Our Bodies, Our Minds

In this provocative documentary, filmmaker Rebecca Alvin pursues her long-standing interest in women who have "crossed the line,” a phrase she uses to refer to sex industry workers. Through interviews with several women who identify themselves as “sex-positive feminists,” including former prostitute turned activist Carol Leigh, porn-film superstar Nina Hartley, Sex Work editor Priscilla Alexander, and erotic filmmaker and former porn actress Candida Royalle, Alvin explores the complex relationship between feminism and the sex industry. The talk ranges from frank, real-world discussions about working conditions, sex worker activism, and labor issues, to more academic analyses of prejudice within the feminist community, censorship, and freedom of expression. Alvin's unflappable exposé retains a uniquely female perspective and manages to debunk many social myths and stereotypes--not only are all the women interviewed confident and articulate, they're also quick to refute any notion that their work is degrading. While the production values are generally fine, the interviews--cut to fit the various titled subjects such as “Freedom,” “Work,” “Families” or “Violence”--are a bit scattershot. And its contextual relevance notwithstanding, some of the attention-grabbing visual matter between the talking heads (particularly some soft-core clips from some of Hartley's films) came across as a bit gratuitous. Still, for its bold exploration of a controversial topic, this is recommended for all women's studies collections. Aud: C, P. (A. Cantu)