Report on Ethical Erotica Production and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Advancing SDG 5: Gender Equality through Feminist-Informed Media

Challenging Misogynistic Tropes in Adult Content

• An investigation was conducted into the production of “feminist porn,” an alternative to mainstream adult content that often relies on the subjugation of women.
• The project aimed to subvert traditional pornographic tropes by featuring a sexually dominant female protagonist who takes command of her own pleasure.
• The narrative was designed to prioritize female pleasure, culminating in the female character’s orgasm while the male character’s is deliberately omitted from the storyline.
• This approach directly challenges industry norms and contributes to a media landscape that empowers women rather than degrading them, in line with the objectives of SDG 5.

Empowering Female Consumers and Creators

• The production company, FrolicMe, was founded in 2015 to create erotic films specifically for a female audience.
• The platform’s membership is composed of 60% women, aged 20 to 80, indicating a significant market for content that aligns with female perspectives on sexuality.
• The founder, Anna Richards, focuses on creating content where women can see themselves represented positively, promoting the idea that “women can be very sexual creatures” who have not been given permission or adequate representation in traditional pornography.

Promoting SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth in the Adult Film Industry

Ethical Production Practices and Labor Rights

1. Consent and Comfort: Performers are explicitly asked about their comfort level with all scripted sexual elements. The director ensures roles play to performers’ strengths and that they are genuinely “having a good time.”
2. Respectful Treatment: Male performer “Dave Candle” noted a preference for working with the company because they “don’t treat me as an object and it’s nicer for the women.” This contrasts with other industry practices that may require rough treatment of female performers.
3. Fair Compensation: Actors receive payment of approximately £1,300 per scene, contributing to decent work and economic empowerment within this sector.
4. Supportive Environment: The production maintains a small, intimate crew, and the director acts as a “matriarch on set,” ensuring performers are well-cared for (e.g., checking they have been fed).

Workforce Composition and Performer Experience

• The company prefers to work with a consistent group of actors, fostering familiarity and a stable working relationship.
• Performers are selected for a “girl-next-door” aesthetic rather than a “classic porn-star look,” promoting more realistic body imaging and challenging narrow industry beauty standards.
• While performers express satisfaction on set, the report notes an ambivalence regarding the long-term emotional impact and the difficulty in obtaining candid, off-set feedback about their experiences.

Upholding SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being for Performers and Consumers

Prioritizing On-Set Safety and Mental Well-being

• The production explicitly prohibits dangerous acts, such as choking, with the founder stating, “I have a responsibility for what goes online.”
• The focus on ensuring performers are enjoying the experience is a key tenet, contributing to their psychological well-being during production.
• Practical considerations, from costume choices to the provision of food and medicine (paracetamol), are managed to ensure the physical health and comfort of the cast.

Positive Impact on Consumer Sexual Well-being

• The platform provides an alternative to extreme and “totally dehumanising” pornography, which can be detrimental to viewers’ perceptions of sex and relationships.
• Anecdotal evidence, such as feedback from a septuagenarian widow who reported a reinvigorated sex life, suggests that this form of erotica can have a positive impact on the sexual health and well-being of its audience.

Contribution to SDG 12 & 16: Responsible Production and Societal Impact

Responsible Production Models

• Production costs range from £40,000 to £50,000 per shoot, reflecting a commitment to high aesthetic standards, including shooting in beautiful locations like Polish castles and Hungarian vineyards.
• This model represents a form of responsible production that values quality and ethics over the high-volume, low-cost models prevalent in the industry.
• The content is designed to be artfully shot with fantasy storylines, moving beyond simple sexual acts to create a more holistic and engaging product.

Addressing Harmful Content and Promoting Safer Digital Spaces

• This initiative operates within a broader societal conversation concerning the Online Safety Act and the rise of extreme pornography.
• By creating and normalizing erotica that does not rely on female degradation, the project serves as a proactive solution to harmful digital content, contributing to the goal of reducing all forms of violence against women (a target of SDG 16).
• The founder’s mission is to counter imagery where women are not seen to be “having a great time,” thereby promoting a more just and equitable representation of sexuality in digital culture.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article’s central theme is the creation of “feminist porn,” which aims to challenge and subvert traditional pornography that is often “about degrading women.” The entire project is an effort to create erotica that is “empowering” for women, focusing on their pleasure, perspective, and agency. This directly aligns with the goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. The article also highlights women in leadership roles (writer, director, producer) within the adult film industry.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article touches upon the working conditions of the performers. It describes a professional environment where the director acts as a “matriarch on set, checking the actors have been fed” and ensures they are comfortable with the scenes. An actor is quoted saying, “They don’t treat me as an object and it’s nicer for the women,” which points to a respectful and safe work environment. This connects to the goal of promoting decent work for all.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article explicitly mentions the director’s commitment to the safety and well-being of the performers. She states, “there is no choking, which can be dangerous. I have a responsibility for what goes online.” This demonstrates a conscious effort to mitigate physical risks and prioritize the health of the actors, which is a core component of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The project is presented as a solution or alternative to the “worrying rise of extreme pornography” and content that is “totally dehumanising.” By focusing on creating ethical content that explicitly includes consent (e.g., writing a line into the script to ask for a kiss), the initiative works towards eliminating forms of exploitation and violence against women that are often normalized in mainstream pornography.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article’s mission to create non-degrading, empowering pornography for women directly confronts the discriminatory and misogynistic tropes prevalent in the industry.
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls… including sexual and other types of exploitation. The film’s approach is a direct counter-narrative to extreme and violent pornography, promoting consensual and respectful interactions instead of exploitative ones.
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership. The article features women in key decision-making roles as the writer, director, and producer (Anna Richards), shaping the narrative and production process in a traditionally male-dominated field.
2. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. The director’s on-set conduct—ensuring actors are fed, comfortable, and not asked to perform dangerous acts—directly contributes to a safe and secure working environment. The actor’s positive testimony reinforces this point.
3. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.7: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. While not about healthcare access directly, the promotion of safe, consensual, and positive sexual expression contributes to a broader culture of sexual health and well-being. The mention of condoms on set points to safe sex practices.
4. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against… children. By extension to adults, the article’s focus on creating non-exploitative, consent-based pornography is an effort to combat the culture of abuse and exploitation found in some parts of the adult entertainment industry.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Qualitative Narrative Analysis: The content of the films themselves, such as scripts that “subvert the usual misogynistic pornographic tropes” and prioritize female pleasure, serves as an indicator. The pointed ending where “the woman orgasms” and leaves is a specific narrative choice reflecting female agency.
   • Inclusion of Consent: The deliberate inclusion of dialogue asking for consent (“How would you feel if I kissed you?”) is a measurable indicator of promoting respectful interactions.
   • Representation in Leadership: The presence of women as the writer, director, and producer is a clear indicator of progress towards Target 5.5.
2. Indicators for SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Performer Testimony: The actor’s statement, “They don’t treat me as an object and it’s nicer for the women,” is a qualitative indicator of a positive and respectful work environment.
   • On-Set Practices: The director’s actions, such as checking if actors have been fed and are comfortable with scenes (“Are you comfortable with all the sexual elements?”), serve as practical indicators of a safe workplace.
3. Indicators for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Safety Policies: The explicit production rule of “no choking, which can be dangerous” is a clear, measurable indicator of a policy to protect the physical well-being of performers.
4. Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Content Guidelines: The creation of erotica that is explicitly not “dehumanising” and avoids extreme acts serves as an indicator of producing content that does not promote violence or exploitation.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thetimes.com