Lila Alma and Phoenix Rae in a still from the award-winning erotic film “Il Pleut”, by ForPlay Films
Is there even such a thing as ethical or feminist porn? We don’t blame you for asking.
The phrase “porn for women”, or “feminist porn” might seem like a contradiction in terms. And here at Forplay Films, we get it! The world of standard porn production has long been an iffy one. You might already have seen articles and documentaries about the dangers of industrially-produced porn. Maybe you already know about the exploitation and boundary violations. Maybe you’re aware of the racism, sexism, ageism and exclusion that’s common in the industry. Or perhaps you’ve noticed the lack of representation of different body-types, gender expressions, and even tastes, clicking around out there on the internet.
The truth is that the porn industry – like many other industries – too often puts profits over people, and everyone suffers as a result. Especially women, and other marginalized folks.
Thankfully, more and more consumers (like you!) are looking for and supporting indie porn producers that strive to be better. That’s where porn for women, and by women and queer folk, comes in. Also described as ethical, feminist, or indie porn (or the way we like to describe ourselves, “holistic” porn) these companies center women, womxn, and queer performers’ pleasure and power. And they still deliver porn that’s even more real, artistic, and downright sexy than the industrial stuff. Win-win!
Just the fact that you’re here on this article means that you’re part of the great awakening. Whoever you are, and whatever your gender-identity – Congratulations, thank-you, and welcome!
We promise, there’s something for everyone in the ethical porn world – and it’s all freaking hot!
So what IS ethical porn, and why is it important?
There are lots of words to describe this growing movement of porn. “Ethical”, “holistic”, “sustainable” or “feminist” are popular labels. So is “porn for women” (although non-binary folks and men can absolutely enjoy any of this too!).
Whatever the phrase, these labels usually describe porn that does the following things:
Centering pleasure
Unlike lots of old-fashioned standard porn (where, let’s be real, you can TOTALLY tell that people are “faking it”) Ethical porn often seeks to invite and capture genuine pleasure from their performers. Ethical porn producers will craft their scenes and films to cater to what the performer actually likes and wants to do – which, honestly, makes it better for all of us. Who DOESN’T prefer seeing a real, honest-to-goodness orgasm rather than half-hearted grimaces and b-movie moaning? Also, orgasm doesn’t have to be the be-all-and-end-all – sexuality and sensuality can include all sorts of intimacy and sensations. Centering pleasure also means centering what the performers themselves find pleasurable, which bring us to…
Centering consent
Ethical porn sites are extremely up-front and clear about getting their performers’ consent. You’ll sometimes (not always) get to see behind-the-scenes interviews or pre-scene negotiations with the performers. This can help reassure you of their limits and boundaries and hell-yes-es. And if someone needs to stop during a scene for any reason, or changes their mind mid-shoot, an ethical production company will respect those needs and adjust accordingly. The safety of the performer, physical and emotional, outweighs everything.
Representation – of race, gender expression, sexuality, body types, ability, or age
Porn has long had serious issues with representation and diversity. For far too long, men and women both had to fit into painfully narrow definitions of “hot” in order to work. And that definition of “hot” was often limited to pale and skinny with big hair and big boobs for women, ultra-hung and muscular for men. And forget about representing queerness! When diversity was featured, it was usually fetishized – the performers reduced to their “otherness”, human props of exoticism – “Interracial! Asian! Indian! BBW! MILFS! Grannies!”. Not their full humanity, let alone their own needs and desires. Seriously, that whole way of looking at the world, and yourself within it, can mess with your head, no matter which side of the screen you’re on!
Thankfully, much like the worlds of advertising and media in general, things are starting to open up. Consumers are demanding representation that looks more like them, more like their own quirky desires, and more like the real world. Porn made for women will often consciously feature a wide variety of performers. And who knows, you might find your own desires expanding, as a result!
Paying performers, profit-sharing, and/or performer-owned production companies
Sex work is work, and porn is no exception. Everything costs money during production, from the script-writing, to locations, to lighting, to costumes (even if they quickly come off!). And of course, the most important and essential part of porn is the performers themselves. Porn actors give us the gift of profound vulnerability, intimacy and exposure. Think about it – they literally put their bodies and emotions on the line so we can get our rocks off. Thank-you pornstars! We owe you!
Ethical porn productions companies will engage in fair pay practices, and/or collaborate in content creation with full consent of the performers involved. Often ethical porn sites will also have profit-sharing or co-ownership programs with their performers. And, of course, if you’re giving money to a production company owned by the performers themselves, you know you’re giving right to the source!
Artistic and Cinematic Flair
As a nice side-benefit, the vast majority of producers making porn for women pride themselves not only on their ethical values, but on their production values too! Whether you’re interested in storylines and fantastic acting, beautiful cinematography, authentic intimacy, or spectacular art direction, you can find an ethical porn producer for you. These aren’t just cut-rate pornographers looking to churn out quantity rather than quality, but artistes, auteurs, and storytellers in their own right. And many of them happen to be female, or proudly queer.
A Mission
Often these indie outfits also have a mission. It might be to specifically make porn for women, and the female gaze. They might cater to underserved populations, celebrate diverse bodies and tastes, tell certain niche stories, or reject conventional porn labels. They might just want to find the joy in porn! Several outfits (like Forplay Films!) also have an educational component to their companies, seeking to make your life better even as they get you off. So you can not only enjoy yourself, but rest easy in that as you’re rubbing one out, you’re also making the world a slightly better place. Good for you!
Transparency
No matter what their specific policies are, ethical porn producers will be up-front with them. Look for a page on their site that explains what their values are, and how that manifests in practice.
Payment
All of this costs money, time, and resources, so expect to pay for your porn. By paying for your porn, you’re supporting the efforts of these ethical/feminist producers, and helping be part of changing porn for the better – Thank-you!
Conclusion
The world of Ethical Porn is growing every day, and we’re so excited to be part of it. We believe porn for women can make the whole eco-system of porn a better place, for everybody, no matter who they are.
If you’re interested in seeing more, check out our own holistic porn offerings at Forplay Films, where we pride ourselves on delivering incredibly hot porn that is also mindful, ethical, and cares for your well-being as well as your libido. Don’t forget to check out our free Sexucation videos for our fun educational series of short films, and if you want more one-on-one mentoring in desire and arousal, we do that too. Sign up for our email list to stay abreast (ahem) of new content, and don’t miss out! And consider becoming a member and supporting our mission to get full access to all our films, at only $9.99 a month. Be part of the sustainable-porn revolution!