The Clit Test!
Media portrayal of women’s sexual pleasure
[Actress Aimee Lou Woods, in her famous masturbation scene in Netflix series Sex Education.]
Much as I like sex, I am routinely disappointed with how it’s portrayed in shows, movies and even novels. I am such a huge fan of romantic story lines, but they often fall apart for me when the sexy times occur. The Western masses are totally desensitized to rampant, graphic violence in our entertainment, but heaven forbid we watch or read a scene portraying accurate sexual pleasure for women*!
Even if the scene and actors are sexy, and inspire heat in me, there is very little “warming up” time shown, and it’s mostly centred on p-in-v penetration (with a little clit/vulva touching if she/they are lucky beforehand). Nor are they asked what they like or want. I end up yelling at the screen in abject frustration! Not to mention how only about 25% of vagina owners in real life orgasm from just penetration, whereas they all seem to do it on screen. There are just so many ways for women to experience sexual pleasure, like whole body orgasms, playing with energy, role play and so much more.
I’m not sure if this kind of sexual representation is worse for people’s real sex life expectations than pornography, honestly. At least with porn, we know it’s all fantasy, with larger than life scenes (in all ways). But a lot of TV shows and movies are supposed to be mirroring reality to an extent, real people in situations to which we can relate.
Have you heard of the “Clit Test” for judging media’s portrayal of sex? I am excited it exists, because my list of shows/movies that would pass the test was pretty short before (examples: Bridgerton, Sex Education, Working Moms, Ted Lasso, and like ANY lesbionic movie..). The Clit Test list is decently robust, but it pales in comparison with the totality of what’s out there. Still, I appreciate what they’re doing to spread the word, to hold the industry to what really should be basic standards.
I can’t believe we’re still here in 2024, still treating the clit like some dangerous imaginary friend. If we tell kids it exists, and that they can play with it (heck, if we tell ADULTS clits exist and how to play with them), you’d think it would be the end of the world as we know it. Bring it. Down with the patriarchy, bring on a CLITORAL REVOLUTION! We need to embrace this extraordinary body part, since pleasure is every body’s birthright. You know that we’re going to keep having sex, so we might as well enjoy, represent, and celebrate GOOD sex.
I’m going to keep blogging about this most magical organ, the clit, but for now, join me and the others out there lending their customer power to the clitoral revolution on screen!
* I acknowledge that not all women have so-called “female” anatomy, and there is enough material for a whole other post about the portrayal of trans and non-binary pleasure in mainstream media!
