The PORN REVOLUTION

In an industry synonymous with seedy men and hardcore exploitation, a new generation of women are rewriting their role in the script.

- Harriet Sim

It’s been nearly a decade since Mia Khalifa last felt safe on the internet. In 2014, while completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in history at the University of Texas, Khalifa became the most searched adult film star on the planet. Her stint in the sex industry lasted about three months, yet Khalifa still bears the scars of the industry. From the handful of videos she starred in, Khalifa attracted more than a billion views. Despite being one of the most watched performers in the world, Khalifa took home only $US12,000, while videos of her body continue to circulate the web, generating profit for others. Under the management of a group of older men, Khalifa was reportedly coerced into making a racially sensitive video where she wore a hijab, the aftermath of which has resulted in brutal public vilification. “It was very much a mistake and I realised that immediately,” 29-year-old Khalifa tells marie claire from her house in Los Angeles. “It was a really low point in my life.”

Today, the adult industry has undergone a seismic rebrand, led by the rise of user-regulated subscription platforms, including OnlyFans, Sunroom and Playboy’s Centerfold. Enticed by the opportunity to reclaim the narrative around their bodies, sex workers are prising the power back from an industry that has long undercut and exploited them. As a result, production conglomerates, who once dominated the adult film industry, are now increasingly being held under the microscope. In December 2020, both Visa and Mastercard suspended their credit card services with the adult site Pornhub after allegations it was profiting from videos of child sexual abuse and sex trafficking.