Sexual Devolution
"Its been cool for us," says Amy, a pretty, 34-year-old graphic designer. "Jack and I probably wouldnt be together now if it werent for Robs things."
Were having coffee in the studio apartment that she shares with her boyfriend, an unemployed actor/model, and shes talking about the sex parties thrown by their rich friend Rob at his loft near Chinatown.
On the last Thursday of each month, Amy and Jack escape from a life that, Amy explains, had become sexually drab. They look forward to their monthly forays (invariably fueled by a little meth) hanging with adventurous souls like themselves.
Much has been written about the new sex culture, always in a breathless manner that ignores the fact that much of this already happened 30 years ago during the "sexual revolution." Yet, here we go again–with guys like Rob giving parties for aging kids on speed, middle-class lezzies setting up S&M dungeons in Queens and steroid-addled faggots getting butt-plugged in a new generation of upscale glory holes.
It almost merits a yawn, except Well, 30 years ago we didnt have AIDS.
Not that precautions arent being taken. "Were pretty safe most of the time," Amy tells me. I ask her what that means. "Its like " she grins, "you know, we know most of Robs friends pretty well by now."
Stephen Kent Jusick, an experimental filmmaker, regularly throws what he calls a CineSalon and two pansexual "art-sex" parties. He tries to create an atmosphere in which his guests can relax and feel at home. At CineSalon, for instance, they are served a vegan dinner, shown a range of films and only then have sex, which Stephen often films.
Hes aware of the possible hazards, but says, "I think people make their own choices. I rim and I eat come, which some people think carries a risk of various infections. But Im informed and determine whats okay for me."
One person who admits to having been influenced by Jusicks blend of art and sex is Hedwig and the Angry Inchs John Cameron Mitchell, who is about to start filming his new movie. Its about life in contemporary New York and incorporates in its scenario hardcore sex–both straight and gay. Hes using a workshop format with his actors in order to instill in them a sense of closeness and trust. He wants to "suffuse the [on-set] atmosphere with love" and hopes that will be transmitted to his movies audience.
Larry Clarks latest teens-in-lust opus, Ken Park, also includes hardcore sex scenes, and its easy to spot another retro trend-in-the-making, this time of the 70s "porno chic" variety. Back when movies like Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones were popular with mainstream audiences, and French porn was showing at the New York Film Festival, the media gushed.
There are many websites devoted to porn actors who have died, not only of AIDS, but drug overdoses and suicide. Theres no doubting the sincerity of Jusick and Mitchell, but one cant help but wonder–these days–if establishing a few boundaries isnt, in fact, necessary.
A week after I interviewed Amy, I went with her and Jack to one of Robs parties. Soon after we arrived, they disappeared into another room with a second woman. ("I like it with girls sometimes," Amy had told me. "But Jack doesnt want to do anything with guys. He feels sort of weird about that.") Once they were gone, I looked around at the men and women scattered about in the semi-darkness, many of them nude on mattresses thrown on the floor. There didnt appear to be a condom in sight. A sort of ambient music played in the background, veering this close to new-age drivel, and nothing felt erotic–only pathetic and faintly ridiculous. I headed for the door.
Just then I saw two fully dressed women on one of the mattresses. They werent engaged in sex or even in any sort of foreplay. They were just talking. A middle-aged man approached them, wearing plaid boxer shorts and a hiphop t-shirt falling absurdly over his tiny potbelly. This was Rob.
"Hey," he called to the women, smiling but only half joking. "You know why youre here, dont you? Come on, take your fucking clothes off! I mean, shit, this is a sex party!"