“I stand with Black Lives Matter and the suffrage to the black people and people of color.” A statement I heard all night as the Grabby Awards rolled along last Saturday. To me, it felt very disingenuous.
I felt it was “White Guilt” for not having done anything prior, because this is no novelty. Every time I heard someone proclaim their support, my one response was: “Hire more black people. Hire more people of color and allow more people of color the ability to advance and exist on a level playing field.”
I don’t identify as a black man; I’m Native American. But to many people out there, I look black, and thusly treat me so. So although I do not identify as a black person, I understand the inclination. I’m a Person of Color (POC) in the United States; an immigrant with dark skin.
When I started in the industry as a performer, I felt I had to try three times as hard to be noticed. My first agent even told me, “It’s difficult to get you hired because you are not blonde with blue eyes.” I thought he was being a jerk, but all too soon discovered he was just being honest.
I have worked with multiple companies and seen with my own eyes on model applications a recurring question: “Will you work with a black guy/person of color?” That is emboldening bigotry. Because a producer will know that individual is racially biased and still hire them. Is race a ‘sexual preference’? On the flip side, is eroticizing people of color just as racist? Is a studio’s ‘brand’ fair to POC who do not pass for white?
“Tokenism” is the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort; recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of sexual or racial equality within a work force. We always have a token black/POC in a sea of white (or white-passing) performers.
The production side of the industry is white dominated. Myself and a handful of non-white people are some of the few making moves behind the camera industry wide. I don’t think I know anyone else non-white who does what I do. I am a hard worker and have proven to be very passionate and talented at videography and filmmaking, but I fear that every single time I have had an opportunity to advance in my career, it has been taken away and given to a white person. I don’t know how to be a squeaky wheel and annoy someone until they hire me. I figured years of award-winning work would speak for itself. I learned it’s not enough against privilege. I fear I have lost so much opportunity to advance to white people who are less talented, less capable, and less meriting than I.
I stand with Black Lives Matter and the suffrage of black people and people of color, because it’s my narrative too. Because I have felt the strain of police profiling. I have felt the strain of competing in in an unfair market. Because I have had to remain quiet in order to get ahead.
I feel the boisterous proclamations of people’s support are appreciated—but also self-gratifying. People want to be seen in a positive and righteous light. We may not have the power to make massive waves of change in the world (“we” the porn industry as a microcosm). However, we can start with ourselves. Be fair and supportive to the people in our world. Stop supporting closeted bigotry by not hiring the racially biased and rewarding bad behaviors. Hire more black people and POC; allow them the opportunity to succeed and advance. Reaffirm and empower black lives. Act on your words, and not just hashtag your support on social media. Use your status and position in life to help elevate the most disenfranchised among us. Be different, be better than the rest of the world we live in.
The award-winning Leo Forte has over a decade of experience in the industry, with extensive experience as a model and cameraman/photographer. He is a longtime production crew member for Falcon/NakedSword.
Great article! I do know guys that have a preference for Asian or Mediterranean and not check Black. I would like to think it is just a preference and not a racist choice. During and after WWII there where many who had a dislike for Japanese, I have 2 sons one is not biological we got him at 5 1/2 weeks 38 years ago. He is one quarter Japanese, I have had comments made some knew some did not our joy. I had to explain to my sons I would have to choose my battles, Never with a drunk they would get a call the next day. Educating and politely inform it was unacceptable. This was my responsibility as a parent for my sons to know they are both my sons one no different than the other.
This is not new for America signs Italian or Irish need not apply, Black entrance, whites only bathroom. Latino kids put cages.
HMMM?
I guess America does have practice racism de jour
ron mercer
Hopefully his comments resonate loudly with the people that need to hear it, not just in porn, but elsewhere. He may be a native American that people identify as black, but, and I am not talking “high yella/trying to pass” bs, which is generally used as an insult among black people, there is even discrimination about how black someone is… that should not be happening… I know not all porn performers are gay, some are gay4pay, but the gay performers should not be discriminating against POC as they don’t want to be discriminated against. If your job is to have sex with other men, you shouldn’t be picky about scene partners. you never know who will look great in scenes with you. And remember, not everyone who looks white is…. there are a number of POC that through whatever quirk of genetics and their ancestry have the appearance of a white person but may be descended from Latinos or the Mediterranean, or even black, or Arab, and do not look like anything else but a white as wonder bread WASP
I appreciate his take on the matter and how he has seen bias in the industry. However, he still worked for companies that ask questions like “Will you work with a black guy/person of color?, willingly. There are a lot of POC that are speaking out now on what they have experienced, but why wait until now to speak up? As a POC like myself, you have to speak out and stand up against racism when it is happening, not just when things like Mr. Floyd death happen. And then criticize some people of other races as not being sincere about their support of the cause.
So starving is where this type action will lead. Is that really good at effecting change?
BTW the problem isn’t the question on the intake form; the problem is the way the studio deals with the info. My suggestion is that they don’t hire the guy and black-ball* him in the industry.
(*I get the hipster irony)
It has nothing to do with him starving. These porn stars choose to be porn stars. Just like he chose to work for the companies he now condemns.
Leo you can’t hear me but I am clapping. I hope, I HOPE these studios are listening.
I agree with Leo and am clapping too. As a older black man, my Lover and I have learned that education though demonstration has educated a lot of our gay white brothers, but seems the younger ones just don’t see it or choose to ignore. We can only hope most will see and educate others…. “keep Hope Alive”