Jiz Lee is an award winning porn performer, queer porn superstar and author of the anthology “Coming Out Like A Porn Star: Essays on Pornography, Protection, and Privacy.” This episode begins with two readings from the book, followed by a conversation with Jiz about the origins of their porn career, the importance of teaching porn literacy rather than arguing about “good porn” versus “bad porn,” not shaming someone’s sexual fantasies and dispelling myths about porn production.  

Then, we move into a panel discussion with Lotus Lain and Miss Mimosa. Lotus Lain is an independent porn performer, writer and activist who works with the Free Speech Coalition, the adult industry's trade association. Mimosa is an artist and sex worker with experience as a professional dominatrix, BBW porn performer and fetish content creator who spends most of her time in San Francisco in LA. She also works behind the camera in both adult and mainstream film, doing both casting and performer advocacy. 

The group discusses diversifying who gets to feel sexy, their experiences disclosing their work to both friends and family and new acquaintances and the hypocrisy of the way Hollywood treats sex workers. Lotus speaks about being outed as a porn performer without her consent, the stigma of having sex for fun and how porn can be one of the safest settings to explore kink. 

Mimosa remembers asking her mother about how she would react if she became a porn star at the age of ten and reflects on body positivity within porn. 

“Having a body that’s different, for me, was always a source of power,” Mimosa says. “When you’re your own home, other people will want to be there.”

This episode was recorded live during Pillow Talk in the penthouse at the Standard Hotel in Los Angeles. Follow @jizlee and buy their book here: bigcartel.com/product/coming-out-like-a-porn-star

Credit and thanks to Margot Padilla, the best sound engineer. 

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