Pornography has always resided within the realm of taboo. And being a serious porn fan, even more so. But when I embraced my inner porn nerd and started purchasing porn, I found something unexpected. Empowerment. 

My first porn purchase was a subscription to Sandra Shine’s website around 2005. I was young, in college, and it was one of the first purchases I ever made with my newly minted credit card. I purchased the membership in part to gain access to Shine’s incredible pornography, but it was also a personal statement of sorts.

I was certainly interested in porn at the time, but the idea of paying for a porn subscription was a way to proclaim my support for this art. I loved the idea of having porn on my bank account. It felt good to take ownership of my growing interest in the adult world.

Pay For Your Porn and Accept No Substitutes

As any porn fan knows, there’s no substitute for the ease of access and the quality of a paid porn membership. I was hooked and continued to sample monthly memberships from various popular sites at the time. And I still do, not one month has gone by in the nearly twenty years since without at least one active porn subscription.

But easily the most empowering and encouraging purchase was my first physical porn DVD. I was becoming a huge fan of Andrew Blake’s artistic pornography through little clips I had seen online, but his Studio-A Entertainment brand wasn’t quite embracing streaming content yet. Physical media still dominated the mid-2000s. 

One day, I dropped into a little shop called 21 And Up. It was a meticulously arranged shop with professional displays, a great selection of porn, and a friendly and knowledgeable team of porn experts behind the counter. Keep in mind I had rarely interacted with other porn fans at that point. I always felt a bit alone–like a bit of an outlier.

I immediately recognized the cover for Blake’s Aria and Pin Ups 2, and I excitedly grabbed them and ran up to the counter. For some reason, I was expecting an awkward exchange, but that didn’t happen. Instead, the lady at the counter immediately recognized Aria Giovanni’s divine body on the cover and talked to me about how much of an Aria fan she was! And her coworker chimed in, hyping up Dita Von Teese’s part in Pin Ups 2. 

It was so affirming to be surrounded by porn, purchasing porn, and discussing porn with fellow enthusiasts and connoisseurs. Imagine how good it felt to find my people; to realize that I wasn’t alone as a serious porn fan–that I could be proud of my taste and interest in adult film.

Porn offered up an important life lesson to me. You’ve got to be authentic and own your passions and interests. For me, it happened to be the study of hardcore sexual performances and pornographies. By buying porn, owning my love of porn, and diving headfirst into the world of porn, I was able to find my people and grow as a human being.

Proud To Be a Lifelong Porn Fan

Porn’s a funny thing, isn’t it? It draws you in through adolescent lust and curiosity and seemingly has little to offer beyond a quick spank. But if you dig deeper, it becomes a hobby, a passion, and it can even teach you a few things about yourself. I suppose that’s art, though, and it bespeaks the value and importance of these beautiful fuck-films. 

I’ll forever be grateful to those who masterfully craft pornography, not because of the hours of entertainment, endless orgasms, or the encyclopedia of sexual techniques, but because of the personal growth and development that porn unlocked.

But more than that, it’s wonderful having access to the rich and diverse community of fans scattered amongst forums, X, and now BlueSky. Just like my chats with those adult store clerks all those years ago, it’s so comforting and encouraging to be around people who share genuine excitement for your hobbies and passions. 

Today, two decades later, I still buy porn. In fact, not one month has passed since my first membership, where I have not retained a subscription for at least one porn site. I actually subscribe to many. And I’m still very proud of that fact.

Porn continues to provide a rich community of fans along with hours of thought-provoking entertainment and art. I’m proud to be a lifelong porn fan. And so should you.