What Is Ethical Porn & Why Does It Matter? Experts Weigh In
Filmmakers, performers, and sexperts share their insights.
If you’re curious about watching porn, you might be overwhelmed by options. From “MILF” to “amateur” to “lesbian” to terms that will 100% make you blush, there are endless genres of porn available to consume. You may even have heard of “ethical porn” (sometimes called “feminist porn”) which sounds good in theory, but what does the term actually mean? Similar to calling food “organic” or makeup “cruelty-free,” it’s important to understand the deeper meaning of buzzy, feel-good labels — especially when it comes to sex.
What, exactly, does it mean for porn to be ethical? There’s no single, simple definition for ethical porn, but it typically refers to porn that’s made consensually, treats performers with respect, and celebrates diversity. However, there are still a number of nuances to watch out for. Because there are no official certifying bodies that differentiate ethical from non-ethical porn, it can be difficult to determine what’s what. Plus, because ethics are based in part on your personal values — and no two people are going to see the topic the same way — ethical porn is a moving target.
That said, there are some criteria to look for when determining whether porn is ethical or not. To get the lowdown on this topic, I spoke with filmmakers, porn performers, and more. Here’s what they had to say.
What Is Ethical Porn?
Rachel Mossey, who runs the casting agency Weeble Mountain out of Portland, Oregon, points out two defining qualities of ethical porn. “The central considerations are consent and compensation for performers,” she tells Elite Daily. “Are performers consenting to the sex acts depicted, and are they consenting to their imagery being shared online? Are they receiving fair compensation for their work?”
Ultimately, consuming ethical porn isn’t that much more complicated than other kinds of shopping. If you’ve ever gone thrift shopping to avoid buying fast fashion, you’ve already got the hang of it. Finding ethical porn is about understanding how to cut through the noise of marketing hype and buying from companies whose business practices you support.
Heather McPherson of the Sexual Health Alliance, makes a similar comparison. She suggests you think of choosing “ethical” porn like opting for fair-trade coffee because you know the product supports sustainable farming and prohibits forced labor. “[Y]ou can drink it [and not feel] guilty that it was made by exploiting people,” she tells Elite Daily. “Ethical porn offers you the same feeling, so you can watch it and not worry that people were being taken advantage of or harmed. Ultimately, that leads to a sexier experience.”
McPherson adds, “The responsibility is on both the consumers and producers of erotic content to collaborate in creating an industry that is based on healthy sexual values. As consumers, “[w]e can choose to support porn and porn performers who behave in ethical ways.”
How Can You Tell If Porn Is Made Ethically?
The term “ethical porn” means different things to different people, and it’s not always clear whether or not porn production is actually ethical or not. However, there are a few key questions to ask that can help you decide.
Are performers being fairly compensated?
As with any ethical labor practice, porn performers should be paid a fair wage for their work. But when finding porn online, it can be tricky to tell whether or not performers are being fairly compensated. That said, one of the best ways to ensure that happens is to pay for your porn and purchase it directly from the source or performer. Queer porn star Jiz Lee tells Elite Daily, “If you're paying for porn — especially if you're purchasing it directly from the performer who wants very much to sell it to you — then the chances are pretty high that you don't have to worry [about it being ethical].”
Porn performer Rion Rhodes also recommends going directly to the source when purchasing content. “[F]ind performers you like online and figure out if they have something like OnlyFans,” Rhodes says. “If you follow the performers [on [Instagram]/Twitter) they can guide you to where they'd like you to find more of their work. Some even offer custom content, if that's your thing!”
The other benefit of supporting content creators directly is that many have low minimum prices for following them. On OnlyFans, subscriptions begin at $4.99 a month and some Patreon accounts start even lower than that, which is great if you’re on a budget.
Unfortunately, the payment practices of production companies aren’t super transparent, so aside from paying performers directly (like on OnlyFans), it’s difficult to know how they’re being compensated for their work. Plus, royalties aren’t really a thing in the porn world. “One thing that may be interesting for people to know is that usually, performers don't continue to make income off of videos that are out there in the world, even if they're behind a paywall,” Rhodes explains. “Producers, production companies, editors... they are the ones that profit in that way. Some organizations, like Make Love Not Porn, do offer payouts to performers based on views/rentals, but those are often the same organizations that do not pay performers up front.”
Does the content celebrate diverse bodies and identities?
Another way to determine whether or not porn is ethical is to make note of the identities, bodies, and storylines the content is showcasing. Rhodes suggests “[p]aying attention to what words people use to describe their work and their performers, [including] seeing how they highlight performers' bodies.” She also recommends looking out for “homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, or racism” in a company’s marketing. These can be helpful indications of whether or not the porn is being produced ethically or not and if performers are being treated with respect.
Remember: As a consumer, you can influence the production of ethical porn, too. What information are you feeding the algorithms about the content you’re willing to support? “Pay for what you want to see more of!” Lee recommends. “Encourage diverse representations of sexuality and gender expressions. Consumers have a lot of power over what gets made and what sex looks like. Put your wallet where your passions are.”
Have the performers given consent?
It should go without saying that for porn to be ethical, the performers need to consent to everything happening in the scenes being filmed. “I like to see a statement of consent by the performers themselves before or after the scene,” says Mossey, who recommends taking this step anytime you’re confused about whether content has been made ethically or not.
Consent can sometimes come in the form of a brief interview with the performer (it may be attached to the main film or available as a separate clip). For example, Crash Pad offers interviews in the form of a “bonus” clip in which you can hear how the performers decided what acts to perform or how they navigated safe sex practices. When assessing for consent, you may also be able to access behind-the-scenes information about how the performers chose their own co-stars.
If a video interview isn’t provided, it’s tricky to know with 100% certainty that performers consented to what you see on screen. Although production companies should have consent forms on file, these are generally not available to the public, in part because they’ll often include full legal names in addition to stage names. Luckily, more performers are speaking out these days about unethical practices, so check your favorite performers’ social accounts to see what they say about different producers (or research the production company for any red flags).
Where To Find Ethical Porn
Providing specific examples of ethical porn is a tricky business — both because personal ethics vary and because new information constantly emerges that can alter these lists suddenly and dramatically. With those caveats in mind, some experts suggest platforms like Pink Label, Blue Artichoke Films, X Confessions, Four Chambers, and Aorta Films.
If porn films aren’t for you, or if you can’t get past a lack of transparency about production practices, there are other formats of erotic content available. From written erotica and erotic art to audio erotica, the possibilities are endless. These formats may also simplify questions of ethics; for instance, in the case of written erotica, audio erotica, or erotic art shared by the creator, the performer and producer are often the same person. While cases certainly vary, purchasing porn directly from content creators tends to be ethical and affordable (one erotic artist I follow has a monthly Patreon subscription for only $2).
If you’re into visual stimuli, you can find erotic content on DeviantArt by searching for relevant keywords — but you’ll need to register a free account to access anything marked as adult content. When you find an artist you like, you can often support them by purchasing prints or other merch.
Another free option for both written and audio content is the website Literotica. Launched in 1998, Literotica allows users to submit their own stories. The site includes all amateur content, so the quality varies, but if you’re willing to do some digging there are gems to be found. (Just be aware that the format of the site looks like it hasn’t been updated since it was first launched, and there are some spammy ads to dodge. Alas, the price of free content!)
Quinn, an app for audio erotica, can be accessed for $2.99 a month. And Dipsea, another audio erotica option, starts at $4.99 a month. Both platforms offer free trials so you can check them out before making a commitment. Podcast listeners may enjoy Rose Caraway’s The Kiss Me Quick’s Erotic Stories.
Porn Consumption Is Still (Sadly) Stigmatized
It’s impossible to talk about ethical porn without acknowledging the ongoing stigma surrounding sex. For example, even calling something "ethical porn" implies that most porn isn't ethical. Lee tells Elite Daily, “[T]he phrase ‘ethical porn’ has the same issue as its earlier predecessor ‘feminist porn,’ because as a descriptor, it implies that the majority of porn was by definition not feminist or not ethical.” It’s not that ethics in the porn industry don’t matter — the trick is making sure we don’t let this language choice become a meaningless marketing buzzword or another way the porn industry is stigmatized.
It may seem like a subtle distinction, but words matter. Think about the way language has shifted when it comes to talking about safer sex. It used to be commonplace to say “clean” when discussing a negative STI test, but using the word “clean” implies that people who test positive for an STI are dirty in some way. This, in turn, can add further shame and stigma to issues regarding sex.
That said, that the term “ethical porn” is far from perfect, and the language for the concept will likely continue to evolve along with more nuanced discourse around porn and sex work. In the meantime, don’t let the fear of getting it wrong keep you from exploring.
Experts:
Jiz Lee, queer porn star and editor of Coming Out Like a Porn Star
Heather McPherson, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST-S, Sexual Health Alliance
Rion Rhodes, porn performer
Rachel Mossey, casting director and filmmaker
