Antonio grows

"THE ACTORS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.

In a perfect world, everyone would have access to healthcare regardless of their job. Unfortunately, we do not live in that world, and by consuming free porn, we may be contributing to sexual exploitation, loss of income for sex workers, and more.

When you’re watching porn, consider if the actors have access to sexual healthcare and STI check-ups. Is mental health a priority at this studio? Can you verify that the actors are consenting? It’s not perfect, as some of the answers to these questions aren’t always in writing, but reading about the site on their FAQ page, seeing what other adult content consumers have said or written about the website, and following the actors on social media can make your decision easier. For example, Bellesa Plus notes on their site that they do rigorous STI testing, COVID-19 testing, and more for their performers. Ethical sites will often state health guidelines such as this, as well as confirm their actors are consenting adults. If there’s no public information available, that in and of itself may be a sign.

All forms of sex work are true work. Smith shared a quote from a sex-ed celebrity named Dr. Eric Sprankle, whom she admires: “​​If you think sex workers ‘sell their bodies,’ but coal miners do not, your view of labor is clouded by your moralistic view of sexuality.”

Smith references this particular notion frequently. “I ask folks to consider the stories and words and viewpoints of sex workers themselves,” she says. “It’s a stereotype that everyone who does sex work was sexually abused. We need to look beyond those stereotypes.”

Many organizations, such as Fight The New Drug, a nonprofit that wrongly compares porn use to drug use and touts that “Porn Kills Love,” reject all forms of pornography and wish to rid it entirely. In fact, they often use the phrase “porn addiction” on their site and social media, but the scientific community does not recognize this as a diagnosable problem. According to the “Why Sex Addiction Isn’t Real” episode of the Doing It! with Hannah Witton podocast, the clinical criteria of addiction includes a “significant risk of death.” Therefore, comparing drugs, alcohol and other substances to sex and porn may be a poor metaphor when you consider what experts say. Of course, compulsive behaviors can be a problem in which therapy is needed, but not an “addiction.”

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