Toronto Sun Erotica



The Toronto Sun featured a few Erotic Entertainers during 2020

Source: https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/erotica-alive-and-well-in-toronto

Erotica is alive and well in our fair town.

Meet Andrea Werhun, an artist, activist and author whose bestseller, Modern Whore: A Memoir, is about to get reprinted. Werhun’s book is an account of her days as an escort, work she undertook while studying at the University of Toronto.

The 2018 book, is, in her words, “An honest and inside look at the funny, meaningful, disturbing and erotic aspects of the world’s oldest profession.” Modern Whore is also full of beautiful pictures — from photographer and filmmaker Nicole Bazuin.

Together, the two women have also created Modern Whore, a documentary film based on Werhun’s book. The short film was to have had its world debut this week at the SXSW festival in Austin, but SXSW was cancelled over coronavirus fears. Let’s hope that doc shows up here at Hot Docs whenever they reschedule their April dates.

This week, Werhun and Bazuin launched a new Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the second iteration of Modern Whore. The new book, Post-Modern Whore, will include 50 new pages based on Werhun’s more recent work as a stripper.

“This is a sex work art book, meticulously crafted by two women — one a sex worker telling stories from her own experience, and one with an attuned erotic eye,” said Werhun.

“The photos are beautiful and delicious. There’s a new centerfold. It’s all about a woman’s sexuality. And of course, when we give space for any woman to tell her story, it’s a feminist act, and this is a feminist project.”

Asked what her next project will be, Werhun jokes that she wouldn’t mind being alone in a cabin somewhere, working on her new novel.

“Although I love my sexual labour, I would prefer to be compensated for creative labour. I’m a writer and performer, and until then, my day job is stripping. The unfortunate reality is that most artists need to have a day job.”

Malcolm Lovejoy is another artist with a day job: adult film actor.

A journalist and respected hip-hop artist, he’s also an actor and filmmaker, and he might just be the quintessential Canadian porn star.

“I’m as passionate about my intellect as I am about my sexuality,” the polite and articulate Lovejoy told The Toronto Sun, explaining that he’s been in the adult film business about seven years. He’s won twice at Toronto’s International Porn Awards and he’s keen to improve the industry where he can.

“Porn is a creative and empowering outlet. I want to bring into it romance, respect for women and for queer people and people of colour, things that are not typically seen in porn,” he said.

“Sexuality is supposed to be healthy. There’s no reason why porn can’t be healthy.”

He’s not that interested in the mainstream work done in California, where the lion’s share of porn movies are made.

“I want to see different bodies — big, small, whatever — and I want to see women being the centre of pleasure. I want to see women take control sometimes. It’s always male focused. Time to shift that idea.

“If I stay here, I can create something, I can work with Canada’s multiculturalism, and I think we’re better with queer politics. I’d rather be in Toronto, and work with our more gentle approach. The cost is loss of financial opportunity, but I’m not in it just for the money.”

Lovejoy isn’t happy that porn actors have very little organizational clout — there’s no union or other workers’ protection. And financially, it’s feast or famine.

“We try to elevate the industry, but there’s no safety net of any kind for anybody making porn.”

Like other artists, Lovejoy makes his own safety net. He’s a working writer and photographer and a respected musician, known to hip hop fans as Mindbender.

As for porn, Lovejoy says it’s not unlike sports.

“There are a lot of parallels. Both involve athletic activity. People get together willingly, they bump bodies and get sweaty together. At the end you feel good, shake hands — ‘Well played, partner!’ — and you move on.”



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