Feb 22, 2016 9:30 AM PST    Text size: 

LOS ANGELES — Sssh.com and XBIZ.com have announced the panelists for Thursday’s “Consent in Porn: Debunking Myths and Managing Realities” debate.

The expert panelists include adult industry veterans Dana Vespoli, Conner Habib, Mercedes Carrera, Mickey Mod, Nina Elle, and Mark Schechter, who will discuss the ways in which consent operates in their professional work, and how it affects their personal lives.

Moderated by Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals, author of “Exposure: A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society, and Adult Entertainment,” the panel is set for Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. PST, and will be streamed live at MindBrowse.com.

“We are very pleased to be able to live stream this important discussion to give people both within and outside of the adult entertainment industry the opportunity to view it in a free, interactive format,” stated Sssh.com Founder Angie Rowntree. “I feel strongly that this discussion be publicly available, as it explores the often complex topic of consent touching the lives of so many people, not just in the adult entertainment industry, but in society as a whole.”

According to the panel’s promoters, in every social interaction, consent — permission for something to happen — is key. Though the concept itself is simple, consent becomes quite complex in daily life, taking many forms and constantly being renegotiated.

Porn production is one instance wherein consent is exceptionally complex. From booking a scene to endless iterations of on-camera sex, performers are navigating various dimensions of consent, often moment by moment. These negotiations occur within a subculture operating under its own set of unique norms, as well as within the context of a wider society that continues to stigmatize professional sex work.

“Consent is a fairly simple concept that becomes rather complex during the course of human interaction,” explains Tibbals. “Our sustained inability to think critically and openly about sex and sexualities makes consent even more complex and difficult to grasp within the context of professional adult content production.”

“I am excited to facilitate a discussion between such a diverse group of experienced and informed professionals, each bringing key perspectives to the table,” Tibbals adds. “My hope is that panelists will shed some light on the issue of consent as it operates in contemporary porn, fostering learning and growth for civilian observers, as well as for members of the industry community.”

7 Veils Media will monitor the hashtag #SexTalkTuesday throughout the panel, so viewers may simply add the hashtag to their tweets to have their questions passed on to the panel.

To attend the panel in-person, email Christopher at Press@Sssh.com.