BROOKLYN — Joanna Angel published a piece today on digital magazine Thought Catalog called “I Love My Job, But It’s Not For Everyone” that confronts issues women face in the adult industry.
The missive recounts, honestly and in detail, Angel’s personal experience in the adult industry, and why it ultimately affected her for the better.
“Porn has been extremely healthy for myself and my wellbeing. It sounds crazy but it’s true,” she wrote. “Even my orthodox Jewish mother who is definitely NOT a fan of what I do has begrudgingly admitted that she has never seen me happier. I am 32 years old and this is what I want to be when I grow up.”
Angel explains that, through her work in porn, she found sexual and emotional confidence that she previously lacked. Still, she acknowledges that the industry has caveats that would understandably turn off women with a less resilient constitution.
The performer, director and co-founder of Burning Angel emphasizes the importance of prioritizing self-interest over financial gain, and says she will stop a shoot if the talent looks uncomfortable, (for example) performing anal sex, which generally pays more than straight sex.
“I don’t think women are treated poorly in the industry. I do think it’s pretty common (not just in porn, but in a lot of situations, as I am guilty of this myself) to agree to things that, in reality, you don’t want to do,” she wrote, adding that she thinks most “horror stories” could be avoided if women simply learned to stymie that habit.
Angel sums up her thought, “In short, porn is really not for everyone. I have seen this industry chew girls up and spit them out. I have also seen girls triumph in this industry. For myself, porn turned me into a very confident and happy woman. Prior to doing porn, I was incredibly sexually awkward, and this same awkward and insecure girl existed outside the bedroom as well. Experimenting with my sexuality in a controlled environment really did help me.” Founded in 2010,
Thought Catalog is a digital magazine owned and operated by an experimental media group based in Williamsburg, Brookyln that aims to “shape culture” through innovative content.
To read Joanna Angel’s article in full, click here. She was featured yesterday in a profile by Business Insider, in which she is described as "porn's most succesful entrepreneur."
