As recently as 2016, it was possible to get paid more for having sex on camera than for working at Starbucks. CNBC shows that porn industry compensation was $300-1500 per “scene”. (The article notes that there is a gender pay gap; actors identifying as “men” get paid less than those identifying as “women”. Where is Hillary Clinton to demand an end to this injustice?)
Given that a lot of folks who work at Starbucks for $12 per hour do meet the minimum qualifications for selling sex it seems reasonable to infer that the higher compensation is due to Americans preferring to have “worked at Starbucks” on their resumes than “worked as porn actor/actress”.
Our most respected media, however, is now promoting careers in porn to young people (a refreshing change from English majors promoting STEM careers!) by valorizing Stormy Daniels. One example is “Stormy Daniels, Porn Star Suing Trump, Is Known for Her Ambition: ‘She’s the Boss’” (nytimes):
To many in the capital, Ms. Clifford, 39, has become an unexpected force. … for most of her professional life, Ms. Clifford has been a woman in control of her own narrative in a field where that can be uncommon. With an instinct for self-promotion, she evolved from “kindergarten circuit” stripper to star actress and director, and occasional mainstream success, by her late 20s.
“She’s the boss, and everyone knew it,” Nina Hartley, one of the longest-working performers in the industry, said about Ms. Clifford.
“She was a very serious businesswoman and a filmmaker and had taken the reins of her career,” said Judd Apatow, who directed her cameos in the R-rated comedies “Knocked Up” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” “She is not someone to be underestimated.”
She has a daughter, a third husband and an expensive hobby: equestrian shows. “She blends right in,” said Packy McGaughan, a trainer on the competition circuit. “A pretty girl riding a horse.”
Pre-Trump, the same media outlets took the position that women who took cash in exchange for sex, outside of a family court context, were being exploited. The assumption seemed to be that women would not willingly sell their bodies, regardless of the price, and therefore a man had to be coercing them into a transaction.
Now it seems that Americans who sell sex, on-screen or off-screen, can be celebrated for their heroic bravery. They are powerful independent actors, not passive victims.
If having sex with rich people off-camera and/or having sex with middle-class people on-camera are laurels to be worn proudly, will that increase the supply of Americans who want to work in this sector of the economy? If so, with an increase in supply do we expect prices to fall?
[Some perspectives from Facebook:
Just saw Stormy Daniels interviewed and I can tell she is twice as smart as Donald trump. At least. I think the best way to get back at trump for the fucking hell hes put us through is by electing Stormy Daniels the next president. I’m officially offering to work for the Stormy Daniels campaign in any capacity –
…promiscuous, dumb, narcissistic, attention whores. Stormy should have been smarter in her choice of partners.
]
From my middle-aged perspective it seems that American mores have shifted rapidly. Ten years ago, for example, I don’t think that someone who exchanged sex for cash could be expected to talk about it on national TV. The vendor of the sex wouldn’t have wanted to be identified and the TV network wouldn’t have wanted to devote airtime to a debrief on the business transaction. In a country where there is no shame in selling one’s body, why does someone get paid $1,500 to have sex for 20 minutes?
Related:
I think she is getting much attention because the main stream media hates trump so much it will do anything to embarrass him!
To paraphrase: In the future, everyone will be a porn star for 15 minutes
She is a hero because she is one of the few people having consensual sexual relations, by today’s consent standards. Most other sex, such as with spouse, co-workers, or someone with a power imbalance, can be said to be coercive, and subject to a later MeToo accusation.
And she is also a hero for generating bad publicity for Trump.
Ms. Daniels has in Empress Theodora a worthy predecessor as a woman leader with strong, independent sexuality.
Congress and the Senate were after Obama, now the media is after Trump.
Yes, American mores have shifted both rapidly and dramatically. I can only guess at how conservatives actually view the world, but because of the shift in mores alone they must think, despite some recently won battles, that the war was lost.
I thought Anderson Cooper seemed very jealous.