The cultural stigma surrounding rape and conversations about rape are widespread.
But what about rape that occurs in the porn industry?
When well-known porn star Stoya accused fellow porn performer and former boyfriend James Deen of rape on Twitter, fans, reporters and critics were sent reeling.
That thing where you log in to the internet for a second and see people idolizing the guy who raped you as a feminist. That thing sucks.
— Stoya (@stoya) November 28, 2015
I want to assure my friends, fans and colleagues that these allegations are both false and defamatory
— James Deen (@JamesDeen) November 30, 2015
James Deen is a high-profile porn star who has been lauded for his relatable hipster appearance and his attention to the pleasure of his female co-stars.
Deen has also been described by the Guardian as “the porn star even a feminist could like” by female critics.
We would like to point out describing Deen as “a porn star feminists could like” or labeling Deen as a feminist is problematic. The porn industry as a whole is notorious for misogynistic practices.
Deen’s acclaim seems to mostly come from his previous reputation of being attentive to his female co-stars.
Being unselfish during sex hardly qualifies someone as a feminist.
However, the title is especially inappropriate considering Deen has insisted he is not a feminist, according to the Guardian.
The Editorial Board condemns any act of violence and believes consent is mandatory for all sexual acts, especially sexual acts that are done professionally.
Being a participant of the porn industry, or a sex worker of any kind, is not an open invitation for unwanted sexual advances.
Stoya claims the rape she suffered took place outside a professional porn setting and occurred while she and Deen were dating.
Since coming out with allegations against Deen, eight other female porn performers have corroborated Stoya’s story with other stories of abuse by Deen in a professional setting.
Many female performers have Deen on their “no” list of people they do not want to do scenes with because of his reputation in the industry as liking “to break women,” as performer Leathers told the Guardian.
Many critics and anti-porn advocates argue the outpouring of rape accusations from other performers leads them to believe these subsequent accusations are false.
Well, identifying your rapist on a public platform, especially when you are famous, is incredibly difficult and puts your career at risk. If one person speaks about a rape, it is easier for others to speak out as well.
The rape allegations against Deen bring up important issues about how the porn industry and its performers are viewed by society.
Porn performers are often viewed as not being subject to sexual assault with the distinction between porn and rape being hard to define.
The Editorial Board believes the distinction between porn and rape should be consent.
There is no reason for any person to fear being raped or sexually assaulted by co-workers while they are at work or at home with a romantic partner.
The idea that a person working as a sex performer automatically consents to all sexual acts is a myth. Just because a person participates in sex acts as a profession does not mean he or she desires to be sexual with all people at all times.
Porn stars deserve the same rights to autonomy and protection just as any other human being does.
Rape is rape, no matter what.
