What We Can Learn About Consent from the Porn World (GQ.com)

Read the full article by Rae Witte at GQ.com

In the time of #TimesUp and #MeToo, and as the culture of holding men accountable for their abuses of power strengthens, it’s becoming apparent that beyond a simple yes or no, people do not fully understand consent or know how to have an honest conversation around it. Which is why there’s a lot to learn from the adult film world, where performers are arguably the most adept at navigating sex’s social contract.

The adult industry has always been on forefront of technological innovation—porn helped pioneer everything from online payments to streaming video—and moving the needle on interpersonal communication during intercourse isn’t any different. While on set with adult film star and director, Janice Griffith, I witnessed the most rigorous discussion on consent I’ve ever seen. Everything from likes and dislikes to firmness of touch to how many fingers are allowed in which holes is openly addressed—and everyone agrees that, yes, sex will be happening. “Even if you are hiring an escort to have sex, you discuss what you’re going to do beforehand,” said Griffith. “Honestly, sex workers are on the forefront of this discussion.”