Dr. Heather Berg on P*rn As Work

Sex Out Loud with Tristan Taormino

Dr. Heather Berg joins Tristan Taormino to talk about her groundbreaking book Porn Work: Sex, Labor, and Late Capitalism. Berg analyzes the work of porn performers, producers, and directors through the lens of Marxist feminist thought to truly dive into the complexities of the work of porn. She details how porn is similar to other gig economy jobs and also uniquely different. She covers some of the elements of her research and book including life on a porn set, manager/worker tensions, the role of authenticity, plus what she calls underwear dialectics—all while centering the voices and experiences of the dozens of porn workers she interviewed. Learn how performers have become their own producers and the many ways they hack the system to resist categorization and have more freedom. Dr. Heather Berg is assistant professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies at Washington University in St. Louis. She writes about sexuality, labor, and social struggle. Special thanks to Pour Moi and Calm for their support of this episode.