Erika Lust Invites Le Haut Conseil to Ethical Porn Talk

I invite Sylvie PIERRE-BROSSOLETTE, Président du Haut Conseil à l’Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes, to a briefing on the mission and impact of ethically produced porn, as it was an area completely overlooked in the recent report, “Pornocriminalité. Mettons fin à l’impunité de l’industrie pornographique”

The abolitionists are out in full force, once again aiming to polarize the public and demonize porn as a whole rather than looking closely at the issue. The IFOP survey (commissioned by a VPN provider) followed hot on the heels of the HCE report to reinforce negative perceptions. Yet, our recent research shows that:

Source: ERIKALUST surveyed 1,000 French women over 30 in September 2023 to represent the broader population

I began making erotic films 20 years ago because I was sick of watching porn that didn’t represent me or women in general and that I couldn’t enjoy since it was made from a male perspective. I wanted to see the sex that I liked on screen. I wanted to do my part in changing the rules of porn from within, to prove that we can represent sex in which everybody is treated as equal sexual collaborators with credible stories and characters that don’t follow tired stereotypes and gender-based power imbalance.

We’ve come a long way. Not just ERIKALUST but others who have joined this movement, especially in France, and the HCE’s report feels like a step back. A government body scrutinizes the porn industry without considering the progress and significance of ethically produced porn and the work we have done to arrive here. This snubs our efforts and strengthens the culture of misogyny and violence that we have been working to change for many years.

Inside the porn industry, many producers are working to offer consumers the choice of ethically produced porn. The label “ethically produced porn” immediately identifies a type of porn that celebrates human sexuality in a positive and even educational way, putting sex performers' and crews' safety on set at the forefront.

Porn is known for many reasons, and we do think it really has an impact in our society, but not in the way it is so much promoted. Porn can be a tool that encourages sex positivity and inclusivity. It can be a way to nourish sexuality, celebrate sexual and gender diversity, and see sex as a healthy, natural part of life worth celebrating. We must ensure what we watch is safe and support the producers who have worked for many years to make ethically produced porn available for all adults.

In ERIKALUST and many other independent productions, we incorporated a crucial figure in our shoots years ago: the intimacy coordinator. Intimacy coordinators are the primary support for all performers involved in every movie we shoot. Their work begins before the shoots, with the 'consent talk'. During this discussion, performers express and negotiate each other’s boundaries, preferences, and limitations. They also agree on which safer sex methods to use, such as condoms, dental dams, gloves, etc. All boundaries are established prior to each shoot, and everyone on set ensures they are consistently respected. The intimacy coordinator is also present throughout the entire shoot and serves as the primary point of contact for the performers. They maintain ongoing communication with them before, during, and after the sex scenes to ensure their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

• Take care of every single detail with the goal of promoting gender equality, intimacy, diversity, affirmative consent, safety, pleasure, and sexual freedom and exploration
• Create narratives that challenge the traditional gaze in mass-produced porn
• Refuse to typecast performers based on their age, race, sexuality, or gender, and her movies represent a wide range of human body shapes, identities, and sexualities.
• Create a sex-positive space for all genders to reclaim their sexuality, pleasure, and desires.
• Bring cinematic porn with relatable characters and engaging stories, following safe and respectful standards.
• We embrace varied and empowering perspectives on porn, sexuality, and pleasure along with our educational initiatives and digital content

I look forward to the response of Madame PIERRE-BROSSOLETTE and hope we can have a meeting soon to recognise this movement.