Huffington Post Looks at Women Directors Working in Porn

Huffington Post Looks at Women Directors Working in Porn

CANOGA PARK, Calif. — Many of the most influential women in the adult entertainment filmmaking biz are nearly invisible to the world outside of it, according to an article this week published by the Huffington Post.

The feature tells the tales of rising to the top from several female directors in porn, including Stormy Daniels, Erika Lust and Jessica Drake, as well as Candida Royalle, who was one of the first women to make the leap from performer to director.

As with many female directors in porn, Daniels said she originally had no plans to be a director.

“[I]t wasn’t something I even considered. I thought it would be a one-time personal experiment,” said Daniels, who now directs 10 feature-length porn movies a year. “About halfway through the first day it hit me. I love this. This is what I’m meant to do.”

The piece also noted that estimates now suggest that women make up one in three porn viewers, and that women are increasingly moving behind the camera to direct. It even underscores the point that maybe porn is less misogynistic than other industries.

“I mean, how many female directors were nominated for an Oscar this year?” asked Lynn Comella, an associate professor of gender and sexuality studies with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “None. Zero.”

“It might come as a surprise to people who think the adult industry is an exclusive boys club,” Comella said, “but women are increasingly changing the face of [it].”

Sociologist Chauntelle Tibbals suggests in the article that one reason for the porn biz’s relative openness to women is that since the filmmaking “is so polarizing, the industry has tended to insulate itself and hire from within when possible.”

“The close-knit nature of the network of the adult industry has contributed to the enhanced gender equality we see,” she said.

The Huffington Post piece also takes a look at the differences in female porn story lines compared to their male counterparts.

Lust said her filmmaking is “about creating that narrative that tells the story of one, two, three or more consenting adults, giving and receiving pleasure as sexual equals, and giving attention to the details — like facial expressions, the hands, body positions ... not just the genitals.”

“If someone is having an orgasm, we want to see how their entire body reacts.”

The Huffington Post article can be read here.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

TrustyFans Introduces New Blog

Creator directory TrustyFans has introduced an official blog to its site, titled "From Hidden to Hype."

Romi Rain Fronts Latest From New Sensations

Romi Rain and Codey Steele star in the latest release from New Sensations.

JD Directs New Grazyeli Silva Showcase

Evil Angel has released JD’s Grazyeli Silva showcase, titled "Grazyeli Silva Sexcapades."

Heidi Jo Makes Her WIFEY Debut

Heidi Jo stars with her husband Jerri, Isiah Maxwell, and Hollywood Cash in the latest release from Vixen Media Group studio imprint WIFEY.

Anna Claire Clouds Leads Elegant Angel's 'Shared: A Hotwife Origin Story'

Reigning XMAs Female Performer of the Year Anna Claire Clouds stars in Elegant Angel's new feature thriller "Shared: A Hotwife Origin Story," part of the site's annual "Superstar September" initiative.

Gender X Drops 'Vampirella' Parody

Gender X Films has released its latest feature, "Transpirella," a parody of the 1970s sci-fi horror comic book "Vampirella," directed by Jim Powers.

JustFor.fans' Dominic Ford Featured in Wired Magazine

JustFor.fans Founder and CEO Dominic Ford is featured in a new article in Wired Magazine, titled "The Internet Revolutionized Porn. Age Verification Could Upend Everything."

Dr. Charlotte Gaydos Joins ProDx Health Advisory Board

Dr. Charlotte Gaydos has joined the Advisory Board of ProDx Health.

Aylo Fined $5 Million as FTC, Utah Settle Safety Practices Complaint

The Federal Trade Commission and the state of Utah on Wednesday settled a complaint against Aylo, requiring the company to pay a $5 million penalty and implement measures to prevent illegal content from appearing on its sites.

New AI Companion Platform 'Pornstar.love' Launches

Pornstar.love, a new AI companion platform, has officially launched.

Show More