Contains information and links to Ethical Adult content
It is indisputable that the abuse and exploitation of women and transwomen is a prevalent and worrying issue in the Porn industry. Women Who Self Care strongly condemns any mistreatment of women.
However, we recognise that there are indeed women out there who have chosen to be part of the Porn industry and genuinely enjoy having & filming sex/ sex acts to make their living.
It is essential to listen to the performers, directors and producers of Porn and not immediately dismiss their experience.
The Porn industry shows no sign of going anywhere and grows in popularity year on year. Rather than chastise all Porn, potentially pushing it further into a silenced and unregulated space that does not champion women's rights (or the workers right in general), a better solution may be to focus more on the ethical production of content.
How does Ethical Porn differ from Mainstream Porn?
Ethical Porn isn't always as free or as highly accessible as Mainstream Porn sites like PornHub or XVideos, because Ethical Porn works on the basis that everyone working on the production, including performers, studio operators and the actors, are paid fairly.
Ethical Producers focus on the respectful treatment of everybody working and highlights that the content should also mirror a spectrum of real-life and fantastical sexual scenarios, a range of bodies and a broad variety of sexualities, genders and relationships.
It may be lead by the performers themselves, resulting in a more authentic and real experience.
Ethical Porn aims to validate our human desires, curiosity and needs.
Sex is a natural part of being human - and is not just a desire reserved for men. There are 7 billion of us on this planet, all with different hopes, dreams and desires, meaning that there is inevitability a bigger pool of pornographic content to explore that goes beyond the cis-hetero male-dominated sex that dominates the internet.
Mainstream Porn is heavily male-dominated because the male gaze is at full play; although that may be a turn on for some, there is more out there than this!
If you haven't felt like your needs and turn-ons have been shown in "traditional" Porn, maybe see what else is out there.
If we start to watch more empowering, female-friendly Porn, the industry should follow suit. Ethical Porn can put forward female sexuality in a way that mainstream Porn doesn't.
What isn't Ethical Porn:
Ethical Porn isn't just a romantic soap opera with slightly more graphic sex scenes, but you may see different angles that aren't just close-up penetration and perhaps more imaginative or stimulating than the ol' in and out, up and down.
There is a lot of shame surrounding sex and sexuality in our society. But
as long as it's safe and consensual, you should not feel any shame or embarrassment in following your own desires. Neither do you need to follow 'the norm' or what you may have been told/taught to want.
Sexuality is meant to be fun, explorational and fulfilling. Ethical Porn aims to show real pleasure, possibly show people's boundaries and constantly display consent in all avenues of making and distributing the content.
Five Ethical Porn Sites:
Bookmark this page, so next time you fancy watching Porn to satiate your sexual needs, you can B-line to some Ethical Porn!
1. PinkLabel.TV
Pink Label TV is a site run by Indie Adult Filmmakers, with a variety of different films with full-length run times, documentaries and shorts - almost like Criterion Cinema, but for Adult Films.
Just scrolling through the website is alluring in itself, there are no randomly chosen thumbnails of the films, but creative film posters. The attention to detail brings forward a legitimate angle to Adult films with real filmography; these are real productions with directors, producers, performers and a crew.
These are films focused on sensuality and eroticism.
The site can feel like an online film festival, with categories like: The Feminist Porn Gaze, Edu-Porn, Sexy Adult Education, BIPOC: Celebrating People of Colour in Porn Films, Trans and Non-Binary (without being negatively fetishised like mainstream porn).
PLTV is focused on giving emerging and independent filmmakers a platform; any of the films you pay for goes straight back to the filmmakers
This is an inspiring and almost nostalgic website, reminiscent of times when people had DVDs (or videotape!) to indulge in adult entertainment.
Use the code 'WWSC' for 15% off anything on the site: memberships, film rentals, even gift cards!
The code is valid through to the end of May 2021 (May is Masturbation Month!). All the more reason to have an ethical orgasm.
If a hotbed of queer sexuality is more your thing, you can use the same code for 15% off anything on Crash Pad Series too!
2. Bellesa
"The premier destination for all things female sexuality" greets you as you open the site.
Straight off the bat, you can see that a lot more care goes into the curation of the website and the pornographic content itself.
However, it is much more than just a website for videos; it also includes tabs for Sexual Education (that are interactive!), Erotic Stories, Articles, Sex Toy reviews and a store!
I'll say it, just IMAGINE if Pornhub had a sexual education tab!
One critique for the website is to have more variation on the representation of the performers in their films; it took five pages until I found a more plus-size woman featured, and all are very appealing to a Western audience.
"At Bellesa, we believe that sexuality on the internet should depict women as we truly are, as subjects of pleasure - not objects of conquest." Bellesa has an air of authenticity and promotes female sexual confidence.
3. Four Chambers
Four Chambers is an independent and conceptual project set up by
performer and artist Vex Ashley. Ashley has performed as a cam model
and then started Four Chambers to expand upon what pornography can be, do, or say.
It breaks traditional boundaries of the porn industry by keeping the films
and performers ambiguous; so there are no "petite" or "lesbian"
categories labels. It is inclusive, varied and extravagant.
The idea is that pornography is the medium in which people can explore artistic themes and cinematic ideas.
The website lets you view films, stills, written pieces, and you can even buy gift cards for your loved ones.
"…Four Chambers is a part of the growing decentralisation from
traditional adult industry practices and studios, raising money to support
the project… through ongoing community crowdfunding."
If you love incredibly constructed, creative cinema alongside your sexual
endeavours, Four Chambers may be of interest to you!
4. Lust Cinema
Director Erika Lust is big into sex positivity and wants to challenge traditional industry standards by promoting a higher quality of pornographic cinema, better story-telling and authentic sexual encounters, that feel more human.
The site also lets you search for work by sorting through a selection of other directors and performers. One critique would be a lack of showcasing POC and larger body types, but predominantly they have a huge variety of performers on the site.
If you sign up to the Lust cinema newsletter you get a free film!
5. Your friendly neighbourhood sex workers on OnlyFans and
Patreon!
Verified sex workers can work independently, without the 'middle man' taking a cut. Sites like OnlyFans and Patreon allow performers to interact directly with their audience and receive tips!
OnlyFans is a subscription-based platform, which looks similar to Instagram, making it feel more personable than most sites.
Sex work is work and deserves the same safeguarding and respect as any other profession.
So long as performers have chosen this industry and have not been coerced or trafficked, WWSC promotes performers, particularly women, to take pride in their choices and celebrate women enjoying pornographic material. Masturbate away gals!!!
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