LONDON — British porn director and columnist Anna Span, aka Anna Arrowsmith, will debut a new website — WeConsent.org — dedicated to workers in the sex industry.
Although no launch date was revealed, Span mentioned the site in her Guardian U.K. column where she wrote about the meteoric popularity of adult star James Deen.
“I am working on a website that aims to tell the public what it is like to consent to working in the various erotic industries and enjoy it. It's called We Consent, because we do. Our side of the story needs telling. Although Deen and others are doing well, those that choose to sell sex for a living face discrimination and are the focus of a self-interested ‘rescue industry’, who seek to impose ‘salvation’ on participants,” Span said.
The new offering bills itself as “The Networking and Support Site for Proud Sex Workers and Their Allies.”
A preview home page reads, “This site is for anyone who works in the sex industry — from escorts, porn stars, adult TV staff, sex shop assistants to sex academics, sex researchers and sex journalists — to network and find support. We live in a hostile time against our industries and this site is meant as a place for us to meet new people and share our thoughts about our work.”
But the site will also be a resource for anyone researching the sex industry and will also run campaigns for sex workers’ rights.
Referring to Deen’s stance on wanting more money to do a mainstream film where there would be no sex, Span said in her column, “I say: long live those who choose to work in the erotic industries for being brave enough to follow their dreams. I hope the mainstream film exposure for James will enhance his porn career so he can continue to work in a job he loves without needing to sell out to the boring side of the movies.”
Membership on the site will be free.