I found a press release by a new company called Red Light Center. They were announcing the launch of a new brand of multi-user software, specifically aimed at women aged 21-49.
If you’re a geek you’ll understand what I mean when I say it’s a “massively multi-user online reality” interface. If you’re like me – someone who doesn’t play computer games and doesn’t know much about this kind of thing – you’ll want to know that it’s a 3D virtual world where you can interact with real people, look at movies or photos, or even have cybersex. In a way it’s like a paysite, but with the focus on personal interaction.
What got me interested was this paragraph of excitable PR:
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“Women – and men – can live out any of their fantasies in an empowering and safe environment. Exploring RedLightCenter.com, users can have fun dancing to live music, viewing some of the world’s most erotic art, or watching a show; or for a completely different experience, women can live out fantasies such as being an erotic dancer in The Night Candy Gentlemen’s Club.”
Hmm, I thought. It’s not really my fantasy to be an erotic dancer in a “gentlemen’s club”. Seeing a male erotic dancer in a ladies club might be a bit more exciting. I wonder if they have that?
So it was that I downloaded the software and found myself wandering around in my first 3D red light district. It was kind of like Tron Goes To Amsterdam. My first shock was the discovery that I was a skinny blond wearing only a white bra and bike pants. So not me. I couldn’t find the controls that would let me morph into a more sensible redhead in flanno and tracky daks. OK, sure, not the sexiest of clothes. But I couldn’t even put a top on. All the guys were fully clothed.
Using my arrow keys I went exploring around the streets of this cartoonish space, ignoring all the guys who did their best to chat me up. I should say here that I don’t do cybersex – I’m married, after all. This, admittedly, takes away a big reason for even being there and it certainly is the main point of the whole Red Light Center thing. In your profile you can fill out a form detailing exactly how you like to be approached for cybersex, what positions you like, how many goatherds are required, all that kind of thing. I left mine blank.
So… I went into the movie theatre which seemed to be showing standard porn films. Couldn’t watch movies – you have to be a paying member for that. I went into the playpit area where other users were having all sorts of sex. It looked sexy but I couldn’t get close, that’s for members. I did wander around the erotic art area, which was nice enough. I went into the hotel which was devoid of people. The rooms were dark and I ran into the wall a lot.
I found the “Gentlemen’s Club.” I could watch a naked woman dance. Hmm. Boring. No bartender either. And, just as I suspected, there was no “Ladies Club.”
I decided to follow a neon sign that said “Girls! Girls! Girls!” It led me around several corners into a dark, dirty alley. All the doors were locked. Took me a while to get out and I was fully waiting for Mr Virtual Rapist to jump out in front of me. Sure, it’s all virtual, but let’s just say I wasn’t feeling “safe or empowered” at that point.
Actually, the whole idea of wandering around a red light district wearing a bra and talking to men I don’t know probably just isn’t my bag, baby. But I also have to wonder at why the makers of Red Light Center think that their product is specifically for women. To me, it feels like a very male space, operating according to the old rules of “sexy” (men are the audience, women are the object of desire).
Still, I guess it’s only in Beta phase and there may well be other chicks who are into this whole virtual multi user community thing. Maybe if there are enough of them they can get together and found a virtual Ladies Club with some hot male strippers.