Along with the formal recognition of women's economic, political and social rights, in recent decades individual and collective empowerment has been demanded, both in the private and public spheres. In this article we make a critical reflection on some presumed forms of erotic empowerment.

Recognizing that women must have the same rights and opportunities as men to train, work and participate in political and economic decisions is a social fact that has been achieved throughout the twentieth century. At the end of the 1970s, and especially in the 1980s, equality policies began in our environment. Since then, there have been many achievements in the field of equality.

Along with equality policies, the term empowerment began to be used. Although in the 60's Paulo Freire had its origin in the work, related to all vulnerable or excluded groups, in the second half of the 80's he had his greatest theoretical development from feminism. Empowerment corresponds to the process of individual and collective strengthening of women's capacities, trust, vision and protagonism.

This empowerment should take place in areas such as education, access to economic opportunities, leadership or individual vital decision-making. Despite the fact that many of the achievements in the field of equality have been achieved in society, at work, in the economy and in politics, there are many voices calling for a change in the field of privacy, and even some believe that full equality cannot be achieved until there is an empowerment in the sexual and erotic sphere.

When we talk about the erotic empowerment of women, we are talking about strengthening self-esteem and confidence in themselves and in relationships, through the conscious and positive exploration of the body, emotions and, above all, desires, without feeling shame or guilt for their expression.

Erotic has been one of the fundamental elements men have used to build their masculinities. The greater the number of erotic relationships and the greater the number of women (heterosexuality and coitocentrism as norms of relationship and conduct), the more men were considered. This did not occur with women, who only socially rejected them for showing some desire. Women, therefore, have built our femininity basically through the desire we could generate in the other, of course in man.

Result: active and desirable subjects, passive and desirable women. This has been perpetuated through popular culture, religion and social organizations, and has led to stereotypes and prejudices that have stigmatized the desire of women.

Putting an end to this construction of masculinity and femininity is essential not only to influence the sphere of intimacy, but also the public sphere, which is traditionally a space occupied by men.

While today we have become aware of the importance of erotic and corporal empowerment, within feminisms there are voices that question how this empowerment should be. Let's analyze some of these shorts.

In Twerke we have one of the clearest examples, a type of dance linked to reggaetone, more specifically to perreo, whose origin is in African dances and has spread through social networks.

Twerkinga is based on rhythmic, sensual pelvic movements. Although some point out that it relates them to their body and breaks them with stereotypes of dependence of women, some believe that it promotes the hypereroticization of the female body, reinforces gender stereotypes and objectifies women even more. Can the difference between empowerment and coding not be in the dancer's goal?

Another example of women’s empowerment through the erotic that we must question is the consumption of pornography by women. During the weeks of confinement, pornography consumption increased considerably in all age groups, especially among women. In classrooms, many girls publicly say that they also see porn, as something that empowers them. Is it really empowerment or acceptance of the model of hegemonic masculinity? Is the porn they really consume liberating or only reinforcing aggressive and macho practices?

Finally, we want to reflect on another aspect in which there are young women who claim to find a field of erotic empowerment and a good source of income. It is a OnlyFansen phenomenon, a platform that expanded enormously by the pandemic. It allows those with a profile to share exclusive content with their followers in exchange for a monthly fee. It is known above all for its unique erotic content, almost à la carte, so it can be considered a new form of sexual work. If, as we said at the beginning, we believe that erotic empowerment is based on the link with our bodies and desires, with the aim of provoking positive changes in our lives, does OnlyFans guarantee it? Has this neoliberal system not found a new way to prioritize money? Does it not perpetuate the desired female dependency model?

Thus, as we have tried to express in this article, the empowerment of women, through sexuality and erotic, should generate a profound, collective and respectful critical reflection. Especially young women, to become aware of the importance of individual and collective empowerment.