I dream in black and white, I wanna make love in colour

D

id Cybersocket, I wonder, realise the controversy its "40 Amazing Porn Stars" list would cause?

Probably - there's nothing like a good controversy to drive traffic. But more interesting than the list itself, and who is and isn't on there, is the debate it's sparked.

Some have argued that Cybersocket's list is acceptable. And lists are essentially worthless, Zach Sire of The Sword says, not unreasonably. Elsewhere, Jeremy Feist points out personal preference is your prerogative: not finding black guys sexy doesn't make you a racist.

All of which is true. Despite personally digging Brad Patton as much as Shorty J as much as Peter Le, I don't think it's wrong (or requiring justification) for someone to say "I'm only into white guys". Being gay doesn't mean we're all misogynists, after all.

However, Cybersocket's list reads thus: "40 Amazing Porn Stars - Consider this a sampler of the guys who have been shining most brightly on our radar during the first half of 2010." It's not one individual's personal choice, thrown up on their own personal blog.

If I were to come up with my own Top 40, for my own obscure little blog, you can bet there'd be every flavour of boy candy in there. That's just me. I could easily fill such a piece exclusively with the models of PapiThugz and Taggaz, but then I'd have to call it my "Top 40 Amazing Black and Latino Porn Stars", wouldn't I?

And if ka-os|theory wasn't such an obscure little blog, such a list of exclusively black models could be deemed as deliberately provocative and controversial. Gee, I'd probably see a huge spike in page hits - right, Cybersocket (the self-proclaimed "leader in gay and lesbian online information")?

Race isn't a non-issue, least of all in gay porn.

The response from readers to this micro-controversy falls broadly into two categories: those protesting against the list, and those claim there's nothing wrong with Cybersocket's list, and that the problem is actually with its detractors. "It's not racist, it's personal choice!" they cry. "Race card, race card - I didn't vote for Obama, gee I must be racist," is another favourite. Oh, and the old intellectual heavyweight: "Grow up".

It's that remarkably common tactic in the GBLT community: deny everything. Prejudice doesn't exist. There is no homophobia, just hypersensitive queens playing the victim card. There is no racism, just hypersensitive queens playing the race card. And so it goes on - deny everything, and you keep your veneer of Teflon.

They might be okay, hardened and heartless queens that they are, but what about that 16-year-old black kid who's just realised he's gay, and stumbles upon Cybersocket's list, and wonders, "Why am I invisible?"

The Cybersocket list is a dog's dinner for many reasons: not because of what's in it, but because of what isn't. Not because, in isolation, it's pretty trivial, but because of what it says about the gay media in general. It perfectly captures a snapshot of a mainstream gay media intent on portraying an airbrushed, snowy white landscape where everyone looks like Sean Cody models. And it provides fuel for divisive racial separatists like James Earl Hardy and Jasmyne Cannick.

So it could be argued that Cybersocket's list of porn models isn't racist. But I dare anyone to deny that what it is, is symptomatic of casual racism in the GBLT community.

||| The Adams Report has a list of links to articles debating the subject.

||| Title quote: "I dream in black and white, I wanna make love in colour." Lyrics, BLACKstreet, "Black & White" (1999).

Battle of the Sex Sites With A Racial Twist

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Labels - Hate It Or Love It, You've Got One

THE BLACK MAN Next Door has been wondering what the terms versatile top and versatile bottom really mean. This prompted me to ponder on this crucial point myself. Without a doubt, many of the people who use those terms should be prosecuted for false advertising. Now look kids, let's not be silly. Don't start crying "LABELS LABELS, LABELS IS EVIL!" When it comes to booty sex, ambiguity is a hindrance, not a help. Speaking as an Oral Bottom/Anal Top (hehehe... just to confuse things) I need to know that I can get all up in it, and that you're not going to try and get all up in this. You get me? What are Versatile Tops trying to achieve then? Let's examine the possibilities: 1). He's really a total Top, but he knows you want the booty, so he'll tell a little white lie just to get some. 2). He really is Versatile Top, and he wants you to know that if you do get all up in it, you're very, very lucky, 'cos he don't normally roll like that. 3). He's not a Versatile Top at all. He's actually a total Bottom. But he's ashamed of it, and uses the Versatile Top label as cover. So if you think he's ever gonna pound you like a demon, you've got a snowman's chance in hell. 4). He's a total Top, but he would really love to take the dick. If only he could take it. Lord knows he's tried, but he just can't! I can't, dammit! (Oops, I mean, er, he's tried.) Now, what about Versatile Bottoms? There's really only one possibility here: 1). He's really a complete Bottom slut. But he likes you so much that he will, if he really, really has to, put his dick in your mangina. But only if he has too. Sigh. Shorty J is our favourite versatile bottom (at least, on film he is anyway). Ass Shorty's got is built for one thing only, but the J is also endowed with other highly desirable attributes, and has been known to put it to good use. Since we've witnessed Shorty J performing well in both roles, we can therefore assume that he is genuinely a Versatile Bottom. If you don't believe me, click the link below for one of the best combinations of dick'n'azz you'll ever see. Elsewhere - Jovonnie and Shorty J Elsewhere - Labels du Jour

Don't Mess With The Boys From The Dorm

THE WHEELS OF justice do indeed turn slowly.

Way, way back in May 2007, there was something of a hoo-ha when the location of the CocoDorm was exposed on national television.

The hack, er, I mean reporter, said: "It's a normal South Florida neighbourhood. Families live here, kids play here, there are renovated homes, even a Catholic church - all in the shadow of the new Miami." There are renovated homes! Good god. That's an astonishing fact. I can use that in awkward conversations. The reporter goes on, "In this house... we discovered they're operating a hardcore, live internet sex business. Cameras installed in rooms, where customers around the world can pay to watch the men who live here have sex with each other."

That's my favourite bit of the clip "...have sex WITH each other." Yes, WITH each other, kids. The reporter emphasises that important point with just the right measure of disgust. He probably practised in front of the mirror.

The authorities were spurred into action, notices were filed, legal briefs flew about, and Shorty J's briefs continued to come off - INSIDE the Dorm. Yes ladies and gentlemen, they came OFF.

This unhappy tale of bigotry and haters has a happy ending though, with various blogs, including SGL Café and MOC Blog, today reporting that Flava Works successfully sued the City of Miami.

So the men inside the Dorm can continue to have sex WITH each other, for the benefit of you, I, and all humanity.

God bless America.

Previously - CocoDorm: The Seige!

Elsewhere - SGL Café: FlavaWorks: The House Next Door Prevails

VideoContent - NBC 6: The House Next Door

DORM LIFE IX

THE ENVIRONMENT IS in meltdown, and a bird flu pandemic is imminent.

Not to worry, because in possibly the most exciting event of 2007, FlavaWorks are releasing the ninth edition of Dorm Life.

Shorty J, Breion Diamond, Baby Boy and Storm are back for further thug luv shenanigans.

Last year, CocoDorm was rocked by scandal, with the Chicago Free Press (and various right-on bloggers) alleging exploitive work practices at Flava. It was suggested that the contracts models signed demanded a fixed number of sexual acts - but after being charged for living costs (food, bedding et cetera) models were actually in debt. There was controversy over barebacking (particularly the Raw Thugs trilogy) and the company's white owner, Phillip Bleicher.

Flava subsequently decreed that unprotected sex was a no-no and issued a press release claiming that, far from being a sweatshop hellhole, the Dorm is in fact a sexual paradise where our beloved Cocoboyz live scot-free - with XBox, Playstation and cable to boot!

Maybe the only way to discover the truth of the matter is to go into the Dorm... Now, where do I sign up for Dorm Life X?