profile

WIA Profile: Diane Duke

What did you do for a living prior to coming on board as the executive director of the FSC?

I have worked with non-profits for almost 25 years including the American Heart Association and the YMCA. Before coming to FSC, I served as senior vice president for Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon for 12 years, where I was responsible for the oversight of board development, public affairs, fundraising, marketing and media relations, budget development and strategic planning.

FSC was involved in blocking the .XXX top-level domain

In your opinion, what are the top three priorities/issues for the FSC as 2008 unfolds?

(1) Continue to organize the industry and our consumers in order to impact the legislative process in local communities, statewide and nationally, preventing anti-adult industry legislation and regulations; (2) strategically combat 2257 with the goal of completely striking it down as unconstitutional or restructuring it to a reasonable level of compliance; and (3) provide resources for FSC members and the industry to address the issue of piracy.

Most people in the industry know about the litigating that FSC has done, especially its challenge to 2257; what are some activities the FSC undertakes that people might not be so aware of?

FSC was involved in blocking the .XXX top-level domain submitted to ICANN by Stuart Lawley and ICM. FSC, in coalition with others, launched a public comment campaign to provide input on the dangers of a .XXX TLD. FSC then sent two representatives to Portugal to lobby ICAAN Board members prior to the critical. FSC spoke on behalf of the industry and we were victorious. For the first time in history, at our October event, a presidential candidate addressed the adult industry; we partnered with Lockton, the world's largest privately held insurance brokerage, to provide members with health, worker's comp and property and casualty insurance; we are now providing software discounts to our members; and FSC lobbies at the nation's capital and in Sacramento, Calif.

If you could snap your fingers and change any one thing about the adult entertainment industry, what would you change?

If I could change one thing, it would be to have the industry come out of the closet, stand up for itself and take pride in being the vital upstanding industry that it is.

Each month, industry news media organization XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry's most influential female executives.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Navigating Age-Related Regulations in Europe

Age verification measures are rapidly gaining momentum across Europe, with regulators stepping up efforts to protect children online. Recently, the U.K.’s communications regulator, Ofcom, updated its timeline for implementing the Online Safety Act, while France’s ARCOM has released technical guidance detailing age verification standards.

Gavin Worrall ·
opinion

How the 10-Minute Delivery Model Is Disrupting the Indian Market

In September, when the iPhone 16 was released, a person in India had the brand-new model delivered to him — while he was waiting in line at an Apple Store, before reaching the front for his turn. How? By ordering on Zepto, one of the leading “quick commerce” platforms that are changing how consumers shop in India.

Raj Armani ·
opinion

Why Cyber Insurance Is Crucial for Adult Businesses

From streaming services and interactive platforms to ecommerce and virtual reality experiences, the adult industry has long stood at the forefront of online innovation. However, the same technology-forward approach that has enabled adult businesses to deliver unique and personalized content to consumers worldwide also exposes them to myriad risks.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Best Practices for Payment Gateway Security

Securing digital payment transactions is critical for all businesses, but especially those in high-risk industries. Payment gateways are a core component of the digital payment ecosystem, and therefore must follow best practices to keep customer data safe.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Ready for New Visa Acquirer Changes?

Next spring, Visa will roll out the U.S. version of its new Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP), which goes into effect April 1, 2025. This follows Visa Europe, which rolled out VAMP back in June. VAMP charts a new path for acquirers to manage fraud and chargeback ratios.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

How to Keep Meta From Derailing Your Social Media Campaign

The heavy hand of Meta can be both unforgiving and unpredictable. Profiles that Meta decides have violated its platforms’ terms may find themselves on the receiving end of punishments — including the dreaded “shadow ban,” which can be damaging for a brand’s social media campaign and strategy.

Scarlett Ward ·
trends

Pleasure Biz Mainstays Reflect on Decades-Long Careers, Share Advice for Up-and-Comers

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” That saying definitely holds true in the pleasure industry, where many executives build careers that exceed a quarter century.

profile

WIA Profile: Melissa Fite

Though she works behind the scenes, Melissa Fite has a bird’s-eye view of the pleasure products industry. As the marketing coordinator and junior graphic designer at XR Brands, Fite gets an intriguing overview of the latest consumer trends, plus an exciting sneak peek at XR’s newest sex toys before they hit the shelves.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Distribuciones-BES Spreads Pleasure Brands' Reach Across Mexico

It’s time to brush up on your Spanish, sex toy manufacturers. The Mexican market is thriving, and the country’s distribution and retail businesses are eager to forge new connections with brands from around the world.

Colleen Godin ·
profile

YCosmetics Founder Tess Finkle Talks Messaging Behind 'If I Say Yes' Brand

Over the past few years, sexual wellness brands have gained much prominence in the digital space. YCosmetics, which released its flagship If I Say Yes collection earlier this year, is vying to become the next intimacy and skin care brand to gain a dedicated online following.

Nishka Dhawan ·
Show More