G-Hot Q&A: Let's talk about ethical p-rn.

P-rn producer & director, Paulita Pappel to get give us the goods on her work (AND we've got a special discount just for YOU)

[This newsletter will always be free to read, but it’s also how I supplement bills and such - which allows me the flexibility to bring you the best possible sex education every week. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]

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Hey babe,

We have such a special TREAT today. We’re joined by none other than Paulita Pappel is here to tell us all about her work. Plus! She’s offering my G-babes an exclusive 20% discount on her site, Lustery. We simply love to see it!

OK! Let’s do it.

Q: Tell the G-babes about yourself. How did you get into this work?

A: Hi! I'm Paulita Pappel, porn producer & director. I started performing in porn to explore my sexuality and to expand the explicit representation of sexuality. I believe in porn as part of a feminist practice that can counteract the toxic messaging on sex and relationships from mainstream media, specifically romantic comedies. For me, porn is a political medium to celebrate sexuality free of shame and societal imperatives.

A few years after I started performing, I went to work more behind the camera as a casting director, creative producer, and director. I co-founded the amateur platform Lustery in 2016 to create documentary porn, meaning films that capture the intimacy and sex of real couples worldwide. In 2020 I co-founded the hardcore film studio HardWerk to create cinematic feminist gangbangs. I'm also a film curator for the Pornfilmfestival Berlin, an intimacy coordinator for mainstream productions, and I recently wrote a book called 'Pornopositiv' (which is in German though... for the moment).

Q: What exactly does it mean to be an ethical porn maker?

A: I think the term 'ethical porn' has stirred a much-needed public conversation around pornography and enabled people to overcome their prejudice and fears against porn. However, due to the negative narrative in the media about the porn industry that conflates porn with criminality, the term also reproduces the misconception that most porn is 'unethical', creating the idea of 'good, ethical porn' vs. 'bad, mainstream porn'. This carries old-school views around sexuality, implying that women in the industry are often victims rather than self-determined sexual subjects. I find this profoundly sexist and classist.

I advocate for a definition of porn built on consent: porn is a product produced and distributed with the consent of all participants. Anything else isn't porn, it's a crime. Most porn being made today is self-shot content, and all studios check IDs, sign contracts, and have strict STI testing policies in place. I consider that ethical. I think we can also improve the production standards within the industry by educating folks on communication, transparency, and consent practices, and the only way to do that is by fighting against stigma and discrimination towards the porn industry to elevate it as a whole.

Q: How is the work you do different from that of other mainstream porn platforms?

A: My work focuses on showcasing genuine pleasure. At the core of all my productions is the desire to create frames that enable people to perform sexuality on their terms, following their personal preferences and enjoying what they're doing. I don't think that acrobatic and choreographed performances of sex are bad; I think it is great to have different types of explicit sexual representation out there to choose from. I understand that the medium of porn is film, and there is a lot of untapped potential to explore different formats. With Lustery, we're creating a documentary archive of people's sexuality.

Q: What do you love most about your work?

A: I love working in an environment where people have a positive attitude towards sexuality, free of shame and prejudice. It allows me to be myself and keep learning and growing. It never gets boring!

Q: What advice would you give to readers who might want to start viewing porn in a more ethical way?

A: The key to becoming an ethical porn viewer is to become a conscious consumer. The easiest way is paying for your porn on the platforms it was produced for. If you consume porn on the dedicated platforms it was created for, paying for it and buying it directly from the producers, you're not pirating it and so you're not harming the sexual autonomy of the performers involved. 

By paying for the explicit films that bring you joy, you're enabling productions to keep making them. You can also be a sex workers' ally by supporting porn folks online, following, liking, and sharing their social media accounts so that they get visibility, speaking openly on pornography, and defying the negative bias people have against it.

Q: Is there anything else you want to share with the G-babes?

A: I want to encourage everyone to become more porn-positive! I think it only comes naturally with being sex-positive. Being sex-positive is not about having a lot of sex or a certain kind of sex; it's about having a generally positive attitude to sexuality, which is not just 'sex', but the way we understand and interact with our bodies, our identity, and other people's bodies and sexualities. 

Similarly, being porn-positive is not about watching a lot of porn, but rather about not being scared of porn, and understanding that it is an entertainment product, which has the potential to inspire us, turn us on, and even teach us things... although it's not its responsibility to do so. We all suffer as a society from the censorship of porn, while we could all be freer if we let it explore its potential with no shame.

Thank you so much to the myth, the legend, Paulita for joining us on this exclusive G-Hot Q&A! We hope y’all learned a lot.

This week’s mantras:

1. Pay for your porn.

2. Pay for your porn.

3. Pay for your porn!

4. I will love myself.

I love you. Have a great week!

XOXO Auntie Gigi

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~Good ReadsSsSssSsSs~

• Just when I thought I knew absolutely everything about the oral sex game, I’ve uncovered a new, downright golden cunnilingus technique to up the ante even more. And yes, obviously I’m gonna share it with you. 

  Introducing: the Kivin method. Read more. - COSMO

• Ever used a strap-on during sex? Are you curious? Beth Ashley has created a truly amazing and inclusive guide to trying these babies out. Whether you’re looking to try it with a vagina — or a bit of pegging, this really does have it all. Happy strapping, pals! Read more. - MASHABLE

• Should you stay in a sexless relationship? Is there a way to negotiate these boundaries in a way that can leave all parties satisfied? “The first step is taking a look at your relationship to understand why you're not having as much sex as you want.” In this piece, experts explore how to handle a sexless relationship — and whether you should stay or go, based on your needs and desires for your future. Read more. - BRIDES

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Weekly LOL

I mean, I think we can all agree that this is just the way it is, right?

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That’s it for me this week, pals. I love you. Stay sexy and get off ethically.