The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex (71 page)

This response comes as no surprise from the woman who’s made a career out of sex. Susie has worked at Good Vibrations, launched the lesbian magazine
On Our Backs,
worked with the pioneering lesbian porn video company Fatale, edited dozens of erotica anthologies, and written countless books and magazine articles about sexual politics, technique, and erotic writing (see the bibliography). Sex is not a hobby for Susie, it’s both her passion and her life’s work.

She’s now working on a tenth anniversary edition of
Best American Erotica,
which will feature erotica, author interviews, and a listing of readers’ favorite stories. What type of story makes the cut? “I look for great storytelling with a compelling erotic component or flavor that makes the piece sexually provocative and memorable. It should be arousing, but it doesn’t have to be a ‘stroke yourself to the finish’ type story. It should say something about sex and the human condition that everyone hasn’t heard a million times—a new voice, a new style, a candor you don’t expect. It can be funny or tragic. It can be one paragraph long or many many pages.”

Susie Bright’s stint as an erotica editor began in the eighties with the publication of
Herotica,
one of the first anthologies of erotica by women. As editor, Susie helped smash the stereotype that good girls don’t fantasize or write naughty stories about sex. This genre quickly became knows as “women’s erotica.” Since then, she’s witnessed (and contributed to) an explosion in the erotica market. “The erotica market expanded like a hot air balloon. It changed the notions of what women will read—and write,” she explains. “The erotica wave blew away the idea that everyone wants to only read reassuring little stories about people like themselves—what a bore. Sci fi, mystery, crime, romance, historical adventures—is that about real life? Of course not!”

Of course, this boom means that today’s bookstore shelves are jam packed with erotica titles. How to choose? Susie encourages readers to get to know different editors’ styles and tastes. Ask friends, ardent short-story fans, or erotica writers about the books that turn them on. If all else fails, pick up the book and read the first and last stories. “Those are usually indications of stories the editor thinks will seduce you at the top, and blow you away at the end. If you don’t like the first and the last, you probably won’t find paradise in the middle.”

To learn more about Susie Bright’s current projects, visit her website,
www.susiebright.com
.

CHAPTER 16

World Wide Web

When the first edition of
The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex
came out in 1994, this chapter was titled Hi-Tech Sex and focused on promising technological innovations in sexual entertainment. Over time, most of these innovations either have failed to live up to their hype (adult CD-ROMS) or have yet to materialize in any user-friendly way (teledildonics). One breakthrough, however, has so completely captivated the public’s attention that it’s now as ubiquitous as television: the World Wide Web. Given how integrated the Web now is in most of our daily lives—whether it’s being used to check stock options, research homework, or buy groceries—that it has also sparked a sexual revolution should come as no surprise.

The Web allows you to explore just about any of the practices or sexual subjects discussed in this book. Curious about sexual anatomy? Go to Annie Sprinkle’s personal website to see her cervix, or visit Jackinworld to view pictures of uncircumcised penises. Looking for some tips on oral or anal sex? Dozens of websites feature first-hand accounts along with detailed instructions on technique. Wondering if anyone else out there enjoys S/M? The Web easily connects you to a community of like-minded folks—and you never have to leave your chair. Want to read erotica but never had the nerve to buy a dirty book or magazine? The anonymity and easy publishing tools on the Web make it convenient and exciting to explore or share sexual fantasies, techniques, or information.

We freely admit to our own love affair with the Web. Its sexual charms so captivated us that we published our own primer,
The Woman’s Guide to Sex on the Web
. Despite all the positive ways in which the Web can impact our sexuality, it’s still often stigmatized as a sleazy haven where perverts and porn proliferate. Yet once you scratch the surface, you’ll see that the Web’s potential to inspire and transform our sex lives is much greater than any perceived harm. We’re happy to point the way and encourage you to log on and have fun!

For the Newcomer

Even if you don’t own a computer or you’ve never been online, we know you’ve heard of the World Wide Web by now. For those of you thinking about diving into the virtual world, here are some tips on getting started.

The Internet and the Web

While the Web may seem like a relatively recent phenomenon, it’s actually a subset of the Internet, which was developed in the sixties by the U.S. Defense Department as a military communications tool. Basically, the Internet connects a vast array of public and private computer networks via phone lines; it was originally federally funded to link a global community of government agencies, scientists, research institutions, and universities. When the military moved on to establish its own high-security networks in the late eighties, the public gained unrestricted access to the Internet, though its use was limited to those well-versed in UNIXBASED code.

To make the text-based Internet more accessible and appealing, a British physicist developed technology to create the user-friendly interface known as the World Wide Web. As its name implies, the Web attempts to organize and provide access to the amazing tangle of information available on the Internet by weaving together sites with related content. Thanks to graphics interface programs (known as “browsers”), which allow users to simultaneously display and access textual, visual, and audio information, Web “sites” present information in an attractive, accessible format. The Web also makes it easier to jump from one topic or site to another through a system of “hypertext links”—users simply click on a highlighted word or phrase on one screen, and they’re immediately transferred (“linked”) to a new screen. One second you’re reading about a sex club in San Francisco and the next you’re shopping at a toy store in Denmark. The Web’s popularity has flourished because:

• There are no restrictions on who can create Web pages, and they aren’t difficult to produce.

• It’s relatively inexpensive to create a Web page, which means that everyone from Joe hobbyist next door to the large commercial interests can get in on the action.

• It’s an extremely affordable way to communicate with people worldwide.

• It offers a tremendous source of information on almost every conceivable subject.

Getting Online

To access online activities and resources requires:

A COMPUTER: A fast computer with a sizeable hard drive will make it easier to take advantage of the Web’s multimedia capabilities. A color monitor is essential for viewing the Web’s visuals.

A MODEM: Most computers today are sold with internal modems, but you can always purchase an external one if necessary. This device connects your computer to other computers through your telephone line. Speed is an important consideration—the faster your modem, the less time you’ll spend waiting to receive images and information over the wires—so we recommend investing in the fastest modem currently available. We won’t bother listing today’s current modem speeds, since they’ll be obsolete in no time. Higher-speed modems like DSL or ISDN require use of a separate phone line, but are becoming increasingly affordable.

Slow speed is one of the biggest complaints of Web surfers, so you can rest assured that the phone, cable TV, and high-tech companies are all working on ways to speed up access. One other thing to keep in mind: If you plan on spending a lot of time online, you may want to invest in a second phone line for your modem, otherwise incoming calls will get a busy signal.

SOFTWARE: Your modem or your ISP (see below) will provide you with software that will activate your computer’s dial-up, cable, or DSL connection to the Internet. You’ll also need browser software, which is what transforms the Web’s programming language into a visual delight, offering options for navigation, editing, organization, printing,
etc.
The most common browser today is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, but Netscape Navigator has many loyal fans. Browser software is available for free on the Web, and is often supplied by your ISP as part of the start-up package.

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS: To explore the vast resources of the Internet, you usually gain access through a local Internet Service Provider (ISP). You sign up with a single ISP, which charges either monthly or hourly fees—you then access any part of the Internet you desire by calling up the ISP’s central computer system. The beauty of this set-up is that you pay no more to surf a Web page maintained by someone in Zimbabwe than you do to read a news group posting from someone right in your own backyard. Your Internet account serves as your personal “on-ramp” to the information superhighway.

Quality of customer service and reliability varies widely among ISPs. Some are user friendly, providing easy-to-install software packages. Others are expert-friendly, and prioritize maintaining a fast infrastructure to minimize noticeable delays or service interruptions. You can find information on ISPs in your local phonebook, in computer magazines, or from friends. Many local and long-distance telephone companies now provide ISP services as well. Try speaking to the technical support personnel of any prospective ISP to help determine whether its services and software can accommodate your level of expertise and computer hardware.

COMMERCIAL ONLINE SERVICES: For many years, large commercial online services like Prodigy, CompuServe, and America Online (AOL) dominated the world of online services. They distanced themselves from the “chaotic” Internet by creating their own communities—an orderly, menu-driven world where chatrooms, stock tips, and weather updates could all be accessed with a simple click of the mouse. Each of these commercial online services used exclusive proprietary software and created much of their own content—online interaction between users of different systems was limited to exchanging email at best. Now that the Web has captured the global imagination, most commercial online services have responded by providing universal Web access for their users, while still retaining their own sense of community. Their convenience and offers of free introductory periods make these fine places to start out online. Unless you are in a remote area, most of these services can be accessed from a local telephone number. Some commercial online services, however, take an active role in protecting users from “objectionable” material within their domain, and you may want to ask about their use of filtering software before signing up.

The Lay of the Land

If the Web is one large directory, the individual addresses or listings are the “sites.” Within each site there can be an infinite number of pages. Since you can hop around within or between sites rather than travel in a linear fashion, it’s easy to lose your focus. That’s why all sites have a “home page.” This is the first screen you’ll see when you link to a new site, and it often serves as a table of contents page for the rest of the site. It becomes valuable as a home base, since it’s very easy to get lost in the site. Most pages offer an easy link back to their home page.

The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is simply the address for a website. When you’re looking a site up by its URL address, make sure to type in the address exactly as written.

How do you find websites? If you know the URL address, you simply type it in and off you go. Most folks, however, discover websites simply by clicking on the hypertext “links” that allow you to jump from site to site. For example, you could be reading a sex therapist’s advice column extolling the merits of vibrator use, and the word “vibrator” might be linked to the Good Vibrations website. If you click on the colored link, you’ll find yourself on Good Vibrations’ home page. Many sites contain a page of recommended links; if you like the site you’re on, these suggestions can be valuable signposts.

A search engine offers another useful way to find websites. Consider it the directory assistance of the online world: It helps you locate specific subject matter as well as specific sites. Type in a word or series of words and a search engine will find all the sites containing these words in their name or site description and bring them up in a list. There are numerous search engines; many are accompanied by directories that try to categorize subjects to help focus your search. Once you start using search engines, you’ll quickly discover the importance of precise vocabulary. Searching on the word “sex,” for example, will yield a daunting number of entries (unless you’re simply curious about the sheer volume of sex-related sites). Narrowing down your search if you have a specific interest—for example, typing in “BDSM clubs” or “safer sex for lesbians in Minneapolis”—will save time.

Be warned, though, that it’s easy to get so side-tracked by all the intriguing-sounding links you encounter that you lose sight of your original mission. Most browsers have a “bookmark” or “favorites” option that will record an address for you to return to later. Or if you find yourself deep into a chain of links and you want to go back to an earlier site, most browsers will show a history of your travels and allow you to return to any point along the way.

Now that you’ve got the basics covered, you’re ready to go online. You may find the whole notion of surfing for sex on the Web a bit overwhelming, but most sexual content falls into a few basic categories described below.