How Racist is the Porn Industry?

In 2013, how much racism is in our porn?

Without question, racism is alive and well within the porn industry.  I don’t think this is a secret.  In recent weeks, some porn veterans have even come out and talked openly about some racist elements of the industry that they’ve worked in for several years.  And while I don’t believe that everyone – or even most people – who are associated with or enjoy porn are racist, it’s something that certainly a big enough aspect of the adult entertainment industry that it’s hard to miss.  So in 2013, how racist is the porn industry?

As it is with much of the entertainment and media world, much of the porn industry is run by white men.  Many of these industry leaders have been involved with the industry for years and they’re views on race (among other things) hasn’t changed much since the 70’s.  And while just because a person is old and white doesn’t make them an automatic racist, it does help explain why certain elements of the porn industry seem so dated.  As an example, just look around at some of the titles of some new porn films; We Vow to Bang Black Beotches 2, Black Street Hookers 105, Asian Pussy Pho Yu, and Yellow Beaver Fever.  Outright racist?  Maybe.  Potentially offensive?  Definitely.

Another, fairly high-profile incident of blatant racism in porn involves Joanna Angel and her upcoming Walking Dead porn parody.  When she posted some behind the scenes pictures on her blog, many people – including some mainstream media types – reacted with shock and disgust.  That was because she was openly flaunting the fact that instead of finding an Asian character to play the role of Glenn, or choosing to simply not have him be Asian in her parody, she decided to take Danny Wylde’s eyes back in a slant and paint his face yellow.  To make matters worse, in responding to the controversy, Joanna Angel seemed genuinely angry that people would be calling her out for using a white actor and “yellowface” to portray a minority character.

What do pornstars say about racism in porn?

I’m not a porn “insider”.  I sometimes comment on the adult industry and frequently post porn news and reviews, but I won’t pretend for a second to have any kind of expert point of view when it comes to the inner workings of the porn world.  However, there are several recent examples of big-name pornstars – both male and female – coming out and openly talking about what they describe as racism being alive and well within the industry.

Aurora Snow got a lot of attention last month for her Daily Beast article, “Interracial Sex Still Taboo for Many Porn Stars“.  In that article, written just last month, she pointed out that there are many reasons – some that are more about naivety than racism – that factor into some pornstars not wanting to engage in on-camera interracial sex.  However, she summed up her thoughts like this…

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how much racism exists in the porn business, or in our society, for that matter. Consumers are still buying stereotypes. An interracial porn shoot frequently portrays the big black man with the tiny white girl. This remains a popular marketing strategy—a typical bestselling series called “Blacks on Blondes” is one of many banking on these stereotypes. That’s what it’s all about: performers, directors, agents, and companies all trying to find a way to make the most money for themselves out of the vexing assumptions and stereotypes that still surround race and sex.

In that same article, Aurora Snow quoted Kristina Rose – one of the most successful female stars currently working in porn – on race and porn.  According to Rose…

Racism exists, and it exists in porn. I was told by my agent that girls who did interracial didn’t make as much money. I wish I hadn’t listened to my agent—if I had been doing interracial from the beginning, I probably would have won Performer of the Year.

Then, just yesterday, Lexington Steele made headlines when he offered his thoughts on racism in porn.  As a hugely respected director and performer – Steele is the only guy to win AVN’s Performer of the Year award three times and just signed on as a director for Evil Angel – his opinions on the subject obviously are hard to ignore.  In an interview appearing over at News One, Steele offered this opinion of racism in porn…

It’s definitely something that exists, and I think it’s something that’s built within the fabric of the industry, because if you look at the individuals that are in positions of authority over some of the white females, the ones governing them are the ones implementing this practice of no interracial. It’s their managers, boyfriend or husband or family members.

It’s just an element of American culture that still exists, and that is the feeling that a white female will be deflowered or soiled, if you will, by doing a scene with a black male. But that does speak to the continued existence of bigotry and racism, and I don’t think porno is unaffected by certain elements of American culture. And quite honestly, adult media is the only major business that allows for the practice of exclusion based upon race.

Steele makes a valid point, in my opinion, in regards to the porn industry being the only major media business that is so open to racial segregation.  As pointed out by Steele, Kirstina Rose, and Aurora Snow, it’s common for adult performers to openly refuse to work with members of a different race.  But can you imagine that happening in any mainstream entertainment outlet?  A major film or television star making it public knowledge that they don’t work with black people?  Such a move would be tantamount to career suicide.  Just ask Mel Gibson about all the awesome things becoming an open racist did for his career.

Why does the porn industry get away with this kind of racism?

So if we all agree that racism is bad and that we live in an age where it’s not acceptable, why does it continue to be an issue with the porn industry?  Well, I think the short answer is because the general public honestly doesn’t expect very much from porn in terms of morals.  So if there’s no outrage over it, what’s the incentive to clean its act up?  If lots of people still pay money to watch porn films that openly flaunt and exploit racial stereotypes, why stop making it?  Which raises another point; it’s not just the porn industry that’s comfortable with racism…so is its audience.

Like any business, the porn industry is motivated first and foremost by money.  If racial stereotypes continue to help sell porn movies, it’s common sense that adult studio executives and directors will continue to give the people what they want.  And since most people tend to keep their porn preferences and purchases on the down low, it’s not as if they suffer any kind of disapproval from their friends and family for supporting such things.  So, yeah, the people who watch porn (which is a lot of people) are just as guilty for the racism within the adult industry because they support it in the form of their money and time.

As long as racism is a money making business model, it will continue to exist within the framework of the adult industry.

Not everyone in porn is a racist

I think that’s an important thing to keep in mind, here.  Yes, there’s some questionable things going on within the porn industry when it comes to race, but I don’t believe that the porn industry as whole is racist.  Like American society in general, I think that the adult industry is in many ways very open minded and progressive.  And while the porn industry might have a ways to go in many areas when it comes to cleaning up its act, it’s also filled with some very smart, open-minded, and kind-hearted people.

Like any industry or community, the porn industry isn’t perfect.  But it is making progress.  Slowly, I think we’re seeing some of that racist bullshit being phased out.  And I think that so many of the industry’s top talent is being open and honest about the problems within the industry is a good thing.  That will only help speed the reforms up, in my opinion.  And as porn becomes more accepted in the mainstream, I think we’ll continue to see the porn industry get its act together.

And as for the rest of us who enjoy watching porn, I think it’s important for us to keep the conversation going.  And to call racism out when we see it.  Don’t spend your money on films that exploit racial stereotypes.  Be okay with expecting better from your porn and the people who make it.