In a major milestone, Pineapple Support has connected over one hundred adult performers to mental health services, including direct therapy, therapeutic listening and provision of mental health resources.
Founder Leya Tanit says the adult industry non-profit, which is dedicated to improving mental health access for adult performers, has seen a tremendous response from both performers and producers since its launch last year.
“I am proud that we’ve been able to reach this many people this quickly, but there is so much more work to be done.” said Tanit. “Because of stigma and financial instability, performers have a harder time accessing mental health services than the general population. And when they do access it, they are often confronted with judgment about the work they do. Given the enormity of the losses we have faced in the past few years, it’s essential that our industry come together to fight for better mental health access.”
Pineapple Support was launched in 2018 by Tanit, a performer herself, in response to a string of performer deaths last winter related to depression and addiction. The non-profit organization helps provide access to free and low-cost psychotherapy, counseling and emotional support to persons working in the adult industry.
In the past few months, Pineapple Support has provided therapy and counseling services at industry trade and award shows, organized performer gatherings during holidays, and worked to raise money for additional services. In addition to direct therapy, the organization now has over 60 volunteer active listeners, and online chat, available 24/7 for performers who may be struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction or other issues.
Major industry companies including Mindgeek, xHamster, Clips4Sale and Kink.com have supported Pineapple Support financially and through in-kind services, and Tanit says she hopes more will be announced in the coming months.
“During the trade shows, there was so much goodwill for what we’re doing, and so many have promised to help support our mission, she said. "While I’m glad we’ve reached as many as we can, we cannot rest until everyone in our industry is able to access the care they need.”
