Do a search for erotica on Google. There’s a lot of it out there.
Erotica is any material or device that arouses sexual interest or is used to enhance a sexual experience. But it’s not considered pornography. Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting. Devices made enhance pleasure during sexual activity, sometimes referred to as "sex toys," are also considered erotica.
Sexually explicit written and visual material dates back to ancient times and has been known to exist in numerous cultures.
Erotica shows no sign of going the way of the Dodo. Even the publishing industry has embraced it. Cleis Press, a San Francisco Bay area publisher of erotica has seen its sales increase more than 56 percent over the past three years. Random House, Penguin, Kensington, Simon and Schuster and others all have erotica divisions. The Best American Erotica is a collection of the best erotic stories in one place.
There is even a museum dedicated to erotica. Copenhagen's Museum Erotica has attracted a million visitors. 50 percent of them are female. This museum offers a selection of erotic paintings, sculptures, French postcards, risqué magazines, films and even sex toys!
There are many reasons why people use erotica. Viewing and reading it can provide knowledge and comparison about sexual anatomy and behavior. Some use erotica to spark sexual arousal or to prolong it. For others, it helps with masturbation.
Like sexual fantasies, erotica triggers the imagination and allows people to deal with forbidden or frightening aspects of sex in a controlled environment. Erotica gives people opportunities to rehearse in their minds, acts they are curious about.
Others use erotica primarily to heighten their sexual desire, to turn on their partner, or simply to enrich a sexual experience.
The sexual arousal that comes with the use of erotica can be both psychological and physical. Many researchers note specific physiological changes in people while they watch erotic movies, read erotic passages, or listen to tape recordings of erotic stories. Men often experience erection and women undergo changes in vaginal blood flow or lubrication. It had been generally assumed men responded more frequently and powerfully to erotica than women. However, research indicates this is not necessarily the case.
A word of warning; a lot of the stuff claiming to be erotica online is pretty much porn, but if you truly want authentic erotica, you can find it.
Stacy Lloyd is a writer and video producer in Phoenix, Arizona. A former television news journalist, she covered stories around the world. Currently, she produces corporate and non-profit videos and broadcast programming.