
Softcore pornography or softcore porn is commercial
still photography,
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
, imagery, or even audio that has a
pornographic or
erotic component but is less sexually graphic or intrusive than
hardcore pornography, defined by a lack of
sexual penetration
Sexual penetration is the insertion of a body part or other object into a body orifice, such as the mouth, vagina or anus, as part of human sexual activity or sexual behavior in non-human animals.
The term is most commonly used in statute la ...
or other
sexual activity
Human sexual activity, human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone (e.g., masturbation) t ...
. It typically contains nude or semi-nude actors involved in suggestive poses or scenes, and is intended to be
sexually arousing and
aesthetically beautiful.
The distinction between softcore pornography and
erotic photography, or
erotic art such as
Vargas girl pin-ups, is largely a matter of debate. When the subject is naked, the image must be differentiated from
nude art, and photos belong within the broader category of
nude photography.
Components
Softcore pornography may include
sexual activity
Human sexual activity, human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone (e.g., masturbation) t ...
between two people or
masturbation
Masturbation is a form of autoeroticism in which a person Sexual stimulation, sexually stimulates their own Sex organ, genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. Stimulation may involve the use of han ...
. It does not contain explicit depictions of
sexual penetration
Sexual penetration is the insertion of a body part or other object into a body orifice, such as the mouth, vagina or anus, as part of human sexual activity or sexual behavior in non-human animals.
The term is most commonly used in statute la ...
,
cunnilingus,
fellatio
Fellatio (also known as fellation, and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off) is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a human penis, penis by using the mouth. Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed ''fellat ...
,
fingering,
handjobs, or
ejaculation
Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the penis through the urethra. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. ...
. Depictions of
erection
An erection (clinically: penile erection or penile tumescence) is a Physiology, physiological phenomenon in which the penis becomes firm, engorged, and enlarged. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, ...
s of the
penis
A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate.
The term ''pen ...
may not be allowed, although attitudes towards this are ever-changing.
Commercial pornography can be differentiated from
erotica
Erotica is art, literature or photography that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erot ...
, which has
high-art standards and aspirations.
Portions of an image that are considered too graphic may be hidden or obscured in a variety of ways, as by hair or clothing, intentionally-positioned hands or other body parts, artfully located foreground elements such as plants, pillows, furniture, or drapery, or by carefully chosen camera angles.
Pornographic filmmakers sometimes make both hardcore and softcore versions of a given film, with the softcore version using less explicit views of sex scenes
or using other techniques to tone down any objectionable features. For example, the softcore version of a given film may have been edited for the in-house hotel
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program ...
market.
Total nudity is currently commonplace in several magazines, as well as in photography
and on the Internet.
Regulation and censorship
Softcore films are commonly less regulated and restricted than hardcore pornography, and cater to a different market. In most countries, softcore films are eligible for movie ratings, usually on a restricted rating, though many such films are also released unrated. As with hardcore films, availability of softcore films varies depending on
local laws. Also, the exhibition of such films may be restricted to those above a certain age, typically 18. At least one country,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, has different age limits for hardcore and softcore pornography, softcore material usually receives a FSK-16 rating (no one under 16 is allowed to buy) and hardcore material receiving a FSK-18 (no one under 18 allowed to buy). In some countries, broadcasting of softcore films is widespread on cable television networks, with some such as
Cinemax
Cinemax is an American pay television network owned by Home Box Office, Inc., a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched on August 1, 1980, as a "maxi-pay" service to complement the offerings of its sister premium network, HBO (Home Box ...
producing their own in-house softcore films and television series.
In some countries, images of women's genitals are
digitally manipulated so that they are not too "detailed".
An Australian pornographic actress says that images of her own genitals sold to pornographic magazines in different countries are digitally manipulated to change the size and shape of the
labia
The labia are the major externally visible structures of the vulva. In humans and other primates, there are two pairs of labia: the ''labia majora'' (outer lips) are large and thick folds of skin that cover the vulva's other parts, while the ''la ...
according to censorship standards in different countries.
History
Originally, softcore pornography was presented mainly in the form of
men's magazine
This is a list of men's magazines from around the world. These are magazines (periodical print publications) that have been published primarily for a readership of men.
The list has been split into subcategories according to the target audienc ...
s, in both still photos and art drawings (such as
Vargas girls), when it was barely acceptable to show a glimpse of a woman's
nipple
The nipple is a raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast from which, in lactating females, breast milk, milk from the mammary gland leaves the body through the lactiferous ducts to Breastfeeding, nurse an infant. The milk can flow th ...
in the 1950s. By the 1970s, mainstream magazines such as ''
Playboy
''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
'', ''
Penthouse'', and especially ''
Hustler'' showcased nudity.
After the formation of the
MPAA rating system in the United States and prior to the 1980s, numerous softcore films, with a wide range of production costs, were released to mainstream movie theatres, especially
drive-ins. ''
Emmanuelle'' and ''
Alice in Wonderland''
received positive reviews from noted critics such as
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
.
See also
*
Ecchi
*
Erotic photography
*
Fan service
*
Sexploitation film
References
{{Nudity
Erotic photography
Nudity in film
Pornography by genre