UC Professor Hosts 'Brown Sugar' Porn Tumblr

SANTA BARBRA, Calif. — Dr. Mireille Miller-Young, UCSB assistant professor of Feminist Studies, extends her educational practices beyond the classroom with her explicit Tumblr blog Brown Sugar, a " a “race, porn and sex image collection.”

Miller-Young curates the photo blog of nude and suggestive photos of mostly black women, that include vintage photographs as well as hyper-modern depictions.

Her latest post from July 5 is a photograph of the “Ebony Venus” Joesephine Baker and “Bronze Apollo” Ballet legend Serge Lifar posing in vintage grace on Italy’s Lido Beach in the 1930s. The post includes a missive penned by Baker about the experience.

Another photo, posted June 11, shows a young black woman lying spread eagle on the couch. It’s tagged #vintagechicks and bears no caption.

The Tumblr seems a logical extension of Miller-Young’s academic endeavors: her upcoming book “A taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women Sex Work and Pornography” examines  “women’s representations, performances and labors in pornographic media from the 19th century to present.”  

The assistant professor also co-authored the “Feminist Porn Book” with fellow UCSB professors Constance Penley and Celine Parreñas Shimizu, as well as adult filmmaker Tristan Taormino, which released earlier this year. In addition to showcasing new Feminist scholarship on porn, it discusses “the emergence and significance of a thriving feminist porn movement.”     

“By putting our voices into conversation, this book sparks new thinking about the richness and complexity of porn as a genre and an industry in a way that helps us to appreciate the work that feminists in the porn industry are doing,” the introduction says.

The quartet co-published an article Sunday in Women’s News in which they argue that new and easily-accessible technologies are creating “moral panic-driven fears” about porn proliferation.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More