Playing it straight (or gay for that matter)

[123Jason]

One thing I've always cherished about this industry and the people in it is that I've never had to hide anything about who I am, particularly when it comes to my sexual identity. In fact, when I was first hired way back when, the fact that I am gay was an asset. Although it has helped in many aspects of this business, there were also many times when I felt like the token fag. There was never an intentional placement of me in that role, simply a bunch of straight guys trying to produce gay content and looking to a gay man for advice. However, this begs the questions...

How effective do you think straight people can be at producing gay content and gay people at producing straight content? Should sexuality even be an issue as the matter is one of business? As a client, purchasing or promoting gay sites...are you more comfortable and confident in the product if it's coming from a gay person?

I'm always the one to bring this shit up. And I know I'm gonna get on a few nerves, but c'est la vie. I'm always curious as to the wide array of perspectives we have the ability to tap here.

[Winetalk.com]

hmmmm.......I know for a fact that being straight wasn't a handicap for MarcDe and Toolz,
Jonas and Emil,
in running very sucessful gay pay sites.

as for producing content....I have no remote idea.

Chaikovski was gay and produced EXCELLENT straight music
;-)))

[ulfie]

I used to run a lot of gay sites and did very well with them. The gay market went through a change around 2000 and gay people started purchasing from sites that were run by other gay people. Since I'm not gay and really didn't know what gay people wanted my sites pretty much tanked as far as sales go around that time. I think I was lucky in that I promoted gay sites when there weren't that many of them hence making sales was easy. Some straight people still do very well with gay sites but as with anything they have a strong understanding of the niche. I don't have anything against gay people, to each their own, but I just never wanted to put the time into researching the lifestyle and moved on to other things. Having a gay webmaster on your staff is a definate plus if you run gay sites. It's just common sense that a gay person is going to know better what other gay people want to see.

[Mike AI]

ONe thing about the online porn business I have noticed.... there is not much discrimination of any kind. Business is business. The only people I discriminate against is morons.

[mojobill]

The only people I discriminate against is morons.


That has to be a pearl! :wnw:

[TheEnforcer]

Hmmm.. seems people are more focusing on the marketing of the sites rather the the content aspect you appear to be interested in.

I would think people would be able to crossover pretty well in both realms as long as being directly around their non preferred form of sex wouldn't bother them. I see alot more likelihood of more straight people not being as comfortable doing a gay shoot than a gay person shooting a straight scene but I think it can be successfully pulled off by both.

One area where I think might be of a more difficult nature, but doable nonetheless with a talented person, for both sides might be reality themed content. I wonder if the "unique imagination" aspect of what appeals in that form of a site could be effectively be created by someone of the other sexual orientation as effectively as someone who doesn't share that sexual view.

[JR]

i am not a porn star... but that does not stop me from running a successful porn busines. what does being gay have to do with anything? do i need to be a woman to better sell pics of a model?

this is about business... not self expression.