In the feature ‘Talk Industry to Me’, two adult film performers open up on misconceptions, current challenges.

Last month, SF Reporter writer Hunter Riley interviewed adult performers at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo for a ‘Talk Industry To Me’ feature, published Wednesday.

Adult superstar Skin Diamond was asked how being an adult performer had a positive impact on her life.

She replied,

I’ve definitely learned a lot of new tricks! I think I appreciate different kinds of sex now. When I first got in, I was mostly interested in the most hardcore crazy sex because that was what I hadn’t tried before. But these days, I do soft, sensual cuddling sex as well. I liked that before, but I appreciate it a lot more now when you do have that closeness with someone.

Seven-year porn veteran Mickey Mod was queried about his involvement with the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee (APAC) the organization started by performers to help advocate for and promote the needs and rights of people in the adult industry, and was also asked about his views on the delicate matter of the interracial, or “IR”, porn genre.

Mod commented:

I feel that as a performer of color, and especially as a black performer, [doing] interracial porn, we kind of have some issues there that we don’t address. And the common rationale is that, ‘It’s marketing; it’s nothing personal.’ And in porn, interracial means black people; it doesn’t mean Asian or Latino. It’s just assumed that if you’re a performer of color, you’ll do interracial. It’s not an option that you’re given; there’s not a pay increase to be on a set where the shoot might have some racially sensitive content. I know a lot of people don’t like talking about it because they’re afraid to lose work…I said on Twitter that, ‘Paying models more money to do an interracial scene is unethical and offensive, and it needs to stop.’

Read the full interviews with SF Reporter here.