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A Lesson in Feminism and Adult Entertainment for Rudy Giuliani

Some insight from the adult industry for those of you with views that belong in the stone age.

By Samantha BentleyPublished 6 years ago 6 min read
Top Story - June 2018
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It’s hard to hold my tongue when I hear people, particularly men, claim that a female who has worked in the sex industry is not allowed an opinion, certain rights, or is not a ‘credible’ source of information.

So obviously I have to speak up when I hear the outdated, ignorant, misogynistic, and frankly offensive comments made by Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, in regards to Stormy Daniels, that in turn tarnish not only all women in the sex industry but... women in general.

Giuliani said that Ms. Daniels' claim that she had sex with Donald Trump in 2006 is not credible, based entirely on the fact she is a porn actress with ‘no reputation’… which is weird because Stormy has a pretty fantastic reputation in the vastly populated adult industry.

“I’m sorry, I don’t respect a Porn star the way I respect a career woman, or a woman of substance or a woman who isn’t going to sell her body for sexual exploitation,” Giuliani said, on Wednesday, in Tel Aviv.

This baffles me, and has baffled me for a long time. Porn is seen as some sort of dirty secret that we should be ashamed of. Before I continue, a very brief background of myself: I started working in the sex industry 12 years ago, I stripped to pay my university fees, I then modelled before moving on to movies… I retired from performing a Penthouse Pet, multiple AVN award winner with almost 100 other awards and nominations to my name, with showcases for companies like Evil Angel and Harmony Films… it is fair to say I know a little bit about the adult industry. Enough, at least, to have my say on these defamatory comments.

What is it about this job that people find so entirely offensive? Sex is the most normal, natural thing a human being can do. It is, after all, how every single person (with a few exceptions) on planet earth came to be here. We are the only species that has turned our procreation into some sort of disgusting taboo that we are taught to be ashamed of and disgusted by.

Why? Sexuality and sex are healthy and normal, it is so important to celebrate sex and have positive attitude toward it. Why is it that if a woman chooses to work in the sex industry she is not considered a ‘career woman’? Stormy Daniels alone has a body of work that spans almost two decades, including feature dancer, adult actress, main stream movie appearances, and director for high end porn production company ‘Wicked Pictures’. What about that list does not scream ‘career'? Where in that list is there anything illegal? Not considered honest work? Ms. Daniels, just like every other woman I have had the pleasure of meeting in this industry, is a hard working, determined, passionate, intelligent, entrepreneurial, tax paying (more than can be said for some) female.

His next comment is that Stormy is not ‘a woman of substance’. Now what makes a woman have ‘substance’? Her character? Her personality? Her loyalty and honesty? Stormy Daniels took a lie detector test for the entire world to see, she has stood strong in the face of the abuse and criticism from MILLIONS of people all over the world for a mistake a man made, and she has done it all with wit, charm, and a sense of calm that should be envied by every female out there. A woman of substance is exactly what porn actresses are; we bare our souls and bodies for your entertainment. There is a reason the porn industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, because the consumer demands the product, whilst outwardly calling us whores and pretending they don’t watch the movies.

And my particular favourite 'a woman who isn’t going to sell her body for sexual exploitation'. Isn’t it weird that men, the consumers of the largest portion of pornography, the reason we continue to make and get paid for this work, also seem to be the ones that have the biggest problem processing it for what it is… WORK. Porn is not sexual exploitation, it is a choice. Why should a woman that embraces her sexuality and uses that to make money/a career be then not allowed to speak about certain issues or be seen as a credible woman?

Porn is the most open and honest industry I have ever had the pleasure of passing through. We all fuck each other and we get paid at the end. We all know and share our sexual statuses, we get tested every two to three weeks (trust me it is way dirtier to have sex with your average Joe on the street with a question mark above their STD status than a porn performer), and we’ve all seen each other naked and bare. There is a softness to the industry that I will always adore.

Whilst performing I met women from all walks of life. The thing I noticed more and more as my career went on is how much depth and intelligence there was in the industry. The stereotype of the ‘Porn Star’ is an airhead bimbo with fake boobs and blow job lips, the real life blow up doll that lacks the capacity to think for herself. To be successful in this industry you need a brain, a plan, and you need work ethic. You need to be business minded and ready to graft.

Never in my life have I met such hard working, passionate, intelligent women. Business women, entrepreneurs, educated, beautiful, funny women. These are not just women doing porn because they ‘can’t get a real job’, these are women with doctorates, classical musicians, trained athletes and dancers, writers and artists. Women that work seven days a week, and when they leave set they are on their social media, on a flight, on their emails, or updating their own content. They EARN their money and pay their way.

Giuliani also stated that any woman who stood by Stormy Daniels' claims is not a feminist. This article is to educate anyone with the same outdated, sexist, and clueless views on ‘Feminism’ as him.

Being a feminist is not about what job you do, but if it was, then porn should be right at the top. You are your own boss. It is one of the only jobs in the world where women are paid more than men. We are the stars, treated like goddesses and queens, we call the shots, we do what we want, work when we want, make insane money that we can use to pay our own bills on houses and cars we buy… we love our bodies, we are proud of our sexuality, we use our power as a woman to do something that we want to do.

I cannot stress this enough, WE WANT TO DO IT! If that isn’t feminism then please, tell me what you think feminism is? A woman in the kitchen ? At home with the kids? A woman stuck in a dead end job she hates, on minimum wage? This is 2018. Wake up and open your eyes, you cannot tell someone as successful and intelligent as Stormy, who has kept her head high through this entire ordeal, that she is not a feminist, a woman of substance, or a career woman.

She didn’t need the money, believe me I know first hand how ludicrous Wicked Picture contracts can be. She didn’t need the ‘fame’, she is a super star in her own right in this industry. Before you attack an entire group of strong, independent, hard working women making an honest legal living, think about your comments and consider how detrimental your old school views could be.

politics
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About the Creator

Samantha Bentley

Born and Bred Londoner, Mother to baby Roman and my two pooches, Plant Eater, Yoga and Aerial Teacher + Learner, Music Maker... was once in Game Of Thrones, was once a Penthouse Pet, used to win awards for getting naked.

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