While it's easy to think that pornography has only been around since the dawn of easy publication (the times of mass-produced magazines, books and videos), that isn't the case. It is far, far older. Archeologists have been surprised - many a time - to find cave drawings that depict explicit sex acts - some drawn as long ago as 37,000 years ago.
It's no surprise when you think about it, though. Sex is pleasurable for most bodies, and orgasm can be the culmination of that pleasure. Just like we have a focus on food (look at cookbooks and recipe blogs!), sleep (look at all the gadgets and science to help us get better sleep!), and drinks (just look at the beverage aisle in your local supermarket!) as a society, we also have a pretty large focus on sex - and the easiest way to see that is through the wide breadth of pornography.
No matter your taste, there's probably porn out there designed to fit it perfectly. If you can think about it or become aroused by it, there's likely porn out there for it - from armpit hair to pony play to anal stretching and more.
Plus, there's lots and lots of porn that steers away from fetish fun, too - some that might focus on romance and connection more-so than just the fitting of genitals together.
As porn has become so popular, though, some of the downsides of any capitalist empire have popped up. Some of these issues make the news - like the mistreatment of the talent or sexual abuse. Some of these issues don't necessarily make the news - like the long working hours, inability to set limitations on activities without impacting a star's career, and the completely glamourized, unrealistic portrayal of sex.
Read: Statistics Say Our Porn Tastes are Getting Less Kinky
Just like every other industry that makes products for profit, pornography hasn't escaped the rush to make as much money as possible - often at the expense of the people who make the product possible.
It doesn't have to be that way, though. Just like we have fair trade policies for our food or sustainability certification for our products, pornography has the term "ethical porn".
Image courtesy of Bellesa House
What Is Ethical Porn?
Ethical porn means that the porn you're watching was made with the performer's comfort and enjoyment at the forefront of the entire production.
If your porn is ethical, the stars can choose who they have sex with; it isn't assigned based on "what will look best". This results in stars choosing other stars who they have a genuine connection with - which can lead to way hotter, way more electric foreplay and sex. My favorite is when the camera crew happens to catch those sultry, melt-your-brain moments of eye contact that just make my entire body shiver.
Ethical porn also means that everyone participating in a scene is aware of - and consents to - everything that's done within the scene. This means sharing any storyline ideas with the talent before the day of the shoot - and giving performers the time to talk about their interests and limits before the scene is shot. It also means that no last-minute changes or expectations are made.
Ethical pornography also avoids a lot of the "male gaze" concerns with pornography. Instead, both (or all, if there's more than two!) people within the scene are treated as equals - and the filming focuses on the connection and genuine pleasure of both people. No gender is treated as a person to be "tricked" into having sex - which has, unfortunately, become a common enough trope in pornography that it's bled into our everyday lives.
Read: I caught my girlfriend watching porn, how do I talk to her about it?
Ethical porn also means providing a safe environment for everyone on the crew during filming. Anyone can call "cut" at any time - if it's ever needed - without repercussions. For anyone who is having sexual contact, this means rigorous STI (and COVID-19 right now, too!) testing before performances to ensure everyone's safety. And for comfort, this means food, water, and lube is readily available to ensure everyone's bodily needs are met - and the focus can be on the sex. (Much like any video production, sex scenes can take a bit to shoot. Much longer than you'd assume!)
Read: What Porn Performers Can Teach Us About Safer Sex
How to Find Ethical Porn?
Almost all ethical porn sites are proud to display their practices. While treating the crew like the treasured people they are should be standard, it isn't. It costs more money and can take more time. This means that most adult sites that shoot ethical porn are likely to make it clear that they've taken the time and money to shoot their porn right. They want you to know about their practices - so you can enjoy their porn, 100% guilt-free while knowing that all of the staff was treated with the respect and care they deserve.
Image courtesy of Bellesa House
If you're unable to find specific wording about responsible porn, you also can attempt to find verbiage about women-owned or feminist porn sites. Either of those terms tend to include better work environments for the talent within the films - especially for the people who have vaginas.
If you just want a quick recommendation, I'd go with Bellesa. Not only do they have a "Pay What You Can Afford" subscription (I'm really impressed with that!), but the company is run by women - and all of their content is ethically made. Not only do they have videos that are sorted out by sections, but they also offer erotic stories and sex education too. The range of videos is pretty huge, too, as they offer over 50 porn channels with unlimited 4K streaming, too.
Responsible Porn is Important
When it comes down to it, ethical porn shouldn't have to have its own title. It should just be the way that all adult content is filmed. Until that day comes, supporting ethical porn companies over non-ethical porn (especially pirated porn!) helps push the industry over to ethical practices - little by little. If we stop giving our views (and money) to porn that exploits the crew and talent, just like anything else in the world of consumerism, we'll start to see that long-overdue change in our porn.
