BARCELONA — A group of leading Spanish and Spain-based independent adult content producers has released a manifesto opposing the total censorship of adult content proposed by the governing PSOE as part of its new anti-sex-work legislation.
Under the heading “Independent adult film producers unite to defend sex workers’ right to consent in response to the new Spanish ‘Solo Sí Es Sí’ Law,” creators Paulita Pappel, Erika Lust, Noel Alejandro and Lemon, and companies Lust Cinema, XConfessions, Else Cinema, Lustery, HardWerk and SexSchoolHub criticized the proposed new law.
“According to PSOE,” the manifesto declares, “Article 187 of the Penal Code is incomplete because it only punishes prostitution that is ‘exploitative,’ while it should ‘punish prostitution widely’; that is, ‘any form of obtaining profit from the prostitution of others,’ no matter if the practice is carried out under exploitation (banned under current law) or with explicit consent from all parties involved, and following ethical production practices.”
The proposed law, the statement continues, “only reinforces the stigma against sex work and the porn industry, demonizing prostitution and pornography as among the main causes of violence against women, and condemning sex workers to more precariousness, secrecy and violence.”
The manifesto co-signers note that “the sex and porn industry is much more complex than this” and that “Much of porn is built from the pillars of consent and respect for the boundaries and interests and desires of all involved.”
The manifesto concludes with a call for addressing some of the social issues underlying political attacks on sex work and adult entertainment: “We firmly believe that we must fight for the development of porn literacy skills, and thus ensure that the sexual education that young people receive is realistic, healthy and enriching for their lives.”