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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Books For the Ladies

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 3:58 PM

I love it when a blog has a mission. Erotica Cover Watch is a blog written by a lady who can't believe that 99% of all erotica book covers—even the covers intended for straight women—strictly feature women.

In erotica, as we know, because straight men are potential consumers they become the only consumers. And because straight men are (apparently) terrified of seeing cock - or let’s face it a man’s arm - the men on erotica covers get hidden behind doors.

Apparently, they've only found two all-men covers. This post is all about how she can't even identify the part of a man on the cover at left. Maybe one day this blog won't be necessary. Until then, she'll show dirty photos of men on Man-Candy Mondays. Keep up the good fight.

Comments (15) RSS

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you kidding? all the (straight) women I've ever heard give an opinion on the matter don't like the way cock looks. Are they just lying because they're afraid of sounding slutty, or do I just know too many highly repressed women? Or is that the same thing?

Posted by devilsmoke on March 4, 2009 at 4:13 PM

um, it's from the side, of the top of his chest, his neck and adam's apple and chin at the top, with his head and arms arched back

Posted by yeah yeah yeah on March 4, 2009 at 4:15 PM

@1: yes to all questions.

Posted by Abby on March 4, 2009 at 4:15 PM

clearly i need to move back to seattle

Posted by devilsmoke on March 4, 2009 at 4:18 PM

This woman likely reads erotica to compensate for lacking a connection with a man. What else could explain the fact she doesn't understand how straight men interact with erotica or porn.

I find the premise that straight men would read erotic fiction to achieve the same purpose as women laughable.

Fact: straight men watch lots of porn with outlandish covers featuring many cocks, cum, and balls. I find the idea that straight men are grossed out by cocks to be completely ludicrous in light of porn consumption by straight men.

Posted by Look at you! on March 4, 2009 at 4:22 PM

Also lacking is the evidence that because straight men might consume something they are pandered to at the expense of everyone else. Wheres the evidence?

Posted by Look at you! on March 4, 2009 at 4:25 PM

Holy God there are some hideous stereotypes on this comment thread already (excepting Miz Abby.)

Newsflash: Straight women like to look at attractive men. Also: Some men like to read erotica. Also: Men are not really from Mars, nor are women from Venus.

Posted by Paul Constant on March 4, 2009 at 4:35 PM

Paul, In light of the fact that men buy porn whose covers feature cocks, cum and balls are you seriously saying that the reason erotica for women features so little men is because of marketing to straight men and an inherent gender bias in society? Reconcile this.

Posted by Look at you! on March 4, 2009 at 4:39 PM

in light of the NYT magazine article a few weeks back, it doesn't apparently matter for women what sex you put on the cover - they get turned on regardless.

for straight men, however (remember, SLOG, the majority of men are straight - 90%?), hot guy or hot man part on the cover = gay interest.

so suck it up, ladies. this is smart commerce.

Posted by Jesus Fucking Christ on March 4, 2009 at 4:41 PM

I have read most of these books. These covers are new. The ones I got from the Quality Paperback Book Club in the 1990s were all cartoonish paintings with little relation to what was inside.

Posted by elswinger on March 4, 2009 at 4:53 PM

Erotic novels, unlike porn film covers, are out in the open for everyone to see. Men who are unsure about their sexuality or fear gays or are just too concerned with what society thinks about their manliness would complain if they saw a cover with a guy on it.
That's my guess.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on March 4, 2009 at 5:09 PM

That cover is terrific. Adam's apples are pretty cool, and the cover does a good job presenting something that is at very masculine but in a way that is abstract enough you have to look once or twice to figure out what it is.

Posted by Simac on March 4, 2009 at 5:10 PM

They're either not seen or the few that are featured are gender ambiguous. Most of the men featured display long hair, sometimes with accentuated rosy cheeks and clothing that seems to be too lavish and ornate for my taste.
It's rare to see a cover featuring a genuinely masculine model.

Posted by Loveschild on March 4, 2009 at 6:00 PM

I saw nudity and immediately assumed it was a woman.

Posted by elswinger on March 4, 2009 at 6:57 PM

Looks like a silhouetted dickhead in profile. Kinda creepy.

Posted by chicagogaydude on March 5, 2009 at 2:35 AM