LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was reelected, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to reclaim the office he lost four years ago.
Pornography was a particularly hot-button issue during the campaign, which featured much discussion regarding Project 2025 — the controversial post-election policy plan written by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, which includes a call for the abolition of pornography.
The day after the election, which also saw the Republican Party regain control of the Senate and possibly the House of Representatives, several industry figures shared their thoughts on the outcome and what the future may hold for the industry.
Director and activist Siouxsie Q told XBIZ, “I do not see how creating adult content, especially for LGBTQIA+ workers, will be safe in the United States with a GOP-controlled Congress led by a self-proclaimed dictator with a history of sexual assault and implementing policies rooted in racist ideology. The rollout of the conservative MAGA agenda may be slow or swift, sudden or covert. We can’t know, so just as if we were dealing with an extreme weather warning like a tornado or a hurricane, we must be prepared to protect ourselves and those we care about.”
Q was a participant in the #HandsOffMyPorn campaign, an advertising push by a number of adult performers and directors in conjunction with the progressive political marketing group Artists United for Change, which aimed to dissuade voters from supporting Trump.
“I hope that studios and platforms based in other countries will be in a position to help American workers find safety and exodus, as I no longer see the United States as a safe place — for anyone,” she added.
Holly Randall, another participant in the campaign, struck a sad but hopeful note about Tuesday’s outcome.
“I'm incredibly disappointed by last night's election results,” she said. “I really felt like Harris ran a beautiful campaign, but she had a lot of cards stacked against her. I am definitely concerned for our future, but I know that the adult industry is strong and sex workers are resilient. We have fought against insurmountable odds before and won — and if need be, we will do it again. My faith in the American people has been shaken, but my faith in my community remains stronger than ever.”
Sex worker advocate Mike Stabile, who serves as director of public policy for the Free Speech Coalition (FSC), expressed a similar sentiment.
“Our industry has always been a political target,” he said. “The prospect of a more conservative administration, members of which have expressed open hostility toward our existence, is not to be taken lightly. But this is not our first rodeo. We know our rights and will continue to defend them. We may not be able to control who is in power, but what we can do is organize and fight back — and I've never seen our industry as motivated and activated to do so.”
Wasteland Studios’ Colin Rowntree, who spent the campaign volunteering for Harris as the regional action coordinator for the New Hampshire Democratic Party, discussed the potential dangers to marginalized communities posed by a second Trump presidency.
“What really concerns me is the deep-seated transphobia within the MAGA movement,” he said. “I fear that the trans community could become a scapegoat, sacrificed to appease the religious right and the transphobic segments of Middle America. This would inevitably ripple out to the broader LGBTQ community, posing risks for our content creators in these communities.
“The upcoming year feels like the agonizing wait for biopsy results; the uncertainty and potential for upheaval are palpable,” he added. “Our industry is in for a rough road, but if we remain vigilant and vocal, I believe we can weather it with minimal impact on the core of our business.”
Industry attorney Corey D. Silverstein highlighted the resilience of the industry.
“Throughout its history, the adult industry and sex workers have faced more headwinds than almost every other industry in the world,” he said. “Political pressure, conservative religious pressure and outright sex worker discrimination have always existed and always will. However, the adult industry is strong and has persevered over and over, which is why the adult industry should not be hitting the panic button but instead should band together to support each other both emotionally and politically.
“I do not believe that the adult industry is at the top of President Trump’s agenda or even close to it, but this red wave will create problems for the adult industry because religious conservatives will now have less resistance in achieving their anti-sex worker ambitions,” he continued. “The adult industry needs to remain vigilant in its protection of the First Amendment and make sure that it is fully supporting organizations like the Free Speech Coalition and Woodhull Freedom Foundation.”
Fellow attorney and First Amendment expert Lawrence Walters spoke to the durability of constitutional protections.
“Any new presidential administration creates uncertainty for the adult entertainment industry,” he said. “Unfortunately, this industry is an equal-opportunity target and has faced difficulties under both Republican and Democratic administrations. It is too soon to tell whether a second Trump term will create significant challenges for adult business operators or creators. The good news is that adult content enjoys more protection in the U.S. than in most other countries, thanks to the First Amendment. We will be on guard for any executive action that violates constitutional rights, and prepared to fight back.”
Not everyone was as hopeful when expressing their feelings in the immediate aftermath of the election, however. Siri Dahl, who helped organize and participated in the #HandsOffMyPorn campaign, and also hosted and co-produced a 12-hour telethon during the campaign to support sex workers, combat censorship and raise awareness of Project 2025, was succinct in her reaction to Trump’s victory.
“I hope everybody in the adult industry who chose to vote for Trump gets the next four years that they deserve,” she declared.
Overall, the prevailing sentiment was that, whatever one’s personal political leanings might be, the industry needs to unite to face any political threats that may soon be on the horizon.
In an open letter to the adult industry, FSC Executive Director Alison Boden wrote, “Regardless of how you feel about the election outcome, it was just as true yesterday as it is today that you are part of a stigmatized and maligned industry that has always had to fight for its very existence.
“Our industry is not a monolith, politically or otherwise, but to most outsiders, we are the same," she added. "And we are a target. Free Speech Coalition’s mission is to protect the rights and freedoms of the adult industry. That’s true no matter which side of the aisle our members — or the attacks — come from. We all have a fundamental interest in ensuring that our livelihoods are protected and there truly is power in our numbers.”
