The moment I realised that not all porn was unrealistic and misogynistic, I was honestly relieved. I’ve always quite liked porn, as a way to release some horny energy, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of disconnect I’d get from most mainstream porn websites. Perfect bodies that have perfect orgasms and seem to be able to do all sorts of wild sex moves really didn’t do it for me, because it felt pretty unrelatable.
I don’t know about you, but the sexiest part of porn is feeling in the moment with the person of focus. You want to be having that climax too, y’know?
Ethical porn is a game-changer. There are some trailblazing female film directors and industry leaders in the sex industry that have fought to change the game by creating inclusive, creative, porn films with real people and their ethics in the right place. It’s not about making money, it’s about celebrating sex in a way that is healthy and accessible to everyone.
So, if that’s what you’re into it (and why wouldn’t you be?), here are the best ethical and feminist porn sites on the Internet right now.
Bellesa
Bellesa is one of my personal favourites. It’s a porn site run by women, for women, and it’s totally free which makes it super accessible for everyone. They have ethical porn videos, erotic stories and a store that’s full of inclusive toys, lube, sex furniture. It even has a sex ed hub, similar to a blog, that’s full of fun, educational articles on all things ethical porn. The variety on Bellesa is pretty good when it comes to sexuality and types of sex, however, there aren’t many mature porn stars featured.
Lust Cinema
Filmmaker Erika Lust is the true definition of what it means to be championing feminist and ethical porn in the industry. Lust’s films available on Lust Cinema explore “intimacy, love and lust in sex”, and she shoots them in such a cinematic way that it’s quite easy to lose yourself and forget that you’re on a porn site. Lust films celebrate diverse bodies, genders, ages and racial identities, which we love. You need to sign up if you want to become a frequent attendee at the Lust Cinema website, but it’s not outrageously expensive. You can also watch a free movie before you sign up to make sure it’s your vibe.
Make Love Not Porn
Cindy Gallop is an advocate for portraying real sex, the way it actually looks IRL. In 2009, she launched Make Love Not Porn, a platform that shows real sex, between real people. It’s like the ultimate hub for amateur porn videos, which is super refreshing among all of the perfect bodies and fake orgasms that mainstream porn sites parade around. Real-life couples submit videos of themselves having sex to Make Love Not Porn, and half the money made goes back to them. Make Love Not Porn is more a community and social revolution than it is a porn site; the hot ethical porn videos are a bonus. MLNP is free to sign up, but there are also paid options that give you more to choose from. Watch founder Cindy Gallop give an inspiring TED talk below.
The Crash Pad
The Crash Pad is an award-winning queer porn site that focuses on “real dyke porn, lesbians, femme on femme, boi, stud, genderqueer and trans-masculine performers, transwomen, transmen, queer men and women engaging in authentic queer sexuality.” You don’t have to identify as queer to be into queer porn, and being open to different types of porn is a great way to explore your sexuality at your own leisure. You can watch some videos for free, but if you want access to all the videos, you can become a member for $9.99 to $25 a month.
Bright Desire
This female-owned and operated feminist porn site has won countless short film awards, and it’s not surprising, given its attention to detail and commitment to showing the awkward sides to sex as well as the steamy ones. The camera focuses on the men, just as it does the women, and there are diverse bodies, sexualities, genders and ethnicity everywhere. Watching these films feels very organic and you can really feel a part of what’s going on in the films. Unlike other porn sites, these films feel relatable, which is a rare thing to find in porn. To see beyond the film previews, you have to pay $28.22 for the first month and $12.24 a month after that.
