Cilla

29, She/her

Cilla: That’s a really interesting question. Because I think I would say [my understanding of sex] was mainly through porn. Like, when I was super young, I would watch porn obsessively. And I, even think at times, throughout my very short life, I've been, addicted to porn. And I don't know if that's because I wanted to manifest the types of things I was watching in my actual life, or because again, this was some new cool foreign thing that I want to do. But I would say that I learned most things from porn, which also explains why I had such a toxic view of what I wanted, or what I desired, in sex, especially when I was younger. So when I would be hooking up with random guys, I would be like, oh, like, tell them to be quite rough with me. And there were like times where it probably wasn't very safe for me. I just remember this one time, I left the morning after and I was like, I look like a hamster. Like, that's how much I have been hit in the face. And I was obviously blackout drunk as well. And so those things were obviously reflected from, maybe, just me watching that type of porn a lot. So I think being in the safety of a long term relationship has allowed me to explore ways that I can feel pleasure, without, sinking into those sorts of toxic habits and being able to do those things in a safer way and in a way that feels like I have more control.

Dorcas: I was just— I also watched a lot of porn growing up. It also happened that it was like — for some reason — that's the natural path. It's like, oh, look, a vagina. And then it's like hardcore porn.

Cilla: Yeah. Especially back then. Because these days, I still watch a lot of porn and I can already like, see these days it's so much more accessible to have like, I guess more — with the girlfriend stuff. Like the ‘women porn’ or whatever. Whether that's queer porn, or even just vanilla sex heterosexual porn. That is so much more accessible than before, where people were just watching [other] people's, like, anuses getting ripped apart. All that sort of stuff. Just obviously so confronting as a young child but fascinating as well.

Cilla

29, She/her

Cilla in Parramatta, where she spent her formative years.

Cilla: That’s a really interesting question. Because I think I would say [my understanding of sex] was mainly through porn. Like, when I was super young, I would watch porn obsessively. And I, even think at times, throughout my very short life, I've been, addicted to porn. And I don't know if that's because I wanted to manifest the types of things I was watching in my actual life, or because again, this was some new cool foreign thing that I want to do. But I would say that I learned most things from porn, which also explains why I had such a toxic view of what I wanted, or what I desired, in sex, especially when I was younger. So when I would be hooking up with random guys, I would be like, oh, like, tell them to be quite rough with me. And there were like times where it probably wasn't very safe for me. I just remember this one time, I left the morning after and I was like, I look like a hamster. Like, that's how much I have been hit in the face. And I was obviously blackout drunk as well. And so those things were obviously reflected from, maybe, just me watching that type of porn a lot. So I think being in the safety of a long term relationship has allowed me to explore ways that I can feel pleasure, without, sinking into those sorts of toxic habits and being able to do those things in a safer way and in a way that feels like I have more control.


Cilla and I met at Pari.

Dorcas: I was just— I also watched a lot of porn growing up. It also happened that it was like — for some reason — that's the natural path. It's like, oh, look, a vagina. And then it's like hardcore porn.

Cilla: Yeah. Especially back then. Because these days, I still watch a lot of porn and I can already like, see these days it's so much more accessible to have like, I guess more — with the girlfriend stuff. Like the ‘women porn’ or whatever. Whether that's queer
porn, or even just vanilla sex heterosexual porn.
That is so much more accessible than before, where people were just watching [other] people's, like, anuses getting ripped apart. All that sort of stuff.
Just obviously so confronting as a young child but fascinating as well.






Cilla in Parramatta, where she spent her formative years.















Cilla and I met at Pari.