Female bodies, desire, and online pornography in the contemporary digital ecosystem

Abstract

This contribution explores the role of online pornographic content in the construction of bodily imaginaries within the digital ecosystem, drawing on a qualitative study conducted with young adult women. The analysis examines the relationship between pornographic representations, practices of self-exposure, and technological configurations of female bodies, situated between processes of virtualization, aesthetic standardization, and emerging forms of agency. The findings show that digital pornography produces hyper-visible bodies shaped by algorithmic logics, impacting the sexual identities of the subjects involved, while also activating processes of negotiation and subversion. Finally, the article proposes a pedagogical interpretation inspired by Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), aimed at an educational re-signification of bodies and desire within the virtual imaginary.