Pink Label is proud to carry the work of Fruit Punch Productions, an east coast-based feminist, sex positive, queer owned outfit with a vision for porn that blurs the line between art and smut. 

PL: Please introduce yourself/company and how you define the work you do.

My name is Jules, and my spouse erin and I run Fruit Punch Productions. We’re both trans, and our porn is completely inclusive to people of all bodies, gender experiences, types of ability and so forth. Both erin and I are huge fans of film, so we’re really into the idea of blurring the lines between what is considered “art” and what is considered wank fodder. No saying there can’t be some crossover there! Something some people might not know about me is that I’m also a Women and Gender Studies major, so marrying my love of media and queer theory through queer porn satisfies many passions of mine!

What is ethical porn?

To me, ethical porn is the stuff dreams are made of! It doesn’t make you feel icky watching it, at least not icky in a “I’m having a moral dilemma while getting off to this” kind of way. As a director, I’m really concerned about the well being of everyone on my set – both emotional and physical. I don’t ever encourage anyone to do anything they don’t want to do with their bodies or their words. We negotiate each scene off camera before we start rolling, and then again once we start. I think ethical porn has to be genuine, and ours shows that “real life” sex is hot.

What are some of the ethical issues you encounter in the work you do and how do you personally address them?

I’ve done various forms of sex work since I was 19, and I used to work as an assistant manager at a porn retailer. One ethical issue that has been important in the work that we do is making sure all of our performers know exactly what they’re getting into. erin and I have had the “no turning back” talk in our own home. Once something pornographic is out there, it’s out there forever. We don’t want any of our performers to have regrets about the work they’ve done with us. To this end, we only work with performers who are over the age of 21. I’ve learned a lot since I was 19, and while everyone grows and matures at their own pace, this is one way we’ve been able to ensure that no one comes to us with an imbalance in life experience that would cause them to choose something an older person might not.

Another is diversity. Queer sex doesn’t just look one way. It can be a challenge here in Maine, where the population is largely white. We have shown some people of color in our work, but I’d really like to see more. I’d also love to see more trans women as well as people living with disabilities in queer porn. We’re committed to really reaching out to work with more people from these backgrounds.

Can you give some behind the scenes examples where you were really impressed with how the cast and/or crew performed or handled a particular situation?

When erin and I shot for Crash Pad, (we were Episode 121) it was really like a dream come true! The entire crew was incredibly friendly. erin and I have done other shoots that haven’t gone nearly as smoothly, and it was a delight to be treated with such professionalism. One of my favorite moments is still when we all laughed over the “I am not left handed” quip from The Princess Bride which was randomly uttered during our shoot. Too hilarious! I’d absolutely recommend anyone wanting to dip their toe in the pond that is queer porn work with that crew.

 

Who have been your sources of inspiration over the years?

Courtney Trouble is a very big source of inspiration, and working with her was also amazing! Tobi Hill-Meyer and everyone at CrashPad, too, for doing the work that has helped make trans bodies become seen as sexy in a subjective sense. It’s been a long time coming!

I’ve been so thrilled that everyone who’s already established and in the scene has been so willing to welcome others in. A friend and colleague of ours, kd diamond told us early on that no one has a “you can’t play in our sandbox” attitude, and it’s been completely true. It seems everyone is just happy to see someone else expanding this movement.