Consider these common sexual myths below: Where did the idea that all black men have big members originate? Why are Asian women viewed as sexually submissive in the bedroom? Why are black women considered hypersexual, and Asian men less sexually desirable? Furthermore, why are latinas considered "spicy," in the bedroom, and redheads considered by default naturally more good at sex? Where do these myths come from?
First of all, ask yourself where you first heard of these ideas. Then, ask yourself, “Who does it serve when I choose to believe these ideas?” and, “Who is harmed by these ideas?”
Many of these myths are perpetuated by mainstream media, a society based on power through the lens of ‘divide & conquer,’ and pornography. For pornographic films, creating categories for the "other," made search terms online easier to find and browse.
The media furthers the role of these myths by playing on historical and subconscious biases that are deeply rooted in the unjust history of our society, which is founded on inequality.
Stereotype threats are concepts that have been implanted in our collective consciousness to control power in our society.
For example, historically, black men were painted as a physical & reproductive threat to white men, and the narrative of "BBC," represents this in the adult media very well; millions of dollars are made off of videos exploiting the stereotype threat that African American men have bigger members than white men. In reality, no single group of people has a ‘superior member.’
The videos rack in money by playing into a false narrative-the black male as a sexual threat. Because this narrative is prevalent in American society, a common fantasy in pornography is that of a white man being humiliated by a “strong,” black man while being made to watch their partner engage in indescribable ecstasy that they could never provide.
Asian women are portrayed as sexually submissive in adult film and the media to reinforce their position as sexually inferior in society, compliant and less of a threat. This idea was used to soothe the American's fear of the outside cultural influences of the Eastern world.
If the Asian woman was not seen as a sexual threat, she could be more easily controlled socially in society.
The hypersexuality of black women has long been used as a tool to control her agency and to justify the brutality, rape and sadism that was used to take her sense of empowerment away in society. Caricatures of the black woman in historical film, such as "The Jezebel," and, "The Sapphire," as well as the "Mammy," all served to create a justification for the blatant disregard that our society holds towards the black woman's sense of sexual agency. Stereotypes about the Asian male being the least desirable sexually were used to negate the Asian male as a sexual threat, to take him out of the competition.
This strategy of divide and conquer has been used for centuries to place the white male and female in top of the sexual and social hierarchy in film, adult media and economically. However, none of the myths mentioned above are healthy to the communities they claim to represent. We as human beings like to belong to an, "in group," which reinforces our sense of positivity, connection and status.
We are taught to see the "other," as taboo, inferior, objectified, forbidden, vulgar, brutish and evil. We are also taught that engaging with the other through the lens of these stereotypes in secret is a turn on. Can these stereotypes be changed? The change would have to come from consumer education, representation and demand.