#the only things i can revise that i didnt get 100% on arent even in her class they're poems for creative writing ;v;

[queercatboyrights]

gotta finish 2 (non-art)portfolios by the end of the day

[salamandorange]

Summary of TAZ discourse today

(Let me be clear I am likely to come across as defensive of taz in this)

Here’s the primary source of the controversy. Originally, preview images of the comic adaptation of the adventure zone showed it was going to portray all three main characters as white. New preview pages of the comic with revised designs were released today. (For the record, I am not 100% sure how much the Mcelroys are actually involved in the comic making process?)

So now we have; one pale skinned character, one dark skinned character and one character with non-human skin color. The brothers have made it clear that these design are not canon and there are no “canon” appearances for the characters (If you feel like that is also a bit of a cop out, thats fair tbh). A lot of people were unhappy for several reasons. 

- There still could be more poc representation.

- “We wanted dark skinned Taako and you give us blue??? wtf is this??” (Again, I can see why people read this as a lame cop out)

- Some people feel really strongly that Taako needs to be canonically Latinx because of the running gag of his name sounding like taco which has grown into him having some connection to inventing tacos. (Griffin has discussed his anxiety about this, and I think he is in a lose-lose situation. Having Latinx characters named taco and chalupa would probably create even more backlash)

- A lot of people have decided that giving Taako blue/green skin makes the design anti-semitic. (It takes some deep ass digging to figure out why green skin is antisemitic? But apparently the green skin+long nose+pointy hat look came from anti semitic stereotypes back in ye olde europe)

And then there are a couple things from the newest episode.

-There is a long-ish romantic scene were Barry Bluejeans and Lup become an official romantic pair. Some people aren’t happy about a straight relationship getting a lot of time, or think that the lgbtq relationships in the show didnt get a comparable amount of time. (For the record, Lup is a trans woman so Blupjeans is straight, but arguably still lgbtq representation)

-At one point Justin does a bit where Taako is reciting inspirational quotes from famous people and attributing them to himself. During this, Coco Chanel gets quoted and some people are pissed on account of Coco Chanel being a MEGA-Problematic person in a number of ways. (I am anticipating that Justin will figured out he goofed and publicly apologize bout that)

IDK what I am even going on about tho... I think for me the bottom line is its totally okay to be disappointed about some of this stuff. BUT there has been a lot of black and white “if the Mcelboys arent saints then they must be VILLIANS” stuff going around and??? Yeah they have made mistakes out of ignorance but have always shown a desire and willingness to take criticism and improve themselves. I mean, maybe they only act like they care about representation for the sake of pleasing there primary audience. But if someone seems to be trying as hard as Griffin is to do right by minority groups, I really think we should try to maintain our civility when they mess up and give them a chance to improve themselves.

But hey, then again, I could just be cutting them too much slack cause I enjoy TAZ. That not implausible. 

[samanthasroberts]

James Deens Current Girlfriend Chanel Preston, Head of Porns Advocacy Committee, Speaks

Deen co-founded the Adult Performer’s Advocacy Committee (APAC), an organization that helps ensure workplace safety in porn, with Preston. She is now serving as chairman following his resignation—as her boyfriend stands accused of serial rape. Where will performers turn for help now?

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can.

As one of the adult entertainment industrys top male performers stands accused of rape and sexual assault, the industry must now re-evaluate how performers give and receive consent.

On Nov. 28, Stoya publicly accused her porn star ex-boyfriend, James Deen, of rape. James Deen held me down and fucked me while I said no, stop, used my safeword. I just cant nod and smile when people bring him up anymore. Since then, eight other women have come forward with their own allegations of abuse against Deenwith many claiming that the incidents in question took place on an adult film set.

In an industry thats historically lacked performer unity, many have come to rely on the Adult Performers Advocacy Committee (APAC) to represent their interests. Its the closest thing adult performers have come to a union.

Created by performers in the industry, APACs mission is to provide representation for performers in the adult film industry and to protect performers rights to a safer and more professional work environment. Deen was one of APACs co-founders, and up until his resignation last Monday, served as the organizations chairman.

With few entities looking out for adult performers, APAC was supposed to be that safe harbora place to turn to for guidance, to address safety concerns, and to help with any other issues performers had. Its a confusing time in the adult industry; theres no precedent for this. Given the numerous allegations against Deen, its clearly a conflict of interest to head an organization promoting the well-being of performers.

Following his resignation, APAC issued a statement to reiterate whose side theyre on: The APAC Board wants to state unequivocally that we stand with performers and other sex workers who are victims of any sort of sexual assault. APAC is committed to being a safe space for performers, and to creating a safer and healthier industry.

Still, performers may have a difficult time turning to APAC in their time of need considering that APAC president and co-founder Chanel Preston is dating Deen, and continues to as she assumes the additional role of chairmanDeens vacated position.

When pressed for comment about the potential that her relationship with Deen may give performers pause in coming to her organization with concerns, Preston issued this statement (with the condition that it be published in its entirety):

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can. The porn community is small and many performers have had some sort of relationship with Stoya and/or James, and are experiencing this situation in a personal way. James is no longer involved in APAC decision-making, direction, or duties. APAC has issued a statement of solidarity with all sex workers who have been violated or assaulted, and the revised boards members, which consists of Conner Habib, Ela Darling, Veruca James, and I, will continue our commitment to serve our community and provide a safe and supportive environment for performers.

Now more than ever, adult performers are in need of support and advocates they can trust. As more women continue to levy allegations of sexual abuse and assault at Deen, many of which allegedly occurred in a workplace environment, its clearly a time for change.

Tori Lux, who accused Deen of assaulting her on a porn set, wrote, He proceeded to straddle my chest, pinning down my arms with his knees. Then, he raised his hand high above his head, swinging it down and hitting me in the face and head with an open palm. He did this five or six times. Later, Ashley Fires told The Daily Beast she was almost raped by Dean while on the premises of the S&M company Kink. Kora Peters and Amber Raynes experiences also took place on setand on-camera, no less.

It may prove difficult for women in this situation to turn to an organization now headed by Deens current partner, but Preston is not to blame for this. In an industry this small manyif not mostperformers drift in and out of relationships with one another given the difficulty many civilians have in understanding sex work. Nonetheless, women who have felt victimized by Deen may feel like they have nowhere to turn but to the public.

Porn star Nicki Blue, 27, is the most recent woman to come forward, alleging that things between her and Deen got out of handalso on the premises of S&M company Kink. She was 21 at the time. I started giving him [oral sex]. It was nice at first, then it got really rough. I kept trying to pull my head up to say something, it was too rough But he would just push my head back in so I was choking and I couldnt say anything. As he was doing itthis is the embarrassing part and why I didnt say anythinghe said, Oh my God, I have to go to the bathroom, and he pissed in my mouth.

Deen is certainly the most extreme example, but also not the only performer to allegedly violate consent on set. Sadly, adult performers have been dealing with similar workplace issues for years with little recourse. The allegations against Deen may finally force directors and to have conversations about limits and acceptability.

New girls entering the porn industry often dont know their limitsthey learn on the job. I didnt know it was okay to say no, that I could leave whenever I wanted to, says adult actress Carmen Valentina. As a newbie she felt pressured into pleasing a director in the hopes of being rehired. I was booked for a handjob, when I got there the director and talent kept trying to also get me to do a blowjob scene. Not wanting to make anyone angry, and being so new, I did the blowjob scene. I didnt get paid more for it, says Valentina. I felt taken advantage of. I was new and still learning the ins and outs of the industry.

Anxiety about not being rehired or the fear of being labeled difficult prevents some female porn stars from speaking up. As hundreds of women compete for relatively few jobs, it creates an environment in which newand sometimes establishedperformers participate in acts they later regret. There are no advocates for these women on set, no one to protect them from being bullied into submission.

Workplace issues are at times unavoidable no matter how experienced the performer is. Adult actress Katja Kassin was hired to do a rape-like scene in an old bathroom with several urinals. She agreed the male performers could put her head in a urinal under one condition: it be sanitized. I explained my concerns about germs and contracting diseases like hepatitis A or B. All performers and the director were present during the conversation, says Kassin. Only one urinal was cleaned and approved of, but her co-stars had other ideas.

The male performers dragged me towards a bathroom stall and attempted to dunk my head in the toilet even though I made it clear I do not consent, says Kassin. I said no several times but it took me using physical force and pushing off the guys to stop the scene. The director made no attempt to interrupt the scene. She did not intervene.

Though Kassin wanted to stop the scene, the director communicated to her that if I didnt finish I might not get paid in full, which increased the pressure for me to continue the scene. Afterwards, Kassin addressed the issue with company staff but no one seemed to care. I decided to just suck it up, says Kassin. I can understand why none of the girls reported their abuse [regarding Deen] because oftentimes it feels like as a female porn performer you dont have any support.

With repeated exposure, alarming situations or on set behaviors can become conventional over time. Performers are encouraged to push limits physically and mentally. Its not just about the sex; its about finding the extremes. Seasoned male porn star Voodoo believes the extreme nature of sexually violent pornand the way its handled by directors, crew members, and performers on setis creating problems within the industry.

I will never defend him but you cant just blame James Deen, says Voodoo. I believe the women who accused him 100 percent, but at the same time the porn industry is responsible for creating that kind of monster. 

As a director, Voodoo feels obligated to ensure the comfort of performers within a scenea responsibility he wishes more directors took seriously. If Im behind the camera and I see my performer experiencing physical or psychological discomfort, its my duty to stop that and see if theyre OK, but directors arent doing that, says Voodoo. Instead theyre saying, Go harder, more, more, oh she can take it! As a performer, Ive been subjected to that and told directors to go fuck themselves. Directors are getting out of control with what they want to put out there.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/19/james-deens-current-girlfriend-chanel-preston-head-of-porns-advocacy-committee-speaks/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/09/19/james-deens-current-girlfriend-chanel-preston-head-of-porns-advocacy-committee-speaks/

[jimdsmith34]

James Deens Current Girlfriend Chanel Preston, Head of Porns Advocacy Committee, Speaks

Deen co-founded the Adult Performer’s Advocacy Committee (APAC), an organization that helps ensure workplace safety in porn, with Preston. She is now serving as chairman following his resignation—as her boyfriend stands accused of serial rape. Where will performers turn for help now?

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can.

As one of the adult entertainment industrys top male performers stands accused of rape and sexual assault, the industry must now re-evaluate how performers give and receive consent.

On Nov. 28, Stoya publicly accused her porn star ex-boyfriend, James Deen, of rape. James Deen held me down and fucked me while I said no, stop, used my safeword. I just cant nod and smile when people bring him up anymore. Since then, eight other women have come forward with their own allegations of abuse against Deenwith many claiming that the incidents in question took place on an adult film set.

In an industry thats historically lacked performer unity, many have come to rely on the Adult Performers Advocacy Committee (APAC) to represent their interests. Its the closest thing adult performers have come to a union.

Created by performers in the industry, APACs mission is to provide representation for performers in the adult film industry and to protect performers rights to a safer and more professional work environment. Deen was one of APACs co-founders, and up until his resignation last Monday, served as the organizations chairman.

With few entities looking out for adult performers, APAC was supposed to be that safe harbora place to turn to for guidance, to address safety concerns, and to help with any other issues performers had. Its a confusing time in the adult industry; theres no precedent for this. Given the numerous allegations against Deen, its clearly a conflict of interest to head an organization promoting the well-being of performers.

Following his resignation, APAC issued a statement to reiterate whose side theyre on: The APAC Board wants to state unequivocally that we stand with performers and other sex workers who are victims of any sort of sexual assault. APAC is committed to being a safe space for performers, and to creating a safer and healthier industry.

Still, performers may have a difficult time turning to APAC in their time of need considering that APAC president and co-founder Chanel Preston is dating Deen, and continues to as she assumes the additional role of chairmanDeens vacated position.

When pressed for comment about the potential that her relationship with Deen may give performers pause in coming to her organization with concerns, Preston issued this statement (with the condition that it be published in its entirety):

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can. The porn community is small and many performers have had some sort of relationship with Stoya and/or James, and are experiencing this situation in a personal way. James is no longer involved in APAC decision-making, direction, or duties. APAC has issued a statement of solidarity with all sex workers who have been violated or assaulted, and the revised boards members, which consists of Conner Habib, Ela Darling, Veruca James, and I, will continue our commitment to serve our community and provide a safe and supportive environment for performers.

Now more than ever, adult performers are in need of support and advocates they can trust. As more women continue to levy allegations of sexual abuse and assault at Deen, many of which allegedly occurred in a workplace environment, its clearly a time for change.

Tori Lux, who accused Deen of assaulting her on a porn set, wrote, He proceeded to straddle my chest, pinning down my arms with his knees. Then, he raised his hand high above his head, swinging it down and hitting me in the face and head with an open palm. He did this five or six times. Later, Ashley Fires told The Daily Beast she was almost raped by Dean while on the premises of the S&M company Kink. Kora Peters and Amber Raynes experiences also took place on setand on-camera, no less.

It may prove difficult for women in this situation to turn to an organization now headed by Deens current partner, but Preston is not to blame for this. In an industry this small manyif not mostperformers drift in and out of relationships with one another given the difficulty many civilians have in understanding sex work. Nonetheless, women who have felt victimized by Deen may feel like they have nowhere to turn but to the public.

Porn star Nicki Blue, 27, is the most recent woman to come forward, alleging that things between her and Deen got out of handalso on the premises of S&M company Kink. She was 21 at the time. I started giving him [oral sex]. It was nice at first, then it got really rough. I kept trying to pull my head up to say something, it was too rough But he would just push my head back in so I was choking and I couldnt say anything. As he was doing itthis is the embarrassing part and why I didnt say anythinghe said, Oh my God, I have to go to the bathroom, and he pissed in my mouth.

Deen is certainly the most extreme example, but also not the only performer to allegedly violate consent on set. Sadly, adult performers have been dealing with similar workplace issues for years with little recourse. The allegations against Deen may finally force directors and to have conversations about limits and acceptability.

New girls entering the porn industry often dont know their limitsthey learn on the job. I didnt know it was okay to say no, that I could leave whenever I wanted to, says adult actress Carmen Valentina. As a newbie she felt pressured into pleasing a director in the hopes of being rehired. I was booked for a handjob, when I got there the director and talent kept trying to also get me to do a blowjob scene. Not wanting to make anyone angry, and being so new, I did the blowjob scene. I didnt get paid more for it, says Valentina. I felt taken advantage of. I was new and still learning the ins and outs of the industry.

Anxiety about not being rehired or the fear of being labeled difficult prevents some female porn stars from speaking up. As hundreds of women compete for relatively few jobs, it creates an environment in which newand sometimes establishedperformers participate in acts they later regret. There are no advocates for these women on set, no one to protect them from being bullied into submission.

Workplace issues are at times unavoidable no matter how experienced the performer is. Adult actress Katja Kassin was hired to do a rape-like scene in an old bathroom with several urinals. She agreed the male performers could put her head in a urinal under one condition: it be sanitized. I explained my concerns about germs and contracting diseases like hepatitis A or B. All performers and the director were present during the conversation, says Kassin. Only one urinal was cleaned and approved of, but her co-stars had other ideas.

The male performers dragged me towards a bathroom stall and attempted to dunk my head in the toilet even though I made it clear I do not consent, says Kassin. I said no several times but it took me using physical force and pushing off the guys to stop the scene. The director made no attempt to interrupt the scene. She did not intervene.

Though Kassin wanted to stop the scene, the director communicated to her that if I didnt finish I might not get paid in full, which increased the pressure for me to continue the scene. Afterwards, Kassin addressed the issue with company staff but no one seemed to care. I decided to just suck it up, says Kassin. I can understand why none of the girls reported their abuse [regarding Deen] because oftentimes it feels like as a female porn performer you dont have any support.

With repeated exposure, alarming situations or on set behaviors can become conventional over time. Performers are encouraged to push limits physically and mentally. Its not just about the sex; its about finding the extremes. Seasoned male porn star Voodoo believes the extreme nature of sexually violent pornand the way its handled by directors, crew members, and performers on setis creating problems within the industry.

I will never defend him but you cant just blame James Deen, says Voodoo. I believe the women who accused him 100 percent, but at the same time the porn industry is responsible for creating that kind of monster. 

As a director, Voodoo feels obligated to ensure the comfort of performers within a scenea responsibility he wishes more directors took seriously. If Im behind the camera and I see my performer experiencing physical or psychological discomfort, its my duty to stop that and see if theyre OK, but directors arent doing that, says Voodoo. Instead theyre saying, Go harder, more, more, oh she can take it! As a performer, Ive been subjected to that and told directors to go fuck themselves. Directors are getting out of control with what they want to put out there.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/19/james-deens-current-girlfriend-chanel-preston-head-of-porns-advocacy-committee-speaks/ from All of Beer http://allofbeer.blogspot.com/2017/09/james-deens-current-girlfriend-chanel.html

[adambstingus]

James Deens Current Girlfriend Chanel Preston, Head of Porns Advocacy Committee, Speaks

Deen co-founded the Adult Performer’s Advocacy Committee (APAC), an organization that helps ensure workplace safety in porn, with Preston. She is now serving as chairman following his resignation—as her boyfriend stands accused of serial rape. Where will performers turn for help now?

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can.

As one of the adult entertainment industrys top male performers stands accused of rape and sexual assault, the industry must now re-evaluate how performers give and receive consent.

On Nov. 28, Stoya publicly accused her porn star ex-boyfriend, James Deen, of rape. James Deen held me down and fucked me while I said no, stop, used my safeword. I just cant nod and smile when people bring him up anymore. Since then, eight other women have come forward with their own allegations of abuse against Deenwith many claiming that the incidents in question took place on an adult film set.

In an industry thats historically lacked performer unity, many have come to rely on the Adult Performers Advocacy Committee (APAC) to represent their interests. Its the closest thing adult performers have come to a union.

Created by performers in the industry, APACs mission is to provide representation for performers in the adult film industry and to protect performers rights to a safer and more professional work environment. Deen was one of APACs co-founders, and up until his resignation last Monday, served as the organizations chairman.

With few entities looking out for adult performers, APAC was supposed to be that safe harbora place to turn to for guidance, to address safety concerns, and to help with any other issues performers had. Its a confusing time in the adult industry; theres no precedent for this. Given the numerous allegations against Deen, its clearly a conflict of interest to head an organization promoting the well-being of performers.

Following his resignation, APAC issued a statement to reiterate whose side theyre on: The APAC Board wants to state unequivocally that we stand with performers and other sex workers who are victims of any sort of sexual assault. APAC is committed to being a safe space for performers, and to creating a safer and healthier industry.

Still, performers may have a difficult time turning to APAC in their time of need considering that APAC president and co-founder Chanel Preston is dating Deen, and continues to as she assumes the additional role of chairmanDeens vacated position.

When pressed for comment about the potential that her relationship with Deen may give performers pause in coming to her organization with concerns, Preston issued this statement (with the condition that it be published in its entirety):

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can. The porn community is small and many performers have had some sort of relationship with Stoya and/or James, and are experiencing this situation in a personal way. James is no longer involved in APAC decision-making, direction, or duties. APAC has issued a statement of solidarity with all sex workers who have been violated or assaulted, and the revised boards members, which consists of Conner Habib, Ela Darling, Veruca James, and I, will continue our commitment to serve our community and provide a safe and supportive environment for performers.

Now more than ever, adult performers are in need of support and advocates they can trust. As more women continue to levy allegations of sexual abuse and assault at Deen, many of which allegedly occurred in a workplace environment, its clearly a time for change.

Tori Lux, who accused Deen of assaulting her on a porn set, wrote, He proceeded to straddle my chest, pinning down my arms with his knees. Then, he raised his hand high above his head, swinging it down and hitting me in the face and head with an open palm. He did this five or six times. Later, Ashley Fires told The Daily Beast she was almost raped by Dean while on the premises of the S&M company Kink. Kora Peters and Amber Raynes experiences also took place on setand on-camera, no less.

It may prove difficult for women in this situation to turn to an organization now headed by Deens current partner, but Preston is not to blame for this. In an industry this small manyif not mostperformers drift in and out of relationships with one another given the difficulty many civilians have in understanding sex work. Nonetheless, women who have felt victimized by Deen may feel like they have nowhere to turn but to the public.

Porn star Nicki Blue, 27, is the most recent woman to come forward, alleging that things between her and Deen got out of handalso on the premises of S&M company Kink. She was 21 at the time. I started giving him [oral sex]. It was nice at first, then it got really rough. I kept trying to pull my head up to say something, it was too rough But he would just push my head back in so I was choking and I couldnt say anything. As he was doing itthis is the embarrassing part and why I didnt say anythinghe said, Oh my God, I have to go to the bathroom, and he pissed in my mouth.

Deen is certainly the most extreme example, but also not the only performer to allegedly violate consent on set. Sadly, adult performers have been dealing with similar workplace issues for years with little recourse. The allegations against Deen may finally force directors and to have conversations about limits and acceptability.

New girls entering the porn industry often dont know their limitsthey learn on the job. I didnt know it was okay to say no, that I could leave whenever I wanted to, says adult actress Carmen Valentina. As a newbie she felt pressured into pleasing a director in the hopes of being rehired. I was booked for a handjob, when I got there the director and talent kept trying to also get me to do a blowjob scene. Not wanting to make anyone angry, and being so new, I did the blowjob scene. I didnt get paid more for it, says Valentina. I felt taken advantage of. I was new and still learning the ins and outs of the industry.

Anxiety about not being rehired or the fear of being labeled difficult prevents some female porn stars from speaking up. As hundreds of women compete for relatively few jobs, it creates an environment in which newand sometimes establishedperformers participate in acts they later regret. There are no advocates for these women on set, no one to protect them from being bullied into submission.

Workplace issues are at times unavoidable no matter how experienced the performer is. Adult actress Katja Kassin was hired to do a rape-like scene in an old bathroom with several urinals. She agreed the male performers could put her head in a urinal under one condition: it be sanitized. I explained my concerns about germs and contracting diseases like hepatitis A or B. All performers and the director were present during the conversation, says Kassin. Only one urinal was cleaned and approved of, but her co-stars had other ideas.

The male performers dragged me towards a bathroom stall and attempted to dunk my head in the toilet even though I made it clear I do not consent, says Kassin. I said no several times but it took me using physical force and pushing off the guys to stop the scene. The director made no attempt to interrupt the scene. She did not intervene.

Though Kassin wanted to stop the scene, the director communicated to her that if I didnt finish I might not get paid in full, which increased the pressure for me to continue the scene. Afterwards, Kassin addressed the issue with company staff but no one seemed to care. I decided to just suck it up, says Kassin. I can understand why none of the girls reported their abuse [regarding Deen] because oftentimes it feels like as a female porn performer you dont have any support.

With repeated exposure, alarming situations or on set behaviors can become conventional over time. Performers are encouraged to push limits physically and mentally. Its not just about the sex; its about finding the extremes. Seasoned male porn star Voodoo believes the extreme nature of sexually violent pornand the way its handled by directors, crew members, and performers on setis creating problems within the industry.

I will never defend him but you cant just blame James Deen, says Voodoo. I believe the women who accused him 100 percent, but at the same time the porn industry is responsible for creating that kind of monster. 

As a director, Voodoo feels obligated to ensure the comfort of performers within a scenea responsibility he wishes more directors took seriously. If Im behind the camera and I see my performer experiencing physical or psychological discomfort, its my duty to stop that and see if theyre OK, but directors arent doing that, says Voodoo. Instead theyre saying, Go harder, more, more, oh she can take it! As a performer, Ive been subjected to that and told directors to go fuck themselves. Directors are getting out of control with what they want to put out there.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/19/james-deens-current-girlfriend-chanel-preston-head-of-porns-advocacy-committee-speaks/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/165525070767

[allofbeercom]

James Deens Current Girlfriend Chanel Preston, Head of Porns Advocacy Committee, Speaks

Deen co-founded the Adult Performer’s Advocacy Committee (APAC), an organization that helps ensure workplace safety in porn, with Preston. She is now serving as chairman following his resignation—as her boyfriend stands accused of serial rape. Where will performers turn for help now?

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can.

As one of the adult entertainment industrys top male performers stands accused of rape and sexual assault, the industry must now re-evaluate how performers give and receive consent.

On Nov. 28, Stoya publicly accused her porn star ex-boyfriend, James Deen, of rape. James Deen held me down and fucked me while I said no, stop, used my safeword. I just cant nod and smile when people bring him up anymore. Since then, eight other women have come forward with their own allegations of abuse against Deenwith many claiming that the incidents in question took place on an adult film set.

In an industry thats historically lacked performer unity, many have come to rely on the Adult Performers Advocacy Committee (APAC) to represent their interests. Its the closest thing adult performers have come to a union.

Created by performers in the industry, APACs mission is to provide representation for performers in the adult film industry and to protect performers rights to a safer and more professional work environment. Deen was one of APACs co-founders, and up until his resignation last Monday, served as the organizations chairman.

With few entities looking out for adult performers, APAC was supposed to be that safe harbora place to turn to for guidance, to address safety concerns, and to help with any other issues performers had. Its a confusing time in the adult industry; theres no precedent for this. Given the numerous allegations against Deen, its clearly a conflict of interest to head an organization promoting the well-being of performers.

Following his resignation, APAC issued a statement to reiterate whose side theyre on: The APAC Board wants to state unequivocally that we stand with performers and other sex workers who are victims of any sort of sexual assault. APAC is committed to being a safe space for performers, and to creating a safer and healthier industry.

Still, performers may have a difficult time turning to APAC in their time of need considering that APAC president and co-founder Chanel Preston is dating Deen, and continues to as she assumes the additional role of chairmanDeens vacated position.

When pressed for comment about the potential that her relationship with Deen may give performers pause in coming to her organization with concerns, Preston issued this statement (with the condition that it be published in its entirety):

James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we dont talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and Im navigating them as best I can. The porn community is small and many performers have had some sort of relationship with Stoya and/or James, and are experiencing this situation in a personal way. James is no longer involved in APAC decision-making, direction, or duties. APAC has issued a statement of solidarity with all sex workers who have been violated or assaulted, and the revised boards members, which consists of Conner Habib, Ela Darling, Veruca James, and I, will continue our commitment to serve our community and provide a safe and supportive environment for performers.

Now more than ever, adult performers are in need of support and advocates they can trust. As more women continue to levy allegations of sexual abuse and assault at Deen, many of which allegedly occurred in a workplace environment, its clearly a time for change.

Tori Lux, who accused Deen of assaulting her on a porn set, wrote, He proceeded to straddle my chest, pinning down my arms with his knees. Then, he raised his hand high above his head, swinging it down and hitting me in the face and head with an open palm. He did this five or six times. Later, Ashley Fires told The Daily Beast she was almost raped by Dean while on the premises of the S&M company Kink. Kora Peters and Amber Raynes experiences also took place on setand on-camera, no less.

It may prove difficult for women in this situation to turn to an organization now headed by Deens current partner, but Preston is not to blame for this. In an industry this small manyif not mostperformers drift in and out of relationships with one another given the difficulty many civilians have in understanding sex work. Nonetheless, women who have felt victimized by Deen may feel like they have nowhere to turn but to the public.

Porn star Nicki Blue, 27, is the most recent woman to come forward, alleging that things between her and Deen got out of handalso on the premises of S&M company Kink. She was 21 at the time. I started giving him [oral sex]. It was nice at first, then it got really rough. I kept trying to pull my head up to say something, it was too rough But he would just push my head back in so I was choking and I couldnt say anything. As he was doing itthis is the embarrassing part and why I didnt say anythinghe said, Oh my God, I have to go to the bathroom, and he pissed in my mouth.

Deen is certainly the most extreme example, but also not the only performer to allegedly violate consent on set. Sadly, adult performers have been dealing with similar workplace issues for years with little recourse. The allegations against Deen may finally force directors and to have conversations about limits and acceptability.

New girls entering the porn industry often dont know their limitsthey learn on the job. I didnt know it was okay to say no, that I could leave whenever I wanted to, says adult actress Carmen Valentina. As a newbie she felt pressured into pleasing a director in the hopes of being rehired. I was booked for a handjob, when I got there the director and talent kept trying to also get me to do a blowjob scene. Not wanting to make anyone angry, and being so new, I did the blowjob scene. I didnt get paid more for it, says Valentina. I felt taken advantage of. I was new and still learning the ins and outs of the industry.

Anxiety about not being rehired or the fear of being labeled difficult prevents some female porn stars from speaking up. As hundreds of women compete for relatively few jobs, it creates an environment in which newand sometimes establishedperformers participate in acts they later regret. There are no advocates for these women on set, no one to protect them from being bullied into submission.

Workplace issues are at times unavoidable no matter how experienced the performer is. Adult actress Katja Kassin was hired to do a rape-like scene in an old bathroom with several urinals. She agreed the male performers could put her head in a urinal under one condition: it be sanitized. I explained my concerns about germs and contracting diseases like hepatitis A or B. All performers and the director were present during the conversation, says Kassin. Only one urinal was cleaned and approved of, but her co-stars had other ideas.

The male performers dragged me towards a bathroom stall and attempted to dunk my head in the toilet even though I made it clear I do not consent, says Kassin. I said no several times but it took me using physical force and pushing off the guys to stop the scene. The director made no attempt to interrupt the scene. She did not intervene.

Though Kassin wanted to stop the scene, the director communicated to her that if I didnt finish I might not get paid in full, which increased the pressure for me to continue the scene. Afterwards, Kassin addressed the issue with company staff but no one seemed to care. I decided to just suck it up, says Kassin. I can understand why none of the girls reported their abuse [regarding Deen] because oftentimes it feels like as a female porn performer you dont have any support.

With repeated exposure, alarming situations or on set behaviors can become conventional over time. Performers are encouraged to push limits physically and mentally. Its not just about the sex; its about finding the extremes. Seasoned male porn star Voodoo believes the extreme nature of sexually violent pornand the way its handled by directors, crew members, and performers on setis creating problems within the industry.

I will never defend him but you cant just blame James Deen, says Voodoo. I believe the women who accused him 100 percent, but at the same time the porn industry is responsible for creating that kind of monster. 

As a director, Voodoo feels obligated to ensure the comfort of performers within a scenea responsibility he wishes more directors took seriously. If Im behind the camera and I see my performer experiencing physical or psychological discomfort, its my duty to stop that and see if theyre OK, but directors arent doing that, says Voodoo. Instead theyre saying, Go harder, more, more, oh she can take it! As a performer, Ive been subjected to that and told directors to go fuck themselves. Directors are getting out of control with what they want to put out there.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/19/james-deens-current-girlfriend-chanel-preston-head-of-porns-advocacy-committee-speaks/

[futuremeyouarewelcome]

002 im trying

i shouldnt be forcing myself to do this cause i said i wouldnt write if i didnt want to, but i havent written anything this week and i feel like i should write at least once a week or this would be pointless

i bet 50% of that sentence was grammatically wrong but its past midnight and im writing and listening to game grumps at the same time, didnt know my brain could handle this much

im definitely going to edit this ten times after i post it (i paused the video tho)

SO i had a pretty good week, not a productive week, but a good week my body (mostly my stomach) is w a y better, so my head is way better now

im still struggling to follow my diet i dont hate the diet, d e f i n i t e l y dont hate it cause i think this is the happiest i've felt about my body since i started paying attention to how it looked (puberty) and i've always hated my body, sometimes REALLY hated it to the point i would not go out somewhere cause none of my clothes looked good on me, and i think i was fairly young things like this happened, and this "problem" probably and almost certainly influenced many aspects of my life (yeah THAT, exactly what u thinking about), cause im always thinking "oh im strong, i dont give a fuck about what other think (appearance wise)", but giving a fuck about what others think is basically all i do so... not good. im still think the same, but less about appearance and more about how i talk, i guess, how im behaving towards people, if im being rude or saying something stupid, and i think thats good, im way aware of what im talking right now that i was like 3 years ago (when i was 17, yeah lets not talk about that right now :) ). BUT YEAH, my diet, not feeling it 100% right now, i was thinking maybe taking it slower right now cause of college and doing not exercise at all, and really go back at full capacity when my classes are over, cause my objective with this diet is at least go to the pool with my family and wear a bikini and not want everyone to go blind cause they're seeing my body (healthy, i know) and the ultimate goal is to go to the b e a c h, where theres a million people by the end of the year :) i think i can do it! :D

right now i just want my classes to end so i can go and see my friends and family without having to be constantly thinking about something i have not done for some class or some test i have to study to thats all i want haha i need to make a list about the things i wanna write about doing it now that 'i was 17' is a good one self-esteem (or my lack of uuhuhhhhhhh) do i have depression? my parents (thanks Amanda for this one) social skills motivations things i like about myself (this may be same as the self-esteem dk) positivity  music!!!!!!(+fandoms)

thats it i guess i'll come up with more later in the week hopefully now i have to sleep cause i have to GET SHIT DONE, cause i (i was gonna say "i hate" but, hear me first) dont hate working in groups, i think its really great cause u all working on the same thing to get to the same objective, BUT thats not the case for me right now, i feel like the people in my groups (even if im the only one reading this i dont like to name people when im talking shit about them lol) in my classes are... idk... they just d o n t  d o  the stuff they're supposed to do and im like "????????? u know ur grade depend on this project?!?!?!?!!", and i ended up feeling like im the only one doing all the job, i try thinking like 'oh, thats fine i will do all the work, cause questions about this work are on tests im gonna be the only one who knows how to solve them, so fuck it im doing it all by myself', and this DID legit happen this semester, but this behavior pisses me off so fucking much, like its a GROUP project not a one-person-does-everything-and-the-rest-of-the-group-gets-the-grade project -_- and the WORST part is that i even feel bad if i've done something wrong or not good enough, BUT I SHOULDNT cause thats not my fault cause i did it all by myself!!! they don't revise the finished project to see if theres something wrong. i hate it, i hate it so much also, cause i highly respect my professors (even when they arent good haha), cause i need Validation, and i want them to think im a good student, so i try to get high grades (says the person that did absolutely nothing this week ;) ) so they dont think im going to college just to get a degree and get the fuck out, i want them to think that im interested and want to learn, bUT if keep making "bad projects" how am i to achieve that????? im only one person doing what 5 people should be doing and ofc im naive and idiot and im like "no thats fine :))))))))))))))))))))) theres no problem in my group ::::::)))))))))))" cause i haTE CONFLICT ;-; i just want everybody to like me, that all thats the moral of this all

ok, enoughhhhhh see, thats why i shouldnt write just once a week haha and im just stopping cause its like 1am and my brain is like i cccant...eeennngl...ish....pls...st..o..p

ok brain, rest u gonna go through some shit this week be ready :)

ps: had a great time with Iris this week, i missed her :< didnt have my ice cream tho haha AND also a great time with my family last night, and today actually :D :D pss: im obsessed with game grumps again :-) save me@god but pls dont its great i love them protect them a lot thank u

psss(lol): i was re-reading the last post, i said i wanted to talk about me being by myself A LOT and if im an extrovert or not , so 2 more for the list.