There never seems to be a rational common ground when it comes to debating the porn industry. It’s always some bitter fight that includes, but is not limited to: slut shaming, consumer shaming, personal empowerment, objectification, feminism, anti-feminism, rape culture, issues of consent and occasionally the widespread theory of porn culture. There have been debates surrounding the sex industry, including sex workers, since the beginning of time. The current debates aren’t necessarily new, but they are definitely much more public, aggressive and divisive. Unfortunately, many of these debates go absolutely nowhere.
Around 2 weeks ago, I wrote an entire article surrounding the controversy of the Duke University porn star known as Belle Knox. I then deleted it. I decided to write a second article and after proof-reading it, I promptly deleted that one as well. I just couldn’t seem to accurately condense and get all of my points across properly, especially within one article. There were so many issues to address with many of these issues overlapping other issues which, in turn, brought in even more issues. In order to resist writing an entire manuscript, I decided to step back from the major issues and just start with myself:
-I find many BDSM scenes rather stimulating.
-I find the majority of “vanilla” porn scenes generally quite boring.
-I enjoy the work of some porn performers over others.
-I can’t stand certain performers based on their public personas and generally avoid them.
-I find facialabuse.com and other extreme degradation porn scenes absolutely hilarious.
-Ass-to-mouth, whether in porn or real-life, completely freaks me out.
-Squirting scenes really depend on the girl and the overall scene.
-The sound of throat fucking makes me giggle uncontrollably.
-I understand and routinely enjoy “forced” sex scenes.
I then immediately started going down the typical “porn debate” topics:
1. Does this make me pro-porn or anti-porn?
2. Does this make me pro-sex worker or anti-sex worker?
3. Am I really expected to somehow determine whether performer “consent” has been made due to pleasure, empowerment or just financial compensation? Am I even supposed to care?
4. Is it wrong of me to worry whether someone enjoys rough sex or is just willing to get physically abused for some cash? Are those tears from pain or pleasure?
4. Does this make me a feminist? An anti-feminist? A “fake” feminist, perhaps?
5. Am I unintentionally objectifying performers somehow? Is it actually possible to not objectify someone who is in an industry based solely around objectification?
After considering these questions for a few days, I gave up. My personal opinions are far too widespread to somehow “classify” them into certain categories. I finally decided that while the answers to these questions should be considered further they don’t change the fact that I’m an individual who gets to decide what I like and what I don’t like in my porn viewing experience. My views and opinions can and routinely do change at any time. This isn’t a final exam where I’m going to be graded based on correct or incorrect answers. The porn industry releases a product and I get to decide what I find arousing, exciting and stimulating. I also get to decide for myself what I find funny, humorous, hysterical, disgusting, disturbing or even strange.
THERE ARE NO RULES HERE.
The industry creates and distributes various genres of porn for a wide variety of consumers to be used in whichever way they so desire. Sexual gratification is just one of those purposes. It’s not some kind of secret that there is an entire sub-culture of people who find various forms of pornography, especially degradation porn, absolutely hysterical. I happen to be one of them. I was recently called a “sick fuck” for finding these scenes funny. I found this rather cute, to be completely honest. But, the fact is there is nothing sexually arousing about facialabuse.com scenes for me. Actually, I would have a seriously rough time trying to masturbate to one of their scenes. I just find them hysterically funny. In the grand scheme of things it’s really just about audience entertainment anyway. There should be absolutely nothing wrong with this. Entertainment will always be subjective, as it should be.
If we are to support all sex workers, then it’s not my responsibility to determine whether that specific sex workers’ consent is valid or not. I have been told repeatedly that I should never question motives or personal feelings. I am to accept that consent has taken place and the performer was paid for the service. Whether they enjoyed it, hated it, felt neutral or felt used afterwards should never be my concern. Do some performers enjoy working for facialabuse.com? Yes. Have some performers regretted working for them after-the-fact, such as Belle Knox who recently claimed regret after her scene for the site went viral? Yes. Did she finish the scene, film an entire post-scene interview and collect the cash? Yes.
Am I supposed to care whether she regrets it or not? I think the answer is supposed to be no, but I’m honestly not even sure at this point.
We seem to be at this point where the public must agree with the notion that every sex worker along with every sexual act ‘publicly’ performed for an audience is to be viewed as some sort of liberating and empowering act that advances the human species. If you dare to challenge someone else’s view or opinion on the subject then you are immediately admonished as anti-porn, anti-feminist or, the ever popular term, “slut shaming.”
In theory, this is rather ridiculous. There isn’t an industry on earth where this theory of “all industry workers are the same and should be respected equally” would be accepted by the majority. Many respect the purpose of the medical industry without respecting and/or agreeing with every procedure performed or even every single doctor within the industry. The public freely acknowledges that there are “ambulance chaser” attorneys while completely understanding that not every attorney practicing law is as ruthless. Almost all NFL football players are objectified by not only the NFL, but fans as well. NFL players are paid obscene amounts of money to basically be used as an “object” to kick a field goal or catch a football. They are hired and paid for one purpose: their athletic abilities. They also make the choice to collect that paycheck knowing they will be objectified. It’s not necessarily personal. It just comes with the territory. It would be fairly impossible to not objectify them. The porn industry really is no different. Sex workers get paid for sexual abilities, overall appearance and the use of their vagina, asshole, mouth, boobs or even feet. It could reasonably be argued that the public doesn’t objectify sex workers. But rather that the industry, including sex workers who fully participate and allow the industry to continue as usual, are objectifying themselves. If a sex worker expects not to be objectified then maybe they’re in the wrong line of work. The overall job and the cash that follows is what objectifies’ sex workers, not the public.
The porn industry revolves around the basic elements of every other industry on earth: to buy and sell goods & services to make a profit. This is not to imply porn can’t be fun, empowering, enjoyable or liberating. But, there must be some kind of recognition that the porn industry is, ultimately, a commodity. In the adult industry, the body and genitals of the performer along with production teams and various sex acts are the “goods and services” used to produce a film to make a “profit.” This really is nothing more than a primer for Economics 101.
If a performer ends up having an intense orgasm during a particular scene or decides to fight through another scene with a performer who smells gross is pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Not every aspect of a job is fun at all times. If a performer stops the scene or says “no” and that statement is not respected then that should be exactly where the problem begins. Otherwise, performers are expected to perform whatever job they have been assigned for that day just as any other employee or independent contractor on earth. The production company and/or the director are responsible for providing the overall vision to make it marketable to the masses.
The key to remember here is that being a porn performer is, literally, just a job. If there is a certain act a performer would rather not perform then that performer gets to decide whether to proceed with the scene while putting on a “performance” as though it’s immensely enjoyable or they can choose to decline the scene and lose the money that could have been made. The overall main objective is to produce entertainment, not gain some sort of personal fulfillment with every scene.
There are no guaranteed orgasms with that paycheck.
Plus, even in an emergency, if the male performer is unable to deliver the all important orgasm-producing “pop shot” at the end of a scene then there’s always Cetaphil liquid soap…
For the record, soap doesn’t burn nearly as bad as semen in the eye. Just trust me on this one.
~Lacey
FOLLOW LACEY ON TWITTER – @Lacey4653
64 Responses
As a fellow member of the “sick fuck” club I find this article interesting. I may not agree with everything in it but you make some excellent points. Porn is consensual, no one is being forced to do a scene. Some people get enjoyment out of BDSM, myself included.
However, I do not find Facial Abuse scenes entertaining or hilarious by any stretch of the imagination. I support the right to partake in such activity if it is truly consensual up to the point where moderate to severe injury takes place. Unfortunately the sick minds at Facial Abuse crossed that line at least once with Clayra Beau, blackening her eyes and causing them to bleed and possibly blinding her for life (fortunately she was not blinded but she came close to it). I have heard rumors of them crossing the line several more times over the years. A cardinal rule of BDSM (which I concede Facial Abuse scenes are not) is that you do not inflict permanent damage and do not do things that can cause harm affecting eyesight (blindfolds are OK as long as they are removable, also I do not do things that definitely affect breathing such as breath play and make sure when hog tying women that their ability to breathe isn’t affected). Most in BDSM will not do anything other than a single moderate slap, gag or blindfold/hood to anyone’s face because of the high chance of permanent damage from whipping/caning/striking blows there. The idiots at Facial Abuse obliterate the conventions of BDSM that keep people from being harmed and will probably cross the line one day, getting arrested and making those that ethically produce porn look bad in the process. This is where Lacey and I disagree.
I absolutely 100% agree with you on the differences in relation to BDSM. I don’t consider facialabuse.com in the realm of BDSM. I would probably categorize it as degradation porn.
But, one of main points is how is the public supposed to know the difference? Facial abuse sets boundaries, has safe words and hand signals. They even do post interviews with performers… (they’ve also been in business for 11 years.)
Is this not the same procedures that are used at sites like kink.com.
Kink.com pays for after-the-scene interviews which directly effect a performers future work with the company. And, let’s not forget that kink.com has many complaints against them as well…
The main question is how is the public supposed to assess what’s real/what’s fake/Is there actual consent at all times?
This isn’t about BDSM/fetish porn performed in a bedroom. It’s about commercially produced entertainment for public viewing.
So, how does the public figure out what’s acceptable and what’s crossing some imaginary line? And, is it even their responsibility to question?
I guess I should probably include the fact that I specifically asked the owner of facialabuse.com about their scenes and requirements. I’m not just making them up.
He actually replied to one of my twitter comments that said “How am I supposed to believe that getting punched in the face is somehow empowering?”
He responded with “they’re called boxers.”
And, he makes a good point. The only difference between some porn performers and boxers/MMA fighters is training.
Again, how is the public supposed to differentiate between someone getting throat fucked on facialabuse.com and someone *literally* getting electrocuted on kink.com?
They both do paid interviews, so how do you figure out which sites are “good” and which sites are “bad?”
Is the public honestly supposed to just guess based on some paid for interview? THEY’RE PERFORMERS.
Lol that FA owner responded to yer twitter …about boxers…when this first came up I made distinction between respecting her choice to perform on FA while pointing out her confusion expressed with her conflicting position statements. Her conflicts continue with near daily improvements and evolution, nor is her newfound agent helping when he affirms last weeks version as a response to comment on the current edition.
It’s hysterical that she is being promoted as an industry spokesmodel for choice etc…usually when I regret something it’s because I had an issue with it and not a result of popular opinion. Although post event humiliation has at times been a contributing factor in future choices it has always been a distinct factor.
As to what is or isn’t sanctioned or accepted BDSM norms it is an entirely separate debate. Bottom line to me is..doesn’t have to float my boat as long as it floats yours and those you choose to do it with..Won’t catch me playing roller derby but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to skate.
Btw..with dukes March 7-17th spring recess over I’m curious how she plans on making this week away from campus…aside from the obvious barter jokes..I seriously wonder how she plans on coping with the backlash to the point of death threats of top of lost instruction?
@Lurk –
Yeah, I don’t even know what to say about Belle Knox anymore.. I mean, at least it’s not the teen mom. For that I am immensely grateful. Hahaha.
I am currently trying to ignore the hype. Most of the “debates” are nothing more than people loudly exclaiming how “right” they are.. as if there’s some definitive answer or solution that’s going to fix everything.
If anything it just makes the various issues even more public which just brings that much more attention to the widespread hypocrisy within the industry. Haven’t decided whether that’s a good or bad thing yet?
@lacey
Noooooo….not another…up, down, good, bad, right, wrong, moral, immoral.
Much more fun to plsy…up, down, side to side, ahhh right there 🙂
Lacey: I’m not going to get into a debate on Facialabuse – a site I’ve never visited. However, the owner’s response to your question illustrates the problem with porn.
You asked: “How am I supposed to believe that getting punched in the face is somehow empowering?”
He responded with “they’re called boxers.”
When they’re not yelling about the First Amendment, porners like to compare their performers to professional athletes. The analogy doesn’t work.
Boxing and MMA is regulated – highly regulated. Why? Because the government recognizes that boxers health and lives are at risk every time they get in the ring. Does the government ask about the motivation of the fighter or whether the fighter likes getting punched in the head for a living? No. However, the government also recognizes that many people who fight for a living are desperate and will keep fighting for a paycheck if they must, even if they ruin their health. Finally, the government recognizes that when money is involved, few managers and promoters are looking out for anything more than their investment – certainly not the health of the fighter.
So, here is the difference between porn and professional fighting.
A fighter can’t get in the ring without being licensed, without training and without passing physicals.
During training, a fighter wears protective gear to prevent injury, including head gear; in the ring, a fighter has to wear a mouth guard. Hand wraps are required and inspected before the gloves go on. The size and weight of the gloves are regulated. A fighter wears a cup.
A promoter can’t stage a fight without government approval, without licensed referees on hand and without a doctor on site. Promoters have to pay all kinds of fees.
A doctor or referee can – and often do – stop a fight even though the fighter consents to keep on going.
There are rules about what a fighter can and can’t do in the ring to another fighter.
Porn wants to use the sports analogy – our performers are sexual athletes. But porn doesn’t want any of the responsibility that goes along with those sports.
Porn is a backyard Kimbo Slice brawl with no rules. It is not professional fighting.
@BT –
But, see, that’s the thing… his statement about “boxing” wasn’t 100% serious.
It was me, him and a current performer discussing how serious porn had become and why it couldn’t just be fun.. We were kind of just joking around about it and I had asked both of them if they would be offended if someone laughed at a scene?
Both said absolutely not.. That porn was subjective entertainment and as long as someone was buying it then that’s all that mattered… How they choose to use it is up to the individual.
I can’t speak for him, but the “boxing” answer seemed to be sarcastic humor. I thought his answer was primarily funny, but there is a logical point somewhere in there… If you don’t take his answer completely at face value.. 🙂
(Of course, this was also after I grilled him on boundary/consent issues which he freely answered for me…)
Lacey: I got so wrapped up in posting a reply that I forgot to say – nice job. This was a fascinating post. Mike is lucky to have you. Keep ’em coming (and, there’s no guaranteed orgasm in a blog post!).
Im lucky to have all a y’all
Thanks BT – I appreciate the compliment. 🙂
@Mike –
Agreed!!! You’re lucky to have so many insightful and intelligent people who post here..
(Even those who go off on ridiculous rants while on their period over stupid shit.. female hormones are fucking wacky…) hahaha.. 🙂
Please keep those Female hormones in check.
They can be a problem. Thanks.
another DB….
@Ricco-
You better keep your mouth in check…. thanks. 😉
@Laura – DB? It sounds familiar….
@lacey
Yeah what you said and it’s a damn shame handling these fucking hormones doesn’t get easier or more efficient with practice 😉
Belated happy 69th birthday, Matt Harris.
@Ricco…another douchebag….. (maybe more of
a southern CA expression Lacey:)
Actually it was my 68th but thanks. I can think of some jokes to go with the 69th, though.
Duhhhh… Oh dear, that went totally over my head!! Hahahaha…
I swear I debated someone recently with the “name” DB…
Maybe he just likes to refer to himself as a douchebag? Or, maybe that’s his initials???
I can’t remember what site it was on though…
Happy Birthday mharris…?? Am I too late? Hahahah…
@mharris
Belated Happy birthday…hope ya didn’t miss out on the girls cuz it’s only 68 and they wanted 69 🙂
Maybe 68 includes only one testicle instead of both?
Hahahhahahha.
It was back in late January. I am still trying to figure out how Hop got my first name. It isn’t a big deal and not the first time but it does have my curiosity up.
Wait, we were supposed to really orgasm in porn?
Never happened to me. Not once. It’s a job.
Well, that’s a shame. 🙁 Your partners must have really sucked…
You never even had ONE orgasm at work? I know they’re not guaranteed or anything, but not even ONE?
Even Escorts occasionally have orgasms at work…
Damn… that really sucks. I’m so sorry for you. :-/
Now this is good industry PR….doing it for the paycheck …personal gratification via pleasurable orgasm is a myth. 🙂
@Lurk –
It seems SabrinaMaree wasn’t aware she could have an orgasm.. poor girl… hahahha.
The cash must have fucked her vagina up or something?
The defenses are strong with this one.. 😉
Yep…I’m going with the great PR theory…didn’t Freeman have some language about “lack of personal gratification” as proof it wasn’t pandering?
Not that weird. I did girl/girl only (retired) and I’m as straight as you could possibly get. Not only was I never aroused, it was something I had to get through.
Ohhh, I see. I always assume we’re discussing b/g.
Shit, you sound less weird than the other 100 performers who proudly explain how wonderful, fun and empowering it is while claiming to have multiple orgasms during every scene…
(I still think it sucks that you never had even 1 orgasm…)
The claims you talk about don’t seem likely, but you make it sound like they COULDN’T ever be true. Some people genuinely orgasm easier than others. It is sex. I’m sure often not good sex, but orgasms possible for some. Also, any sources on the claim that performers say they “have multiple orgasms during every scene”? Never heard quite that extreme a pronouncement.
Also, how do you view doing a job “get through” (gay4pay) more honorable than saying you enjoy it? I assume because you have decided the people saying they enjoy are lying? I see putting yourself “through” something you don’t like on about an equal weirdness with lying about liking it, but I could see rating it a slightly less weird.
Just not going to factor in that she was gay for pay and less likely to enjoy?
Uhh, they’re all fuck for pay. What’s your point?
They get paid to fuck… that’s the job.
Whether they enjoy it or not is irrelevant.
Never once said there were no genuine real orgasms in porn… not my problem if you don’t understand my statements. .. sorry.
To the notion that maybe she didn’t have orgasms because she was gay for pay …… Ron Jeremy always had a smile on his face when he came during anal sex. Except that when he was accused of anal rape by Ginger Lynn, his retort was that he hated anal sex, only did it for pay, and never did it in his private life. My guess is that most female porn stars are not doing 5 man blow bang/swallowing, double anal, double penetration or hard core anal in their private lives (watch video of porn stars answering the thing they like least about porn and the inevitably say anal), yet they all have a smile on their faces during the performance. The reverse is that most say if they had their druthers, they’d do girl/girl. I’m guessing its not because they’re all gay in their private lives but because its less wear and tear on their bodies.
As Lacey points out – it’s a job. They get paid to do the deed.
@BT –
And this is one of the main reasons the public has so much trouble actually understanding the porn industry… the public doesn’t want to somehow “devalue” the act of sex into a job. They want the intimacy and connection. A good performer will be able to provide a view of intimacy and connection when none is present… that’s why it’s called a performance.
No one wants to see the act of sex as nothing more than a job just like any other job on earth.
The fact remains whether they enjoy it or not is irrelevant. They’re doing it for money, fame, attention, to pay rent, creative expression or whatever…
A connection, intimacy, pleasure, orgasms, fun, empowerment, etc. are NOT requirements or benefits here..
Everything in porn is a ‘performance.’ Like porn agent Mark Speigler once said, “From the second you arrive on set, to the second you leave, its a performance”(paraphrasing his words) When you talk to a producer, its a performance, when you do an ‘interview’ its a performance, when you go to PSK, its a performance. You are in character. When you go to the AVN awards, its a performance. When you write on your Twitter or Facebook, its a performance.
It takes some performers longer than others to learn this. Some, like Belle Knox actually think they are doing something ‘bigger’ than what they are actually doing. Like Nina Hartley and Sharon Mitchell said in the original Porn 101,,”You are having sex for money, there are lots of names for it but that is what you are doing. Calling what you like, but a rose by any other name is still a rose.”
@jilted –
That’s not very nice. We all know they’re saving the world one dick and vagina at a time.. duh.
Belle Knox is now the role model for little girls everywhere… fucking wonderful…
Not sure it’s about “devalue” or even equating paid sex work to their expectation/notions of sexual intimacy…those folks are pushing the misogynist homophobic monogamy card. Even as consumers they reinforce their ideals by pushing the blame for their shame onto the performers/participants with some deluded idea that consumerism isn’t participation. I love the excuses….I only do it because….
Ya know the only time I hire a professional is to handle or prevent a life issue…banker..money issues; lawyer…legal issues; doctor..health issues; electrician..electrical issue; cleaner…dirt issues; landscaper …yard issues; me thinks lots of folks have serious sex issues 😉
Regardless of the causes the industry definitely has PR and image issues.
I was certainly not bringing “honor” into the equation, confused on where that is coming from.. it was a joke based on the content of the article and my own experience only, although most girls in g/g are g4p, and most never have orgasms (we do talk about this stuff to each other). Even solo I can’t orgasm with a camera in front of me though, only happened one time when I made the photographer put the camera on a tripod and everyone leave the room, and even then it took 20 minutes. Nerves I guess. What I need to do to cum (sit there with my hitachi on one spot) is not that interesting of a performance.
Well see I’m a weirdo again. I have my best orgasms from anal. In fact I’ve never cum from vaginal sex without toys, but can from anal without them no problem. I think my g spot got put in my ass. If I did b/g I would have killed the anal scene.
Yea I have some strong opinions about that… an 18 year old who cuts herself (covered in scars according to 2 male performers that worked with her) is hardly someone that is should be the celebrated face of female sexual empowerment, let alone be in porn at all.
There is no denying that cutting and eating disorders are serious psychological conditions.. I completely understand that the “sex industry” should play a role in educating the public on various sexual issues… I just have a slight problem that the transaction of money almost never enters the picture as if the public is just supposed to conveniently “forget” that money is involved…
But, my job revolves around money so it’s generally the first aspect I consider in almost every situation… meh.
I’m not implying that all porn somehow “devalues” sex. It’s just a personal theory of mine that many in the public fight against the acceptance of sex for money because it would reduce sex to a business transaction and many view sex as such an intimate act that they don’t understand why someone would give that “connection” away to a stranger for some cash…
The key word here is “connection.” Many people in the general public have an extremely hard time separating “sex for money” and “the act of sex as something special & intimate.”
It’s kind of the same way many don’t understand Mormon relationships. They understand how the separation of duties would be extremely beneficial and helpful while getting completely confused when the act of sex is brought up.
Yeah, that’s probably a bad example. But, am I making any sense?
The way the porn industry views sex and the way the majority of the general public views sex don’t really equal each other.
I, personally, think the majority of the public honestly tries to understand sex workers. I know I do, but it actually is extremely difficult to comprehend considering the subjects being discussed…
Plus, if the public does have a question or concern about the industry, in any sort of negative light, then they are told to shut up and that unless they are the ones getting fucked on camera then their opinion doesn’t matter. (I can’t even tell you how many fucking times I’ve seen this one… ugg.)
This isn’t really going to solve jack shit….
@Sabrina
Aww damn there goes the PR theory 😉
Yes I’m seeing the sense of your position…we tend to discount (devalue) what’s beyond our experience or expectations.
Like the girl next door ideal and expectation that she is ‘meet the family over dinner’ material vs the girl from a street across the tracks being good for a fuck if she doesn’t want dinner or a movie.
Yeah the Mormon example didn’t work so good..fit more with my point about the misogynist homophobic Monogamists.
@Lacey
Were trying to solve shit?
Hahahah.. this actually made me LOL.
(Nothing better than watching a girl sit there staring at her Hitachi.. fun!)
I knew after I posted the Mormon shit that it was a bad example.. Haha.
What I’m trying to say is that people are only capable of understanding what they’re capable of understanding… I’m not sure I could ever be in an open relationship. This isn’t to say I don’t think they work perfectly for some people, but I will admit I don’t FULLY understand them.
But, I’m kind of possessive like that…
MINE!!!!! Hahahaha.
Although, we could always get into the overwhelming fact that many performers within the industry leave the industry for a personal relationship or end up dating within the industry.. there are people out there who absolutely enjoy open relationships: more power to them. That doesn’t mean I fully understand the lifestyle…..
Fuck no.. 😉
She ranked you as less weird than most. She did this based off the statement that you didn’t enjoy the job. The implication seeming to be admitting to not liking it is more “real” or less “weird” than admitting you do like it. I added the word honorable in substitution/concert with “weird”. Wasn’t trying to imply you brought up honor. It wasn’t a great word choice.
Lacey: I think I read your comments and understood. Your response however was only to the first bit of my comment. You thought she was less “weird” for not enjoying it (or admitting to that) and you said, performers say they “have multiple orgasms during every scene”. I think a fair and recap that demonstrates I understood you. I appreciated the response either way.
Well, I see the likelihood of enjoyment to go up slightly if you are at least having sex with the gender you are attracted to. Yes, they all get paid, wasn’t arguing that.
It really just boils down to the fact that I wish performers were just more honest and didn’t feel the need to constantly act like they’re somehow saving the world by doing a job. That’s all…
@Lacey
Not surprised that mainstream plays down the money angle…unless you’re dealing with minimum wage most people consider privacy about their paycheck/salary sacrosanct.
The references to scene compensation have no meaning to those not buying. Annual earnings are considered bullshit by those that think performer must be doing 300 scenes to gross 300k, totally discounting product and/or touring endorsement income.
“saving the world”? Again, I’d love some sources. I’ve listened to many interviews were the most praising thing they say is that they enjoy the sex or it helped them personally sexually. Are you talking mainly about the Duke girl? I mean I genuinely don’t hear the level of self congratulation that you are saying is so prevalent. If I was hearing the “save the world” angle I would certainly agree that or anything similar is overkill. I just truly don’t hear that being spouted.
@sabrina
From the get go she came across as conflicted or confused. She has tried to dismiss the cutting as in the past and acts oblivious to the image issues created.
Shouting empowerment via facial abuse wasn’t working so she says that was a beginners goof…new agent problem solved…thinks she is proving her empowerment with guest spot on the view and product endorsements. Uh all that proves is she is capitalizing on her 15 minutes of fame, and her handlers don’t give a shit about the image presented with her history of self harm.
Belle Knox promoting empowerment is like Nadia Suleman (sp) promoting invitro. My guess is they’d make fine peas in a pod.
We can go with the Duke girl if you’d like… she’s a pretty good example of the delusional and hypocritical nature of the industry… Or, you can go with the whole underground escorting industry that’s so prevalent, but never spoken of… There’s about 50 more, but I don’t want to nor have the time to list them out for you…
I think you *might* find maybe 500 people on the face of the earth that would think FA was empowering… BUT, you must always remember that to the public eye the acts on FA and kink.com are quite similar. And, the public is supposed to understand and accept both as part of the overall “industry”… see where I’m going here?
Your Nadia comparison did make me chuckle though… Yeah, she had 8 kids. But, there is no fucking way I think she should be educating the public on fucking condoms or in vitro. Lol.
I’m not talking about specific amounts of money or “paycheck” amounts.
I’m talking about the basic principles revolving around a monetary business transaction which never gets discussed…. I’m sure you can conclude your own theories from this…
@lacey,
honesty in porn destroys the illusion. Performers very often are not honest with themselves, let alone anyone else,,,,,NOT ALL, but alot.
To be honest with yourself about what you are doing, and why you are doing it can be very painful for alot of performers, especially female performers. One result of this is the sky high drug abuse rate in the industry. Yes, lots of people use drugs, not just porn stars,,,but the rate in the industry is out of control, along with the stds. Its like peanut butter and jelly again, or bacon and eggs.
ps,,,when you submit a biological sample to a laboratory for testing, that lab has the legal right to use that sample anonymously to conduct research, or to use as control samples for validating test results.
@jilted –
Yep. You stated it quite well and I imagine that may be where alot of the contradictory statements come from… the industry seems to just go with the easiest form of reasoning. But, the public doesn’t coddle people. They’re always going to have an opinion and they have no problem freely expressing it.
It’s the same as this “we are paid for our time.. not our body” talking point lately… it sounds good, but from a common sense perspective it makes no fucking sense. Movie productions don’t hire stunt performers for their time. They hire them for knowledge and skills surrounding their BODIES.
Accounting firms don’t hire people for their body, the hire them for the knowledge and skill that belongs in their fucking BRAIN.
This whole thing is getting fucking ridiculous. Meh.