LOS ANGELES — Abella Danger took on porn shaming, Kanye, fake feminism and Mia Khalifa in an interview with Paper Magazine last week.
The performer got straight to the point when answering questions about her line of work and those who look down on it.
"We're not trying to hurt anyone or shove it down people's throats," Danger told Paper's Susan Song. "It's here if you want it, but even if you don't watch, that's cool. I would never judge someone for not watching it, but you shouldn't judge me for being in it."
When talking about former performer Mia Khalifa and her stance that she's now ashamed of the porn she acted in, Danger didn't hold back.
"She talks so poorly about the whole industry, but at the same time, she still keeps her porn name," said Danger. "She says she's ashamed, but how ashamed are you to keep the name that made you famous? No one would know you otherwise."
Danger went on to talk about Kanye West, who went from "Creative Director" of the Pornhub Awards to anti-porn zealot in record time.
"It sucks that [Kanye] hates porn now, but I still feel like you don't have to talk down on something to prove your point," said Danger. "I read somewhere that he regrets doing any work with the adult industry and porn stars, and I think that's sad, because I don't think you should regret anything you do. I think that says more about you than us."
The interview wasn't all flame-throwing, however. Danger emphasized her positive experience working with mainstream actor-director Bella Thorne on her Pornhub-backed film, "Her and Him."
"I was like, 'Oh my God, this is a really big script, I don't know if I can do this,' but my agent told me to just do it," said Danger. "But it was really nerve-wracking, because I used to watch [Bella] on Disney Channel. I give her so many props. She wrote and directed everything. She's very multifaceted."
Danger highlighted the growing-but-still-under-represented number of female directors in the adult industry.
"It's always been weird to be the only girl on-set. Like, the director is a guy, the PA is a guy, the sound guy is a guy...[s]ometimes you just want another girl there who has your back and understands what it's like to be a woman," she said. "I always think we need more women directors in porn, they happen to be the best directors."
Danger struck back at feminists who decry pornography as exploitive of women.
"We're taking control of our bodies by doing whatever we want to do with them," she said. "Even though most of the people you're working with day-to-day are men, you still have a say in everything you do. If it's a certain script and you're not comfortable with a scene, you don't have to do it. You can say 'no.'"
She also made a brilliant argument for why people should view porn as art.
"You look at art and it evokes some kind of emotion out of you, and that's what porn does," she explained. "Whether you look at porn with disgust, or you're like the majority of people who look at it and see lust, ecstasy or happiness — you know what? I'm more than happy to give that to the world."
Read the entire Paper Magazine story here and follow Danger on Twitter.
Image: Maya Fuhr
