CREATIVE NON-FICTION: SEX INDUSTRY INTERVIEWS

To Be a Feminist Porn Star: One Trans Woman’s Dream

And the Talent Managers who support them in their sexy journey

“You’ve been dreaming about this for as long as I’ve known you,” I pointed out to Meekah Fae, a non-binary trans woman, “and it’s finally about to happen. You’re about to become a bonafide porn actress! How does that feel?”

“I have a lot of imposter syndrome about that. It’s hard to believe this is real,” they said.

“What would it take for you to believe it?” I asked.

“I guess I’m waiting to earn my first official dollar as an artist.”

“Technically, the Co-Op has paid you for your role there. That counts!”

“Yeah, but I haven’t released any video content yet, so it’s not quite the same. I have to get paid for my own content, first, before I can call myself a real porn actress,” Meekah said.

“Tell me a little about Primal Lust. How did you come to join a queer feminist porn Co-Op?”

“Well, I originally was just going to take a class to learn how to eventually get into the porn industry. I was stunned to end the class with an interview to enter the sex industry as signed Talent!”

“A job interview for porn! What’s that like?”

“It’s not what most people imagine because it was exactly like every other job interview in every other field I’ve ever worked in. Much of it was a discussion of my motivations for getting into porn. They actually tried to do everything they could to convince me not to do porn. They don’t want people who are desperate or who don’t understand the risks. They want people who are confident, with high self-esteem, and who actively choose to work in this industry. Also, at the end of the day, I was hiring them, and not the other way around.”

“As far as we know, nothing like this has ever been done for the scarlet collar industry,” says Raven Cecilia, former C.E.O. and current co-founder of Primal Lust Cooperative.

What is Primal Lust?

“It’s a unique Co-Op that’s potentially the first of it’s kind. We never really functioned as a traditional business with a CEO in charge. As we tell all our Talent, they hire us. They’re our boss, not the other way around. We’re equals who run this ship together,” Raven explains.

“About a year after Primal Lust Industries was formally established as an LLC, we shifted to a Co-Op business model. With Primal Lust, all of the ‘Multi-Stakeholders’ or ‘Member-Owners’ have a say in how the talent management company operates. We decide together who becomes signed talent, how money is handled, and more through a voting system. Each Member-Owner has a say. There’s very little red tape or hoops to jump through. We keep everything legal and completely transparent. Even finances are publicly presented to the world, removing any doubts of shady underhandedness,” Raven continues.

“Feminist porn created by and featuring members of marginalized communities is Primal Lust Co-Op’s specialty”

“Cooperative businesses are nothing new. Although they’re most popular in Europe, they’re in just about every developed modern city and most towns. Historically, they’ve helped stabilize local economies and even pulled companies, towns, and cities out of dire circumstances. They thrive to this very day. Some of the biggest brands you may recognize, like Ace Hardware, REI Outdoor Retailer, and many Credit Unions, are Co-Ops. Primal Lust on the other hand won’t be slinging wrenches, rock climbing gear, or starter checkbooks. Feminist porn created by and featuring members of marginalized communities is Primal Lust Co-Op’s specialty,” according to Raven.

How is working with a feminist porn Co-Op different from just starting your own Only Fans account?

“With us, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, activists, vegans, & outcasts will be more empowered to reach their goals, and make everlasting change. Not only in the adult industry, but also in the world at large. Professional Talent Management can help make that happen faster than going at it alone,” Raven explains.

“Better yet, why rely on Talent Managers when you can be part of a community of others on the same journey? Any community and movement is stronger when working together! Feminist porn is much needed in today’s sexual climate. For Primal Lust, it is a social movement that can shape our society into a more inclusive and sexually liberated world,” Raven elaborates. “By challenging the archaic structures of the current paradigm, Primal Lust makes room for the most vulnerable of scarlet collar workers to have their voices heard.”

“This could free up time for what matters most to talent. You can get where you are going much faster.”

Raven goes on to caution; “Management is certainly no necessity. Primal Lust recognizes that being a one-person show can be comfortable & familiar, but it can quickly become overwhelming. Retaining Talent Management to assist with the many aspects of adult entrepreneurship has potential to lighten the load. In this way you can outsource work such as social media management, graphic design, marketing campaign management, goal setting, negotiations, bogus lead deflection, client liaison and more to Talent Managers. This could free up time for what matters most to talent. You can get where you are going much faster.”

What role do you play in helping to support rising queer porn stars?

“We work within Web 3.0, offering virtual & augmented reality solutions, NFT marketplace options, and even a storefront in Metaverse-like platforms. We hope to see a time when scarlet collar work looks different in a good way, and the word porn is no longer a four letter word. That’s what the Primal Future is all about for us,” according to Co-Founder Xenith Sanguine.

“We hope to see a time when scarlet collar work looks different in a good way, and the word porn is no longer a four letter word.”

“Social media is loud, and there isn’t nearly enough solid information for scarlet collar workers out there. With a combined 20 years of experience in the beauty industry and adult entertainment world, we have valuable information to offer. We realized the need to share this directly with those just getting their start. We offer as much free information as we can with no strings attached. If people want to work with us, awesome. If not, that’s cool too. So long as we are doing our part to make the world better for all of us,” Xenith adds.

If someone was curious to learn more about creating feminist porn, what could they do?

“They can check out our extensive free archive of video podcasts, which is available completely free on our website. It’s stuffed full of great marketing and business strategies to benefit any Entrepreneur,” Raven offers.

I followed up on my conversation with Meekah months later

“So, you have a couple of clients negotiating custom content with you right now. This is really happening!”

“Yes, I’m excited about that and also…surprisingly comfortable. This is a good way to start. I think this is the line where it all becomes real. I have real clients now!”

Primal Lust is helping Meekah to realize their dream of becoming a queer feminist porn star. The Co-Op is working with them to portray the artistic image that they want to show the world by crafting a brand and managing social media presence.

“I don’t just want to be a porn star,” Meekah said, “I want to be a sex educator. I want to offer the fully informed, ethical sex education that I was denied in my own young adult life. I want to teach and normalize queer and trans pleasure. And, of course, I also want to fuck on camera. That’s a non-negotiable.”

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