TonioTimeDaily

"WF: How would you define ethical / feminist porn?

WF: What can porn consumers do to ensure what they're viewing is ethical?

Pornography is a part of many people's masturbation routines. Erotic films and imagery help to turn us on, allow us to explore fantasies, and develop our desires. However, with some of mainstream pornography promoting sexist and discriminatory narratives as well as mistreating it's stars and creators, how can we ensure the porn we're viewing is ethically made with a feminist agenda? What do feminism and ethical standards even look like within the world of porn?

https://thepornconversation.org/#ambassadors

Sex trafficking is one of the worst criminal phenomenons of the 21st Century. Every day, traffickers kidnap innocent people, often underage children, and force them into sex slavery. Dozens of organizations have popped up to fight the scourge. Although they sound like they are fighting a noble war, some of these nonprofits have spent time and resources trying to outlaw legal, consenting sex workers who have nothing to do with the sex trafficking trade. Their missions extend beyond preventing sex trafficking into banning all forms of pornography, although they tend to mostly tout the former when convincing lawmakers and celebrities to join their causes."

Ethical porn means that the porn you're watching was made with the performer's comfort and enjoyment at the forefront of the entire production.

Labor practices have become a major focus in discussions of ethical porn. The US-based Adult Performer Advocacy Committee (APAC) have created a model bill of rights which articulates the standards that performers want upheld on porn sets. These include the right to know who they are performing with, what sex acts are expected and the right to decline requested sex acts. The bill of rights also deals with performer safety on set, specifying the right to safe sex supplies, food and water and sexual health information such as STD tests. The document also insists on the right of performers to be paid fairly and on time.

APAC has a performer code of conduct which members agree to abide by. This specifies professional conduct expected of performers when working.

The Free Speech Coalition also has a wider list of industry guidelines that specify respect for performers, a commitment to keeping adult material away from children, to maintaining confidentiality with customers and generally behaving with professionalism and honesty.

These codes of conduct are not mandated in the adult industry; the guidelines are voluntary and not all producers of porn are members of the relevant associations. Given that anyone can make porn now with an iPhone, it has become increasingly important to shine a light on how porn is made to ensure that it is consensual and transparent.

The porn industry is diverse and there is currently no official “ethical porn” label. Attempts have been made to create a brand but it is difficult to get a consensus on what ethical porn looks like. As a consumer, you can look for some of these things:

Put simply, ethical porn is pornography that is fair, equitable and consensual. It is porn that centers the welfare of performers in its production practices, that is transparent in its operations and that doesn’t engage in harmful or negative post-production marketing. Ethical porn can depict a wide range of sex acts and performers; it is not restricted to any one group of producers or performers. Ethical porn exists within the wider movement of feminist porn and it is also made by mainstream US and European adult companies. It can also include any kind of production value – from amateur video to high-end studio productions. The main thing is the commitment to good labor practices, consent, transparency and social justice."

As a 'pro-sex' feminist, I contend: Pornography benefits women, both personally and politically. It benefits them personally in several ways:

1. It provides sexual information on at least three levels:

a. it gives a panoramic view of the world's sexual possibilities. This is true even of basic sexual information such as masturbation, which seems to come less naturally to women than to men. It is not uncommon for women to reach adulthood without knowing how to give themselves pleasure.

b. it allows women to 'safely' experience sexual alternatives and satisfy a healthy sexual curiosity. The world is a dangerous place. By contrast, pornography can be a source of solitary enlightenment. Pornography allows women to experiment in the privacy of their own bedrooms, on a television set that can be turned off whenever she has had enough.

c. it provides a different form of information than textbooks or discussion. It offers the emotional information that comes only from experiencing something either directly or vicariously. It provides us with a sense how it would 'feel' to do something.

2. Pornography strips away the emotional confusion that so often surrounds real world sex. Pornography allows women to enjoy scenes and situations that would be anathema to them in real life. Take, for example, one of the most common fantasies reported by women -- the fantasy of 'being taken', of being raped.The first thing to understand is that a rape fantasy does not represent a desire for the real thing. It is a fantasy. The woman is in control of the smallest detail of every act."

"Lisa Sharon Harper

Lisa Sharon Harper is the founder and president of Freedom Road, LLC, and the author of several books, including the critically acclaimed, "The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right." Asked why she does what she does, Lisa's answer is clear: “So that the church might be worthy of the moniker ‘Bride of Christ.'" Through preaching, writing, training, network development, and public witness, Lisa—an Auburn Senior Fellow—engages the church in the work of justice and peacemaking. She was named “#5 of the Top 13 Women to Watch in 2012” by the Center for American Progress and was awarded the 2013 Faith and Justice Leadership Award by the National Black Women’s Round Table. She formerly served as the Chief Church Engagement Officer at Sojourners."

"On Saturday, August 12, in Charlottesville, Va., I was faced with a choice: “Would I pick up my cross?”

Jesus warns his disciples: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)

Just before walking onto the street, organizers of the Charlottesville Clergy Call walked us through the changing dynamics of the situation. There would be four times more white nationalists in Charlottesville than previously projected. One quarter of the clergy they thought would be there actually showed up. If we stepped onto the street we were risking arrest, injury, or death — from the police or the white nationalists.

We knew what we were walking into.

We knew that we might not come back.

I was hesitant and torn and almost didn’t do it.

I imagined the devastating loss my mother would feel upon hearing of my death in Charlottesville. I felt guilty for leaving her alone just before her second knee surgery. How would she make it through? I imagined not being present to witness my nieces and nephews and family.

It was as if all that is most treasured in my life flashed before my eyes as the rest of the clergy walked out onto the street.

I sat in silence and begged God for a definitive word.

God spoke: “Be present.”

That was the call: Be present; even if it means being present on your way to the cross."

"This has been the cross that people of African descent and Native American people have borne for more than 500 years on U.S. soil. Ever since the demon called Colonization led Europeans to claim the land, enslave, then remove its original inhabitants, then enslave and exploit people of African descent to work that land and build their country in the name of colonizing them (read Black History of the White House, p. 195, by Clarence Lusane), black people and indigenous Americans have had to risk death to bear witness to our right to live.

It has been the cross that Latino and Asian-American people have borne for the past 200+ years since colonization stole land from Mexicans and declared it was now “America,” and Chinese men were exploited to build the railroads and fill empty slave cabins in the shadow of emancipation. Yes, Chinese men were the next wave exploited to build the U.S. economy after the Civil War. Now Muslim and Sikh and LGBTQ people risk death to proclaim their right to live — to take up space, to flourish.

The demon Colonization claims human flourishing for its own exclusive pleasure. The colonizing spirit declares the self to be fully human — to have the right to steward the world — and all else either an asset, a burden, or an obstacle — to be eliminated on the way to the self’s exclusive “human” flourishing."

https://wildflowersex.com/blogs/sex-ed/ethical-and-feminist-porn  (I appreciate this article 100%)

"What is 'ethical porn'?

Often called feminist porn or fair trade porn- ethical porn is a form of pornography that treats the performers in the video/ audio with respect, ensures fair pay for everybody involved in the work (including performers and filmmakers), and also there's mutual respect for boundaries and needs. Ethical porn is also known for showcasing a very realistic depiction of sex rather than the conventional porn which relies heavily on male gaze. Various body types, female pleasure, and queer relationships, are at the forefront of ethical porn. According to a study reported by Mind Body Green, one in every four people who visit porn websites are women. Ethical porn attempts to cater to these women."

Some mainstream porn, but not all mainstream porn does have a history of trafficking, harming, exploiting, pimping, abusing, casting couching, and coercing women into unwanted sexual experiences off-screen and off-screen. Those things are worthy of lengthy prison sentences. 

Kenzie Taylor: "It's nothing that is really exciting. For me, like I said, I have always been super open-minded. I've been bisexual since I was a kid. I can't even remember what age I discovered that. I've always known that I like men and women. I could be myself around my parents and my family but when it came to the rest of society, I felt very closed off. Being able to finally make a decision to do porn, it gave me the ability to be on a platform of where I can express myself and nobody is going to judge me in a bad way. Nobody is going to think I am disgusting or call me names or anything like that. All of us [in porn], we all love sex. We all love different aspects of this job. It's not just the sex because there is so much more as well. When I finally made the decision, I always wanted to do it. I had put it off for so long. I think it was when I was 25 I finally made the decision. I just went ahead and I did it. I contacted an agent. I came to California that next week. I had a photo shoot for my agency photos. I had my first porn shoot three days after that photo shoot. I stayed in California for about two weeks and I loved it. This is my calling. This is what I have always wanted to do. I had a conversation with my parents. I told them, "I have done something and I want to tell you both. I want to tell you before you find out from anywhere else. I am going to do porn and have already done some porn. I am happy and I love it! I want to move to California.". Of course, at first, they were a little shocked. After about five minutes of collecting themselves, my dad told me that as I long as I am happy, healthy and safe, that's all we care about. My mom hugged me and told me how she loves me and she is proud of me. I went ahead and I moved to the west coast and it was really hard for me. My first, I would say two years, was very hard for me. Nobody would really give me an opportunity. I just had to keep showing up. Showing up on time. Showing up with more than what I needed. Showing up with a smile. Making sure I was able to help anybody. I am a big humor person so I would love to make people laugh. That's one of my favorite things. I would always make everyone laugh on set. I'm ridiculous. (laughs) I feel like just constantly showing up and doing everything to the best of my ability, has proved to everyone that I am serious. By that time, they took me seriously. Fast forward to now, holding an AVN Award, I couldn't believe it. Number one, the award is super heavy. (laughs) Number two, I always wanted to win an AVN Award. It is huge. AVN is the biggest show ever. It's like the Oscars. To actually win an award and not just be nominated, I couldn't ask for anything better. That was such an amazing feeling. I will never forget how I felt when our names were called."

"Ask any sex worker how they maintain their boundaries, and you're in for a long conversation. Some people develop a working identity that they keep entirely separate from their real-life persona, and others conflate the two. Many sex workers desperately want to be out but don't want to endure the invasive questions, or fear that their housing stability or the custody of their children would be compromised. Some of us just don't feel that connected to the character we've created for work, so it seems unimportant to talk about. And while some strippers love putting platforms on and grinding into their partners' crotches as foreplay, just as many would slap their boyfriend silly if he asked.

The hardest boundary I've had to confront in my romantic relationships is the line between authentic desire in my work, and the "it's just work" defence. Sex workers in committed partnerships often spend a great deal of time reassuring their partners that what they do at work is fake. "It's not real intimacy," we insist after coming home from a porn shoot, "I'm on set. I'm cold. People are staring at me. The last thing I'm feeling is aroused." Then we highlight everything that makes our partners special to us to ease their jealousy.

I'm not saying that sex workers who reassure their partners like this are being dishonest. Not exactly. But the world isn't black-and-white, and while the vast majority of us are not regularly turned on by our work, real connections can happen with scene partners and genuine fun can be had with clients. So where's the line?"

Sexual consent, without which sex acts are more accurately classified as assault or rape, is another important area where porn and sex diverge. As with many of the aforementioned facets, however, that’s not because it’s absent from porn, but rather because it’s absent from the final cut.

The process of consent in porn is actually typically very rigorously discussed beforehand; performers discuss what will and won’t happen and what they are and aren’t comfortable with in clear terms.

“The reputable, ethical porn directors/producers who follow the law and a) negotiate everything with talent before a scene, b) openly communicate with their talent throughout the scene, and c) always respect their talent’s limits,” says Valmont, “are probably more engaged in the dialogue about consent than most 'civilians' are.”

Those in-depth discussions are edited out, meaning consent in the porn you watch, as with the positions, seems almost telepathic. That can give some porn viewers the impression that you don’t need to ask for consent during sex when the opposite is true. Checking in with your partner regularly is not only important, it can also easily be done in a sexy way if you’re afraid of ruining the mood.

“No always means no, and consent can be revoked at any time, whether you happen to be on a porn set or hooking up in 'real life,’” notes Valmont."

There is phobia against people who do not self-identify as "heterosexual" and against people who do not self-identify as "cisgender" in the mainstream pornographic industry. All the diversities of sex characteristics, sexual orientations and gender identities in mainstream porn and other types of porn should be 100% free of human rights violations, equal rights violations, civil rights violations, political rights violations, economic rights violations, social rights violations, cultural rights violations, labor rights violations, health rights violations, and sexual rights violations!