Speaking of ethics, I just posted my newest installment in my column Ethical Pornographer. In this one I interview Scott Owens of EroticBPM. The truth is we’re buddies. We’ve known each other a long time, but he’s also someone I look up to a lot. He’s also the person that I’m currently exploring starting an ethical certification for adult products and services with. He’s pretty rad and you should read about him!
Here’s a snippet:
GJ: You’ve boasted before that feminists like your website. How, as a man, do you feel that helps or hurts your business model and why do you think they say they like your website?
SO: Early on, this was a really interesting thing for me. It felt really good to come into an industry that many at the time viewed as purely exploitive of women and then really get a sort of stamp of approval from not just women but feminists.
I think the way that I worked with women and gave them the freedom to express themselves how they want without pressure or incentive, it connected with a lot of people.
Unfortunately, it became a sort of marketing gimmick for a lot of sites to appear feminist by appearing to or actually being run by women. I didn’t jump on with that and it probably hurt me a bit. For a while I got quite a bit of email from people who said they could not support me or work with me because I was a man. Some people believe that a man in porn can not be feminist and will always inherently be exploitative of women. I disagree, but with so many different schools of thought on feminism it’s not something I care to debate with people.
Today it is less of an issue, I don’t give much thought to it or hear much about it because I don’t define or promote my business that way. Though, nothing has changed, I still have the same ethics that brought me the attention in the first place.
I posted this on the main article, but thought I would throw it here as well.
I am a model who is just getting started, really. I’ve only done a few sets, and they have been in my spare time. EroticBPM is one of the sites I have been looking at recently to expand my work as a model, and I have to say that I absolutely love the interactions I have had so far. A lot like the sites I already work for (GeekGirlsOnline.com and Pixel-Vixens.com), the members and models seem very friendly, and there is a TON going on in the community. Reading this interview with the owner only makes me like the website even more.
Scott is an awesome guy, have known him a long time through EroticBPM. He is an honest and trustworthy person, which is very rare in this industry.
Thanks for doing the interview, Garnet! I am looking forward to your interviews with other ethical people in the industry and really looking forward to working with you more on this idea we have.
SilentFox, you need to come around more!
Lizzy Kaelar. It’s been nice having you around lately and look forward to potentially working with you in the future. :)