ABSTRACT
In her fascinating discussion of the gender dynamics and material aspects of sex work in the U.S. porn industry, Heather Berg challenges the popular view of porn work as a site of female sexual abuse and vulnerability. This sensational view, promulgated by anti-porn critics, draws attention away from the workplace risks that porn workers of all genders face. Berg points out that when performers speak about being “exploited” or “taken advantage of,” they are almost always referring to working conditions and pay, not to sex. Drawing on feminist theory that defines feminized labor as “unskilled, cheap, and replaceable,” Berg contends that porn work, whether performed by males, females, or transgender men or women, is feminized work. That is, it is precarious and fragmented, with short career spans for most performers. It is also marked by extreme mobility, with workers performing multiple roles and moving among sectors of the industry. Porn workers are overwhelmingly denied protections under wage and hour regulations such as overtime and minimum-wage requirements. Porn workers’ employment status as independent contractors and the lack of clarity around antidiscrimination policy also create the conditions for ubiquitous discrimination. Based on the gender stereotype that men are always willing to have sex, the negotiating power of male performers is limited. The idea that willing replacements would happily step in for male performers also stymies efforts at collective bargaining. Male performers in porn earn less than women and also have fewer opportunities for alternative income streams from side gigs. They also have less power to negotiate the conditions of a sex scene or their choice of partners. Another cost of pursuing a career in a feminized industry is that workers have achieved little success in advocating for better enforcement of occupational health regulations that would protect them from injuries other than STDs.
