Photo: weheartit
"A lot of my co-workers voted for Trump."
By Aly Walansky — Written on Sep 25, 2017
When we look at porn stars, they seem to be otherworldly, larger than life figures. But when you talk to them, you may discover that their lives are kind of ordinary, as is their job.
Much like us, they have to do a lot of odd jobs to make ends meet.
"We often don't make enough money performing to support ourselves on it alone. We have to supplement our income with other things like camming or stripping. I knew one girl who also worked at an Olive Garden," says adult star Riley Reyes.
And they are also educated, sometimes a lot more than we are. "A lot of people in the industry have college degrees and had other careers before getting into the adult business. People assume we’re dumb, and it’s just not true," Reyes says.
Having sex on camera is not always as flawless as the end results show.
"There can be many problems and you have to keep focused on pleasuring yourself knowing the viewers will be eventually watching your performance. From being in positions so long you get cramps — I have been in very awkward places and had to stop the action to relax a far stretched out leg — to extreme temperatures — I have been in a freezing cold mansion in the UK with no heating or been able to run the air conditioning during a scene in the middle of summer.
Sometimes things do not work properly, such as the male cannot complete the 'pop shot' and you have to keep going and going until finally you pray something final will happen. The worst part is when you are really enjoying yourself in a scene and are about to orgasm but the director calls cut and you just have to stop. Argh!" says adult film star Tanya Tate.
So, because we don't know what it's like being a porn star and have our own misconceptions, we asked adult film actresses for the low down.
1. We're clean.
Riley Reyes (pictured above)
"STIs are not rampant in the business or even a big worry for us because we get tested every 14 days and only sleep with others who do the same. Porn stars are the most sexual health-conscious people I have ever met," says Reyes.
2. People misconstrue consent.
Tasha Reign (pictured above)
"People think because you're a sex worker you're then available to them without consent," adult film star Tasha Reign. And that's just not true.
3. Most of the time, our family is okay with our profession.
"Eventually, your family comes around and doesn't mind as much that you have sex for money," says Reign.
4. We're good people.
"All porn stars (for the most part) love Disneyland, animals, and freedom more than anything," says Reign.
5. Our politics will surprise you.
"A lot of my coworkers voted for Trump," advises Reign. Wow.
6. Size actually doesn't matter as much as you think.
"Men think they need to have a big penis to please me," says Reign. Again, that's another myth busted because not all women are size queens.
7. We live a fairly healthy lifestyle.
Alison Tyler (pictured above)
"Being in porn is completely different than what people imagine. I would have to say one thing would be how healthy that community is. People like to party and all that, but we're not just doing blow and clubbing every night. Ninety percent of the industry is extremely health-conscious. We want to look good naked because we have sex on camera and healthy bodies are sexy!" says adult star Alison Tyler.
8. People treat us differently.
Another very surprising thing about what it's like being a porn star is how different people treat you once they find out you've done or do porn.
"I've actually had other girls text my boyfriend and bash both he and I because I do porn and he decided to date me instead of them. I've had friends who I grew up with and have known for 10 to 15 years suddenly stop talking to me, and then people who you never expected to be supportive, stand up. It's really incredible," says Tyler.
9. We're just like everyone else.
Richelle Ryan (pictured above)
"My life is extremely normal (almost boring) outside of my job. Being in the porn industry, we're used to having to wake up very early to be on set, usually by 8 AM, which means waking up at 5:30 AM. Or, when we travel for Feature Dance bookings, we're always on the 6 AM flights out.
My typical days off are filled with running errands, going to the gym and yoga, cleaning my house, doing laundry, working on my online store and spending time with my dog. The days when I work are very hectic and long so I have to prepare and prep on my off days," says Richelle Ryan.
10. We moonlight.
Valentina Mia (pictured above)
"Most of the money we make is not from the films we shoot, but from the fame those films produce. Porn shoots are basically advertisements for those of us who do it as our career," says porn star Valentina Mia.
11. The first time we meet our costars is the day of the shoot.
"I usually meet my costar for the first time on the day of the shoot, but sometimes it's the day before and with those the chemistry tends to be stronger," says Mia.
12. Dating is hard.
"Being a porn star makes dating harder, especially for women because of the stigma that comes with being a sex worker," says Mia.
13. We work a lot of hours.
"Being a porn star is a full-time job for me; in fact, I work overtime. I'm constantly responding to fans and it becomes a bit overwhelming at times," says Mia.
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Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her at alywalansky@gmail.com.
