Tompkins in particular explored the extreme edges of feminist politics and sexualized imagery. Her first major body of work was a series of paintings depicting men’s and women’s figures engaging in sexual intercourse. She elected to render the images in extreme close-up, using vintage pornography stills as her source material. Rather than idealize the act of fornication, by having one body or the other exude dominance or beauty above the other, Tompkins equalizes both figures by showing only their genitalia, in congress.