CYBERSPACE—Pretty much everyone in the adult industry is pissed—and rightfully so—at the directors/producers of the Netflix series Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On, and after reading numerous accounts by adult film performers who feel they were treated unethically by the company, xHamster has decided to send copies of Melissa Gira Grant’s Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work to them and to Netflix itself. Each will also get a red umbrella, a symbol of sex worker rights.
As both AVN and the Free Speech Coalition noted, performers involved in the production related that they were lied to by producers, and that their images were used without their consent, either in violation of pre-existing agreements, or by claiming “fair use” exemption to broadcast their web cam shows. At least one performer felt forced to come out to her parents about her work—so xHamster decided to do something about it.
“Too often, mainstream production companies who talk to adult performers and other sex workers decide that they need to ‘save’ their subjects from exploitation, and instead end up being the exploiters," explained Alex Hawkins, spokesperson of xHamster. "Consensual sex workers do not need to be saved. They need respect, they need consent, and they need to be paid for their labor. That, not legalese, is what true 'fair use' is.
“Before Netflix or Rashida Jones airs another episode, they need to read Playing the Whore, which clearly lays out how the patronizing and unwanted saviors end up harming and exploiting their subjects, violating their consent and blaming the victim.
“As producer of the series, it would appear Ms. Jones is the one actually profiting from exploitation. If she really wants to help sex workers, she can help. In addition to the books, xHamster is calling on her to donate any producer fee or profits she receives from the series to SWOP, the Sex Workers Outreach Project."
xHamster is also looking for five to ten webcam performers to record short, 1-3 minute messages to Rashida Jones, via webcam, explaining why they are opposing the production. Since xHamster knows that emotional labor is valuable, it will compensate each performer $150. xHamster will deliver these videos, in addition to the books and umbrella, to Rashida Jones to both her production company and her personal home in Ojai.
“Ms. Jones home address, as well as the addresses of those involved in the production are easily found if you know where to look,” said Hawkins. “However, there’s a difference between finding something publicly available and broadcasting that information to an international audience. We hope this will help Ms. Jones understand the difference.”
Performers who wish to record their stories and opposition should contact [email protected].
