Madison Missina

Today I'm talking to a legend in the Australian porn industry. She's been voted pornstar of the year for the three years in a row, she's in the Australian Adult Industry Hall of Fame. She is an advocate for he industry and she's here today to give you a better understanding of what makes Madison Missina tick. 

 

JJ: Welcome go Inside the Porn Madison. I'm so happy to have you with us. You're a legend and I've not stopped smiling since you agreed to be here. 

So what got you into the adult industry?

Madison: As a young girl who spent almost all her lunchtimes in the library I was absolutely fascinated with the history of courtesans and geishas. I saw my kind as strong emancipated women who managed to live outside the patriarchy. I loved that we were the first women to be allowed to learn to read and had access to public libraries. Coupled with not the best childhood I knew when I was 18 that I would join the industry to emancipate myself and I’ve never looked back. In 2012 I was asked to start filming porn, as I was also trying to make my break as a sexologist in media at that time I thought why not, it was a risky move but it certainly paid off. 

JJ: Since you became part of the industry you've been a shining example of just what an amazing industry it is. 

What's the best thing about the industry?

Madison: The best thing about the porn industry is the platform it’s given me. I’m one of those crazy people who believe she can change the world, I want to see the world better for sex workers and women and anyone who’s experienced pain. Somehow becoming a Pornstar has given me the opportunity to speak out and touch people’s lives in more ways than just porn. I’m so humbled by the fan mail that I receive from people who have taken comfort or inspiration from me. It’s truly what drives me to be better and what keeps me going when I want to give it all up.

JJ: There is no better feeling than knowing your work gives you the opportunity to help others in some way. You must feel amazing getting to help others. 

 

What's the worst thing about the industry?

Madison: The lack of workplace rights we have. In 2014 I stood up to an employee of a porn company who sexually harassed me. This resulted in him sabotaging my career and convincing the company to breach a significant contract with me. Unfortunately despite decriminalisation and the existence of red umbrella organisations and the sex party, I received no help. I couldn’t pursue legal action as I have no anti-discrimination rights and basically the organisations in the industry all washed their hands of it, telling me it was my fault for expecting that a signed contract in the porn industry would be honoured in the first place. To date my contract was never honoured. But the porn company in question did finally fire the employee who harassed me and issued a public statement in my support in 2015, which I’m grateful for. 

It was this experience, which saw me become an intra-industry activist. I don’t want to see what happened to me happen to anyone else, so I speak up against the inherent exploitation within the industry and about the lack of support that the organisations that receive government funding on our behalf give. I want to see the sex industry respected as a professional industry and see that all porn performers and sex workers have equal access to safety and workplace rights.

JJ: I think it takes people like you to stand up and speak for people. That is what will make the industry start to change. You'll leave a lasting impression by being the person you are.

 What's the funniest thing to happen whilst working?

Madison: When I first entered porn there weren’t many actresses that could squirt, so very early on I was asked to shoot my first squirting scene. I was so nervous but I knew I needed to try to relax, as I don’t fake my squirting scenes. Well the combination of my nerves and me trying to relax resulted in me farting just before the cameras started rolling, in front of a crew of 12 or so people. I was mortified. But perhaps even funnier was just after that scene when we were shooting the stills for it. I accidentally had a huge orgasm and squirted all over the photographer and her camera. 

JJ: Now that's sounds like it was one hell of an amusing shoot to have been a part of. Having fun on set is important I feel to produce really good scenes. 

 

What are you doing now work wise?

Madison: My focus these days is sex education. I’m predominantly working on my women’s project Raw: Female sexual Pleasure and Sexual self esteem which is an education art exhibition and seminar series at SEXPO right now. But I’m also turning it into a book and a website.

Behind the scenes I’m also continuing my porn literacy work, which is aimed at young people helping to educate them on what porn is and how to have happy and healthy sexual relationships. And I have an industry project, which is aiming to increase the safety and support networks for all sex workers. 

In Porn I’m only accepting scenes which show real female sexual arousal so I’m not shooting as much any more but I have a couple of awesome new pornos in the pipeline. I love that porn exists, but I think its time for porn to stop overly promoting hyper sexualised yet censored female sexuality and the beauty ideal. So I will probably continue to shoot porn for the rest of my life as I want to break the mould that women are only sex objects when they are young and sexually inexperienced and when are bodies are pert.  

My current favourite saying is “Women are sexual beings not objects”. Age, education, motherhood doesn’t detract from our sexuality it enriches it so its time to start embracing that.

I’m also doing a lot of therapy and mentoring of sex workers these days, I want to help everyone live their best life possible.

JJ: I'm not sure I've interviewed anyone in the industry that has done quite so much to improve it personally. You are doing so much as well as trying to educate the viewing public too. It's inspiring and I hope other people follow your lead.  

Where is the best place for people follow you online?

Madison: The best place is my main website www.madisonmissina.com.au it links you to everything that I’m working on and my social media profiles. 

JJ: Guys this is one site you don't want to miss. It's full of everything you could ever want. Make sure you get it set as a favourite now. 

 

What's the best thing about sex?

Madison: The best thing about sex is that it’s universal. We often see sex as a way to polarise humans we have the sluts versus the prudes, we still have homophobia. But underneath it all we are all the same, we are all sexual I argue that even those that identify as asexual meaning that they don’t experience sexual attraction with others are still sexual. We express our sexuality everyday in our clothes, to how we want and whom we want to have relationships with. We strive for connection and belonging and acceptance. So sex however we have it makes us human, its beautiful.

 What are your biggest turn ons?

Madison: Brains. Nothing seduces me more than intelligent conversation. I love exploring people’s minds and their world views, finding out what really turns others on, especially if they feel shame about it. There is this beautiful moment when you accept something about someone else that they feel shame for. That makes me feel alive. 

JJ: You have such an amazing view of sex and the intricacies of it. You are someone who can truly appreciate the connection at a deeper level and not just based on the superficial connection. It's a refreshing and honest approach to living. 

Now after that moment of deepness the true important question is, what's your favourite movie?

Madison: One of my favourites right now is The Dress Maker. It's brilliant. I love strong female characters and that movie is badass. But my all time favourite is The Rocky Horror Picture I know every line. 

JJ: I've heard they are remaking the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm not sure how to feel about that if I'm honest. 

 

What’s your favourite holiday destination?

Madison: Anywhere country. Heaven to me is clean air, nature and animals. I’m the happiest when I’m covered in mud and running around with my dogs.

JJ: I'm sure someone actually created you from the perfect woman handbook. I think many people are reading this and admiring your personality more than your looks right now. 

Tell me one thing about yourself that people would never know by looking at you?

Madison: Everyone sees how open and friendly I am at SEXPO or public events and they think I’m extroverted. The truth is I’m incredibly timid and shy. I have social anxiety and when I get stressed my agoraphobia plays up. This means that there’s literally been months where I’ve not left my house. But I also love people so I work hard on myself at SEXPO, but it takes a personal toll. If you watch my body over every Sexpo you see that I drop weight dramatically over the 4-day event. Working hard to control my anxiety means that whilst the public see me as vibrant and outgoing, behind the scenes I’m suffering panic attacks and vomiting. So in four days I can drop massive weight and dress sizes. But I keep going back for more. We all have our little nuances and social anxiety is mine but I wont let it stop me. 

 JJ: That's takes a lot of personal strength and determination to go through that for the industry you love. I hope people read this and can appreciate that it's not a selfish industry and people do make so many sacrifices. 

What's been your biggest achievement in life or work?

 

Madison3 The most obvious is holding the title of Pornstar of the Year for 3 years in a row, that’s never been done before in Australian history so that was awesome. But what I’m most proud of is the protest that I did in 2014 involving condoms in porn. When I first started porn, most producers wouldn’t allow performers to use condoms in porn so after I won my first award I decided to do something about it. I founded #safesexissexy, created BLONDE which a full safer sex Porno and made a public pledge that I would never film a porno without condom use again. I’ve kept my promise and I love that now, I see most Australian porn production companies producing scenes that show condom use. 

JJ: That's a strong stand to take and it's something you should be very proud of standing up for what you believe in it. It's very admirable. 

JJ: What's the most challenging thing you've overcome?

Madison: Bullying. In 2014 I first became a target due to my #safesexissexy campaign it was also the year that I went public with my fight against sexual harassment and my contract breach. I always knew that wanting to change an industry would see me attract negativity, but I never predicted just how bad it would get. Since 2014 at the hands of some members of the adult industry I’ve been deported, had my legal name, address and personal phone number published, I’ve been attacked, had my life threatened, the locks on my front door removed, the doors to my apartment building smashed in, and a sex worker dobbed me into my real estate agent for being a sex worker. That’s in addition to sheer amount of cyber bullying that I’ve had to endure.

Living through that amount of violence has seen me make several attempts to end my own life, but the biggest thing I came to release now that I’ve moved to safety. Is that the bullying for some time made me stop working towards my purpose. So these days I see the bullies and the bullying for what it is, evidence that I need to keep working. So rather than hurting me it now fuels me. I may never be able to change society when it comes to bullying but I will show that people can survive it even flourish from it. 

JJ: You have weathered a storm and come through it a more resilient and well rounded person because of all of that. It's crazy that people would still act like that towards anyone because of their choice of job or beliefs. It is sickening and I'm glad you got through it.

 

 

What's the best thing a fan has ever done?

Madison: Oh there are so many things. But the most recent example was when a fan of mine reached out to me because a sex worker he knows had hit a rough patch and he wanted to help her. I love it most when people really care for one another and want to enrich each other’s lives. I cant wait to meet that special fan of mine at Melbourne SEXPO I like to reward peoples kindness so I have something special for him!

But honestly I have just some of the most beautiful fans around. I’m one lucky woman.

JJ: I hope that fan reads this and realises just what he has in store at SEXPO. I wish I could be there to see his face haha.  

What's one bit of advice for anyone wanting to get into the adult industry?

Madison: The sex industry is amazing as you can literally make it anything you want. But my advice is to trust yourself. So often I see new workers say well I felt that was a bit dodgy but I maybe that’s just the industry. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Theres good and bad in all parts of the industry so follow your gut. And if you need help ask for it. Even if you get turned away, keep searching. There are senior sex workers, pornstars who are willing to help you, find them. I’m always happy to help or give advice to workers. 

 JJ: That's great advice and something I hope people will read and take advantage of because it's important to be safe and have some sort of guidance.

 

What do you think you'll do if you leave the industry?

Madison: The industry is my home. It’s my family. I will be in it in someway the rest of my life. No matter how hard it gets some time in dealing with the industry bullying and I’ve been open that I have experienced rape and violence within the industry, but throughout all of that I’ve never contemplated leaving. I’m all in and a lifer. The sex industry isn’t for everyone but boy it’s for me. That’s what’s great about it there’s so many opportunities in it, my career just keeps expanding. So sorry Haters you wont be able to get rid of me..

JJ: I'm glad you'll always be around because Infele the industry is a far better place because I you and will continue to improve because of the work you're doing at all levels. 

JJ: Finally, what's the weirdest rumour you've heard about yourself?

Madison: Gosh theres been so many, and honestly even I can’t keep up with them. Honestly I just laugh these days. But it seems that the biggest culprits live to hate, so whilst they love targeting me, they also target others. I think it’s sad to live in a world where they see so many as their enemy. If they just spent the time it takes to attack me to work on their own businesses they would achieve so much more. I sometimes find myself wanting to say to them look at what you’ve achieved all ready, get your focus back on to yourself and make yourself great. But I know if I said that to them they see that as patronising, so I hold back. But I guess that’s just professional jealousy for you, if you're insecure you might think that you need to bring someone else down to get ahead. I have a lot of sympathy for them.

But one that they are currently discussing on twitter right now, is that I’m a sex work abolitionist – meaning I’m anti sex work and want to abolish the industry. Its come up as I’m friends with Melinda Tankard Reist who is an Anti and a sex educator for young people, I’m also passionate about protecting children from the impacts of porn. As I’m a sexologist and a sex educator as well as a Pornstar, Melinda is both my opponent in sex work policy debates and my peer. I think it’s hard for some to grasp that two people can be complete opposites and still respect each other. Sure there’s lots of things that Melinda believes in that I don’t agree with. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t respect her womanhood or her right to her opinions. I’m pretty passionate about strong female voices, so I champion women who stand with conviction; I think that we can debate controversial topics without reducing ourselves to throwing personal or religious insults. 

JJ: Thank you so much for being with me today. This is possibly my favourite interview I've done. You've made me laugh and opened my eyes and knowing someone is working hard to improve the industry for everyone is a comforting thing. I look forward to catching up soon and getting to know you even more.