Pornhub recognizes the important role Black performers play in the adult industry. We all have Black activists, authors, and yes, sex workers, to thank for the progress made in the discourse of sexuality in the post-modern era. The Black community have always been a cornerstone for the advocacy of sex worker and LGBTQ+ rights; rights that are vital for and inseparable from the porn industry. It’s important to recognize that the fight against puritanical policies that harm the sex work community have always had their roots in the Black liberation movement.
Someone who’s become a symbol of these values is Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman who was a central figure in the Stonewall uprising movement. She is recognized as one of the founding members of Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries, an organization that provided housing and support to sex workers and queer youth in Manhattan. We have these leaders to thank for laying the groundwork for things like the Model Program to even be able to exist today.
We invite you to explore the intersections of Blackness and sexuality, and the unique experiences of Black porn performers with the help of our guest contributors and mental health experts.
Devin D’Shae
It’s not uncommon for sex workers to face challenges and stigma when seeking support for their mental health. That’s why we’re proud to be partnered with Pineapple Support, a free resource that offers therapy and mental health care for members of the industry. We spoke to Devin D’shae (Masters in Mental Health Counseling), a therapist specializing in sexual expression to offer advice on healing, and to better understand the experiences of Black sex workers in our community. She teaches us how to have a holistic approach to sexuality and discusses issues like dating and burnout for sex workers.
Kamil Lewis
Kamil Lewis (LMFT) is a psychologist and sex therapist who works with Pineapple Support. Lewis joined us for a Q&A where she emphasized the importance of intersectionality, recognizing the roles that gender, sexuality, orientation, race, profession, and ability play in society. She discusses the importance of boundaries for sex workers, the different challenges Black SWs experience, and offers pointers on how the industry can improve.
Jet Setting Jasmine
Jet Setting Jasmine wears many hats and we’re always keen for a headwear fashion show. We sat down with the multi-hyphenate powerhouse, mother-clinical therapist-pornstar sensation Jasmine to discuss therapy and healing, the sustainability of sex work and the intersections of being a Black performer in the industry.
A practicing therapist with a Masters in Gerontology, Jasmine helps us better understand issues like fetishization and the importance of different forms of intimacy as the keys to happiness.
Along with her partner and fellow educator-pornstar-extraordinaire King Noire, the couple formed Royal Fetish Films, a lifestyle and education platform that celebrates the best of kinky sex, while putting Black performers at the forefront.
We’re excited to announce that Pornhub will be the official sponsor of Royal Fetish Radio, a podcast hosted by Jasmine and King Noire that serves to educate and entertain listeners on all things sex, kink and fetish. Stay tuned for more info!
Dirty Lola
Dirty Lola is a sex educator, entertainer, speaker, and self-proclaimed dildo slinger. Known for her live sex ed Q&A show Sex Ed A Go-Go and as co-host of New York Magazine’s The Cut’s “Sex Probz” web series, Lola uses her platform to make those uncomfortable conversations a little more comfortable. Lola has spent almost a decade working to end stigma and shame surrounding sex and sexuality, exploring and making sense of taboos like polyamory and sex toys. You can hear her discuss those topics and more in her conversation with Pornhub Ambassador Asa Akira on the Pornhub Podcast.
CHECK OUT THE EPISODE WITH DIRTY LOLA
Natassia Dreams
The Pornhub ambassador power-duo of Natassia Dreams and Asa Akira come together on an episode of the Pornhub Podcast to discuss the role of race in porn, and contemplate the age-old debate of Celebration vs. Fetishization. Natassia, a fashion model, actress, activist, and pornstar, offers her unique insight on the fashion and porn worlds as a Black trans woman.
LISTEN TO THE EPISODE WITH NATASSIA DREAMS
So join us in taking some time to familiarize ourselves with all the hard work these Black performers, authors, entertainers and educators have contributed to the ongoing discourse and fight for equality. Every year we get a little closer to an equitable experience for people regardless of race, age or sexual orientation. But the fight is long from over. There is a lot of work to be done. And it begins with broadening our horizons, educating ourselves on history and how it has shaped modern times, and learning how we can become better allies.
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