Voices
Porn is not evil. It is consumed by a large majority of society and is undeniably one of the most lucrative industries in the world. What is evil, is perpetuating a false narrative that all women in porn are victims that have been exploited by the industry. Women in porn are not victims. We have made the choice to engage in consensual, safe, healthy sexual exchanges while being fiercely unapologetic of owning our sexuality and not allowing outside influences to determine the choices we make with our bodies. We are elevated and free of any socially, societally, philosophically or religiously influenced judgements that have been unfairly cast upon us.
The misconception and downright mistruth that women are being exploited in porn is a problematic and dangerous narrative that has circulated, dominated and has been regurgitated by opponents of the adult entertainment industry for decades. Even in a constantly changing world that is rapidly becoming more tolerant, inclusive and progressive, it’s been used as a divisive tool to accelerate the spread of false information that ultimately harms women in the industry and beyond. While these myths are false there are still real consequences attached to these stigmas that ultimately endanger the sex work community.
The most important thing to understand is that women make the consensual choice to be in porn. We are not victims or exploited. There is nothing more liberating and powerful than harnessing your sexual energy and monetizing it on your terms. Our bodies are not being “used” to make money. We are providing a performance and service that only brings us value and confidence. It’s not a false sense of empowerment, it is legitimate; sex is power. Being a sex symbol is an empowering and liberating sensation and women in porn are intelligent and capable of making their own decisions when it comes to their bodies and their lifestyle choices. We dictate these choices and are proud of them. There shouldn’t be any shame in being a sexually open, dominant, confident woman, even though society pushes for us to remain submissive and complacent.
We are all sexual beings, products of sex and most of us will have sex at some point in our lives. We have to abandon the philosophy that the only acceptable practice of sex is expressive of love, procreation or consummation. Any negative feelings surrounding porn comes from the outside stigma, shame and harsh judgment that’s societally generated and weaponized. Shame is a far more dangerous beast that leads to sexual, mental and physical disorders that warps what a healthy relationship with sex and our bodies is. Porn is not evil and the women of porn are not objects to be shamed and discarded. It is long overdue that we correct these misconceptions with facts, educate and promote a sex and body positive narrative that can only benefit society. Education and open conversation are essential to correcting these false, problematic stereotypes and ensuring the prosperity and safety of females in the adult industry. The priority should be to teach women to have a positive outlook on themselves, their bodies and their fellow women.
Porn is not the problem, contrary to what oppositional forces will have you believe. The anti-porn narrative only hurts and further endangers the safety, livelihood and lives of sex workers and women and fuels a toxic and dangerous agenda. This outdated, restrictive thought process only seeks to hurt and control women and the choices they willingly make with their bodies. Porn is not perfect, but the emergence of ethical porn and its practices and philosophies is rapidly becoming the only acceptable standard and norm within the industry.
Ethical Porn is content that has been consensually created by performers that have been treated fairly, are compensated adequately and haven’t been exploited, coerced or forced to perform. Companies and productions that adhere to and abide by a rigorous set of ethics and standards and operate using safe set practices are representing the majority of the porn industry. Ensuring the safety, health and well-being of their performers is a top priority as well as providing equal and fair treatment and compensation that mutually benefits all parties. It ensures that the final product was ethically produced in an environment that doesn’t violate boundaries and recognizes a performer’s mental and physical health and well-being on set. In a competitive industry where competition is fierce and scrutiny is harsher than ever, it’s never been more important that companies adapt to these standards which is quickly becoming the only acceptable norm.
The goal is that, eventually, all porn will be ethically produced so that we can ensure a safe healthy positive environment for performers and consumers alike.
Porn has historically been viewed as a male-dominated industry that primarily produces content created by men for male consumption. We are moving forward as a progressive society where women are feeling more sexually empowered and liberated to express their sexual needs, interests and fantasies. Women are consuming and honestly enjoying porn more than ever. Equally, we are seeing a rise in female presence behind the camera. Female directors, writers and producers are exuding their force and sharing their creative visions in a monumental way. Porn for women by women is taking ownership over content that traditionally appealed to a male audience and often portrays women in degrading, or demeaning roles. Porn by women for women seeks to portray female performers in a more positive light free of degradation or violence while maintaining the philosophy that women can enjoy and consume porn and express their sexual desires and fantasies in a healthy, respectful and empowering way. Female performers are also more involved in the creative process more than ever before which is a positive indicator that women are in control on every level.
One of the most common arguments against the porn industry is that it contributes to and is directly linked to illegal sex trafficking. They are in no way symbiotic and perpetuating the false narrative that consensual sex work is directly linked to involuntary sex trafficking is a minacious myth, wielded as a tool to push a dangerous, truthless agenda that is nothing more than fearmongering. Porn performers are consenting adults that make the conscious choice to be in the industry. Everything that is produced by reputable companies and individuals is consensual and there are extensive procedures on set to ensure that ethics are upheld. Eliminating sex work entirely, enacting harsher restrictions or enforcing criminal punishments will have an adverse affect on society. Sex work provides a valuable service to the community that if eliminated, will only increase the demand for trafficking. It’s critically important to protect sex workers and instead provide more resources to sustain them while redirecting attention and resources to combat the practices of illegal sex trafficking.
Sex work can be dangerous but so can grocery shopping at night in the wrong area. In actuality, the danger and true threats to our safety are the vicious lies that degrade and deem our lives and bodies as worthless. The true destruction comes from the assumption that women should be bound to a restrictive, archaic value system that traditionally favors a patriarchal structure. Society inflicts more damage on women by promoting and glamorizing unrealistic, unobtainable, mainstream beauty standards and expectations. We are relentlessly exposed to imagery of flawless women that are told and taught to be perfect and proper, that we only possess class and can only be desirable and valuable if we behave according to the traditionally enforced structure. We are expected to be beautiful, flawless and submissive; to dress and speak properly and that any expression of sexuality is deemed repulsive and crude. Sex work challenges and obliterates these restrictions by providing women with empowerment, confidence and autonomy.
It is crucial that we have conversations that acknowledge women are strong, intelligent, independent and capable of making their own choices when it comes to sex and their bodies. We must prioritize educating society on the truth of what porn is, how to properly consume it, how to have a healthy relationship with sex, celebrate our bodies, elevate each other as powerful women and ensure health and safety for all. It’s more important now than ever that we continue this fight against any opponent that would seek to silence us and end our existence.
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