8 Ways Stoya Is Redefining Porn

Forget everything you thought you knew about adult entertainment.

By Brydie Lee Kennedy /

Friends, gather round. Closer than that. Within whispering distance. No, hang on, that's too close, back up like one step. OK, ready? We're going to talk about porn. I'm not sure if you've heard of it but it's all the rage on the internet. And you'd think that if loads of people are watching something - roughly 60% of you are tuning in at least once a month - there's probably something good about it (though that theory didn't hold for Two And A Half Men, so mistakes are made). But in polite company, we, particularly women, are expected to pretend that we have no time for the flesh-based-arts and are, frankly, outraged by anyone who does. Because good girls don't. If this cultural cognitive dissonance is to end, porn needs an ambassador, someone who encourages us to all be a little more honest about our consumption and a little more informed about the business. Enter Stoya. Adult performer, producer, commentator and all round industry legend ("industry darling" seems too soft a term). From testing the porn-waters with some nude photos to co-owning a carefully curated porn platform, the 29 year old has spent the better part of the last decade taking over the naked arts bit by bit. Let's dive a little deeper into what makes her so special.