Erotic humiliation is a common theme that permeates many types of pornography, from vanilla to kinky. It can be defined as a situation where one partner enjoys dominating the other in a sexual act through verbal abuse, degrading comments, and/or physical punishment. This type of activity has been seen as a way for some people to experience power dynamics within their relationships and explore different aspects of their sexual desires.
It also functions as a form of political erasure or delegitimization when used against marginalized groups who are often made invisible or excluded from social spaces due to race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability status.
Pornographic videos featuring black women being verbally abused during sex are marketed primarily towards white male viewers. These films reinforce racist stereotypes about African American women being hypersexualized and objectified while simultaneously denying them agency and autonomy in real life situations. By using erotic humiliation as a tool for domination, these videos further perpetuate systemic oppression by limiting what kind of bodies are considered acceptable in mainstream culture.
Erotic humiliation is used as a means of delegitimizing minority identities by equating them with shame and embarrassment. The phrase "that's so gay" (a popular slang term) is an example of how homophobia is perpetuated through mockery and ridicule. In this case, queer individuals are reduced to nothing more than their sexuality, which makes them easy targets for discrimination based on assumptions about who they are attracted to. Similarly, transgender people face constant threats of violence because society views their gender identity as illegitimate and undesirable. When someone says something like "you look like you should be wearing a dress," they are attempting to reduce transgender identity down to a single characteristic rather than acknowledging the complex interplay between biology, environment, psychology, and societal norms that contribute to one's sense of self. By normalizing such attitudes through erotic humiliation, marginalized groups become invisible or seen only as objects of desire instead of fully realized human beings worthy of respect and dignity.
The use of erotic humiliation can reinforce patriarchal power structures by encouraging men to feel entitled to control women's bodies and emotions during sex. This can lead to cases where abusive partners use dominance and submission tactics within relationships to maintain dominance over their partner's body and mind.
Some men may insist on calling their female partner derogatory names while having sex or demanding that she performs certain acts without her consent. This type of behavior not only dehumanizes women but also reduces them to submissive roles in bed, making it difficult for them to have healthy intimacy with others outside of the relationship. As such, erotic humiliation is used as a tool for delegitimization when it reinforces oppressive power dynamics that favor those already privileged at the expense of those who are marginalized.
How does erotic humiliation function as a form of political erasure or delegitimization?
Erotic humiliation is a type of sexual practice where one partner dominates another by degrading them through verbal abuse or physical punishment. This can include using insulting language, forcing uncomfortable acts, or inflicting pain upon the submissive partner. It has been used throughout history as a means of exerting power over others, particularly those who are marginalized due to their gender, race, class, or other social identities.