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Have you ever found yourself at the entrance of your child’s school, waiting to collect them, while covertly listening to fan fiction about Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy engaging in intimate activities in a tree while being pursued by dinosaurs? I have – and it can be quite a disorienting situation.

In the past few weeks, I have spent hours listening to various forms of audio content focused on pornography, erotica, romance, and sex. This included a series called Fangasm from 2017, where three friends analyze and share their performances of erotic fan fiction based on popular media like Game of Thrones, The Little Mermaid, Barbie, and Succession. They also covered Harry Potter, previously known as The Potterotica Podcast due to their passion for creating sensual interpretations of the events at Hogwarts.

The demand for erotic audio content has surged in recent times. Various audio platforms, such as Dipsea, Quinn, and Ferly, have emerged on the internet, with even established adult entertainment companies venturing into this medium. While it is difficult to obtain precise data on this industry, Forbes reports that audio erotica startups raised over $8 million in funding in 2019.

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“Allie LeFevere, co-host of Fangasm, recalls that there were doubts about whether anyone would even tune in. However, within the first year, the podcast quickly gained popularity and was ranked among the Top 25 comedy podcasts. It was quite an exhilarating experience.”

When I remember the recent podcast episode where Ursula from The Little Mermaid and Scar from The Lion King were engaging in sexual activity, LeFevere clarifies: “This is not meant to be an arousing audiobook for you to pleasure yourself to. Danny and I have nasal midwestern accents; these are not the voices you desire.” Instead, Fangasm is a podcast that allows you to “explore the world of eroticism” in a gentle manner.

“We pride ourselves on being a fantastic starting point,” she states. “The sensuality adds a playful and humorous aspect, and we strive to be highly inclusive, accepting, and tolerant of all preferences and individuals. However, at the core, we are creating comedy.”

For the more mature content, Girl on the Net, an anonymous writer of erotic literature, produces brief and seductive tales with titles like “Fantasy Spanking: Unlocking the Kingdom” and “Harnessing Desire: A Strap-on Fantasy.”

Before cleaning the sink and after taking care of my son’s guinea pigs, I decided to give Girl on the Net a call to get a better understanding of what it’s like to record sex scenes. According to her, it can feel a bit silly to speak into the microphone as if it’s your partner while you’re actually just at home in casual clothes.

Does she ever feel aroused by the content she portrays? “Absolutely,” she responds. When it comes to her own pieces, she has already completed the process of writing, editing, and promoting them on her blog before recording. However, when voicing others’ work or creating a new story for Patreon, she may need to take a break and rest.

Her stories are often inspired by real-life experiences and relationships. She mentions that she still reads pornographic stories based on things she and her ex-partner did. This causes me to take a sudden deep breath. She also expresses her well wishes for her ex, but finds it strange to write about intimate moments with him while wondering about his current life.

With a wide variety of options for audio erotica, there is something available to suit everyone’s preferences. According to Alix Fox, a sex educator and broadcaster who previously hosted Audible’s Kink! and the BBC’s Unexpected Fluids, what is considered sexy is subjective. What may arouse one person may not be appealing to another. And what may repulse you could be a turn on for someone else. Fox also mentions that presenters may feel pressured to sound seductive and alluring, but this can backfire like a potato stuck in your car’s exhaust pipe.

Audio erotica, in many ways, feels like the less intimidating, less mainstream and certainly less male-skewed sister to filmed pornography. Being nonvisual, it’s easier to protect a subject’s identity. It’s also easier to make ethical erotica in an audio format, because the performers don’t have to have sex in order to create sex scenes.

It also operates, to some extent, with the production values of your imagination. You can picture anything you want. On some platforms, you can choose a story by length as well as theme. And nobody – not even the woman scanning the barcode on your laundry detergent – knows what you are listening to.

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Fox shared that they engaged in a BDSM encounter on the 277 bus recently, using it as a quick form of foreplay during their evening commute home to their partner. They were intrigued by the idea of consuming something explicit in a covert way, especially in a public setting, and felt that it added an exciting element to the overall experience.

I have to be honest and confess that I am not aroused by most of the audio erotica I have listened to. While I was busy slicing courgettes, I abandoned a podcast episode titled DreamTime #2: A DiCaprio-Bacon-Sandwich on The Kiss Me Quick’s Erotica Podcast. Similarly, I lost interest in Bisexual Blindfolding – Erotic Audio for Women #2304 on the podcast Cum With Us while putting away towels.

I am intrigued by the show Dirty Diana, which consists of six episodes and is produced by and stars Demi Moore. Moore plays a married woman who runs a secret erotic website where individuals can share their intimate sexual fantasies. The show also features appearances by Melanie Griffith, Lena Dunham, and Gwendoline Christie, showing that even popular Hollywood actors are taking audio erotica seriously. The show offers tension, drama, and well-developed characters to engage with.

Did it cause me to fall asleep under the covers during the day? No, hardly anything does.

Source: theguardian.com