# Why don't female porn stars get organized? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2003, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284 "2003-04-22T10:41:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/1 "2003-04-22T10:41:40Z")
I already know that female porn actresses are paid more than male ones, but why don’t they use the power they obviously have? Why don’t they get organized? They’re totally indispensible; what they say goes, no matter what. There are hundreds of men waiting to become porn stars (admittedly only a couple per cent of them will be able to), but beautiful women who want to do porn are far more scarce. So why don’t they band together and form a union? If they say no to anal sex, then it’s no anal sex. If they say no to facial cumshots, facial cumshots are history. If they want six-hour work days, then six-hour work days it is. Why don’t they use this power? United we stand and all that jazz. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/2 "2003-04-22T11:04:12Z")
Well, they might be getting [organised in Britain.](http://www.businessfile.co.uk/WorkingWorld/Archive/20030402174502WWReference.asp?_Item=158) (a non-porn link, thank heaven.) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/3 "2003-04-22T11:33:51Z")
Because there would be scabs… ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/4 "2003-04-22T11:41:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Priceguy \* > \*\* United we stand and all that jazz. \*\* I swear, I read that last word differently the first time around. . . Tripler I need a cup of coffee. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![MSU\_1978](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MSU\_1978](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MSU_1978)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/5 "2003-04-22T11:47:39Z")
What about the males? They know it has to be hard to get work, and when they do work, they’re always in the hole. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/6 "2003-04-22T12:13:41Z")
A couple of years ago there was a movement by porn actresses to be accepted into SAG on the grounds that they are paid actors. IIRC SAG would not allow them to join. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/7 "2003-04-22T12:18:41Z")
The vast majority of porn is produced my low-rent companies using no-name stars. In the First World there has been some consolidation of the industry. This is a two-edged sword. Only a few big companies pay anything like a a fair wage. These few companies form a cartel against unionized workers. On the other hand, modern market conditions allow something of a star system to develop, but only to a point. The shelf-life of a porn star is what five to ten years? There is lots of new talent willing to work dirt-cheap for complex psycological reasons. These newcomers offer most everything a high-paid star does. Demands for more money would quickly price the unionized actress out of the market. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/8 "2003-04-22T12:18:48Z")
But why do they bother to seek membership in existing unions (I assume SAG is an existing union)? Why not just form an organization of their own? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/9 "2003-04-22T12:40:50Z")
SAG is the Screen Actors Guild. I would assume that SAG has more bargaining power than would a home-grown union. And as **Paul in Saudi** , porn movie producers can easily get non-union actors. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/10 "2003-04-22T13:21:19Z")
> [@](#): > > And as Paul in Saudi, porn movie producers can easily get non-union actors. Am I mis-reading this? **Paul** , are you a porn movie producer? In regard to the OP, if the women are already making good money, and what they say goes, why would they need representation? If anything, the men-- who get paid considerable less, have less of a say, etc.-- would be the ones who needed to organize. People don’t typically organize when work conditions are good. Happy ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/11 "2003-04-22T13:24:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Happy Lendervedder \* > **In regard to the OP, if the women are already making good money, and what they say goes, why would they need representation?** You’re misreading me. I meant that in theory, the women have all the power. They _can_ make sure that what they say goes. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/12 "2003-04-22T13:31:37Z")
> [@](#): > > So why don’t they band together and form a union? If they say no to anal sex, then it’s no anal sex. If they say no to facial cumshots, facial cumshots are history. If they want six-hour work days, then six-hour work days it is. Why don’t they use this power? But that’s pretty much how it is already in the porn industry. If a girl doesn’t want to do anal, she doesn’t. If a girl doesn’t want to do girl-on-girl, she doesn’t. It’s the men who pretty much have to shut up and be happy they’re getting paid for getting laid. The women _already_ hold the power, organizing would probably only hurt them in the long run. Happy ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/13 "2003-04-22T13:33:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by An Arky \* > \*\*Because there would be scabs… \*\* _Barfy smile_ That’s gross… Oh, do you mean replacements? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/14 "2003-04-22T13:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Happy Lendervedder \* > **But that’s pretty much how it is already in the porn industry. If a girl doesn’t want to do anal, she doesn’t. If a girl doesn’t want to do girl-on-girl, she doesn’t.** Are you in the porn industry, or familiar with it? If this is the case, what happens if a girl doesn’t want to do anal? Does she get work, or is she shunned? What about a girl who refuses to do facial cumshots? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/15 "2003-04-22T14:26:49Z")
I do not know a lot about the porn industry, but I suspect a lot of you have an overly-glamorized notion of what it is like. It is my understanding that, with the possible exception of a few big name “stars”, women in the porn industry are neither as powerful nor as well-paid as you might think. They probably do not organize for the same reasons that other groups of workers who are largely undereducated, poor, and prone to substance abuse problems do not organize. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/16 "2003-04-22T14:27:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Priceguy \* > \*\*I already know that female porn actresses are paid more than male ones, but why don’t they use the power they obviously have? Why don’t they get organized? They’re totally indispensible; what they say goes, no matter what. There are hundreds of men waiting to become porn stars (admittedly only a couple per cent of them will be able to), but beautiful women who want to do porn are far more scarce. > > So why don’t they band together and form a union? If they say no to anal sex, then it’s no anal sex. If they say no to facial cumshots, facial cumshots are history. If they want six-hour work days, then six-hour work days it is. Why don’t they use this power? United we stand and all that jazz. \*\* What have you been smoking… or choking? “Far more scarce?” Wha…? Very attractive “hot” women willing to be paid to have sex while being filmed are not especially rare (at all) in urban areas like LA if you know where to look, and standing on the quad with a checkbook at many larger state universities could probably get you all the “pretty attractive” talent you can handle in short order. As to why they don’t organize I would imagine it is because “organizing” will only have real strength if all the financially hungry, otherwise untalented but sexy and attractive porn ladies are willing to forgoe a paycheck for the union. Good luck. Lastly, have you ever _talked_ with some porn actors and actresses. They may be nice, pleasant etc. but there’s a _reason_ they chose porn and it’s not because they had a lot of other options occupational skill or intellect wise. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/17 "2003-04-22T14:44:16Z")
I think the real reason why women porn stars don’t belong to Screen Actor’s Guild is because they don’t like the acronym. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/18 "2003-04-22T14:50:32Z")
Asia Carreira’s website goes into a lot of detail about the porn industry. It’s worthwhile reading for those of you who are interested. ---
**Author:** ![LanceUSMC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/0ea827/32.png) [@LanceUSMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LanceUSMC)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/19 "2003-04-22T15:04:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultrafilter \* > \*\*Asia Carreira’s website goes into a lot of detail about the porn industry. It’s worthwhile reading for those of you who are interested. \*\* I did a search with the spelling for this website. Is spelling correct? I have also heard that porn actresses can turn down certain scenes and acts (anal, group, etc.). Jenna Jameson went about two years without doing a guy/girl scene…women only (which is great in real life, boring in porn). ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284/20 "2003-04-22T15:10:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LanceUSMC \* > **I did a search with the spelling for this website. Is spelling correct?** Probably not. I’m at work, so I can’t really look it up. If no one posts the corrected spelling, I’ll put it up after I get home. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-female-porn-stars-get-organized/170284.md?page=2)