It’s easy to go online and find porn. What’s not easy, is finding ethical porn, created and produced by women, for women, in what feels like a safe space to consume it. What does that even look or feel like? It can mean something different to everyone but for me, it means not being bombarded with ads, choices that feel more in tune with my desires, consent based films, and the knowledge that performers are paid a living wage.
“Big Porn” just doesn’t offer these things. Let’s be honest, most of us who consume porn have probably done so at least a few times on a free, tube site. I get it, I’ve done it myself in the past, even being part of the industry. Before I knew exactly how those sites worked, I thought somehow, the performers got a share of the ad revenue or were somehow being paid, even though I didn’t personally spend any money on the platform. It’s easy to convince ourselves we aren’t doing something wrong, especially when we’re broke and want a quick fix.
But using these tube sites isn’t ethical and more often than not, the performers whose videos and clips are featured on these sites never see a dime of the money made from them.
Research about these sites has taught me a number of things, one being, most of the videos uploaded to these tube sites aren’t even done with the performer’s permission. They’re taken from cam sites, ripped from DVDs, or screen grabbed from fan sites. Some may even be what’s known as revenge porn, videos and photos sent to a significant other at some point, then distributed after a breakup. The bottom line is, they’re not being distributed with consent. Clearly, not ethical porn.
Paying for your porn helps ensure performers are earning a living wage. Moreover, it changes the conversation about porn. How? When you pay for the porn you consume, you have a hand in sponsoring the kind of content you want to see–you’re supporting studios that do the right thing by providing safe spaces for their performers, who understand testing is important, who know conversations about consent mean a more comfortable environment for all, and the continuation of a product you enjoy.
Top Ethical Porn Sites For Women to Explore Their Sexuality
Erika Lust’s Feminist Collection of Ethical Porn Sites
Erika Lust is a pioneer in the porn industry for a reason and she’s created a number of sites to showcase her groundbreaking work. There’s site for just about anyone, from softcore porn to her exemplary XConfessions–where users can write in and disclose their own fantasies and potentially have it made into a film!
Else Cinema–When you’re looking for something else, Else Cinema, also known as The Erika Lust Soft Edition, then look no further. This is the first cinema of erotic movies that offers viewers a sensual experience. More romantic storylines and passionate affairs than your typical porn experience.
Lust Cinema–If you’re looking for porn that is feature-length or in a binge-worthy series with all-star adult performers, Lust Cinema is your answer. This is the adult studio for lovers of cinema and sex, with relatable storylines and realistic sex that’s part of a wider narrative. On Lust Cinema you will also find an extensive catalogue of porn films made by some of the top adult studios in the USA. Whether you’re craving lesbian porn or BDSM sex, expect to find it here starring some of your favorite porn performers.
XConfessions–Completely crowd-sourced erotic cinema: the public’s secret desires are turned into screenplays for Erika Lust and guest directors from around the world. If you’re ready to confess, your secret fantasy might just be their next short film!
The award-winning XConfessions was born in 2013 as the first step of Erika Lust’s mission to create a new wave of adult cinema. XConfessions is now home to a community of filmmakers, artists, performers, and viewers who love sex and film and are looking for a new kind of erotic experience.
Lust also has a non-profit, The Porn Conversation (TPC) which she runs with her partner, whose goal is to provide educational materials to parents, educators, and older teens concerning porn literacy. It’s a fantastic organization I am proud to be an ambassador for.
Lustery
Lustery–Founded in 2016 by Spanish filmmaker Paulita Pappel, Lustery started small, but with big ambitions. It germinated within Berlin’s sex-positive community with the goal of capturing the candid intimacy and raw passion of people’s sex lives. The market for the platform grew quickly, fed as much by word of mouth between couples as by an increasingly smut-literate audience hungry for authenticity in their porn. Its goal: To celebrate sex and relationships in their diversity by creating an archive of authentic intimacy and a sex-positive platform for people all around the world.
Side note, Paulita has been featured in a number of films which can be found on Erika Lust’s sites!
Sssh.com–Porn, reimagined. The award-winning site, Sssh, is the premier destination for sex-positive, ethical porn made from a woman’s point of view. Crowd-sourced films are inspired by fantasies and desires shared by their members. Their provocative storylines will challenge your perceptions of explicit sexual content. From cutting edge VR to narrative film, and what most porn sites leave out–written word and auditory stimulation. Sssh has been bringing phenomenal work to the porn industry since 1999, founded by critically acclaimed filmmaker, Angie Rowntree.
Ethical porn means something different to everyone, but the bottom line for most women is, we should be able to have a safe space to consume quality content to explore our sexuality. These sites provide that, while also having a bevy of items to choose from so we never run out of things to consume in the process.
If you’d like to speak further about any of these sites or porn literacy, get in touch!