MNLP is that its stars aren't acting, they're having real (and hot) sex. Beall says that wannabe MLNP stars can chat with her and fellow curator Ariel Martinez about getting started. If you're a little camera shy, she says they "allow all MLNPstars to choose whether to remain anonymous on the site and whether to participate in events like this screening," and they welcome people interested in sharing videos to go at their own pace and to hide their faces, wear masks, etc.

Want to check out the event? Get tickets here.

Images: Courtesy of MakeLoveNotPorn.tv (4)