WINNIPEG, Manitoba—On Monday, June 18, Ciné Sinclaire announced a shift of all original content to a "Pay What You Can" (PWYC) structure on cinesinclaire.com.
The company made this move thanks to the realization that not all clients have the means to be able to afford the porn that speaks to and/or represents their bodies and sexualities—especially the marginalized groups represented in the queer and feminist work that Ciné Sinclaire produces.
"We've come to realize that we if we actually want to support, uplift, and represent our community, we need to be accessible to more of the people in it," said Kate Sinclaire, owner of Ciné Sinclaire. "Our customers have historically paid a posted price for our films, which we'll continue to encourage for those that can afford it, but we're really excited to provide an option for lower income folks."
Ciné Sinclaire's PWYC structure starts at one dollar (which is a requirement of the credit card processor) and can be adjusted up to any amount. All films list a suggested price, which corresponds to production costs, performer pay, and the value of the film itself, as well as a custom amount field, with emphasis an explanation of why paying for porn from trusted companies can create safer working conditions.
"What I wish people understood when they talk about how porn is 'dangerous' is that it can be really positive for lots of people," said a performer who preferred to remain anonymous. "The problem is the free, stolen content on big websites means that companies that pay their performers fairly can't produce as much because they don't see any money from that stolen content. That paves the way for less positive working conditions."
Ciné Sinclaire is an ethical, feminist, queer porn production company and pay site based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is considered Canada's premiere feminist porn website, and is the winner of the Toronto International Porn Awards' Honoured Website designation 2017.
