Pineapple Support
Pineapple Support is a nonprofit organization that provides free and low-cost mental health therapy to pornographic film actors, producers and others who work in the adult film industry. It launched in April 2018 by adult performer Leya Tanit[1] in response to a series of deaths in the adult industry in late 2017 and early 2018 resulting from mental illness or addiction, including that of August Ames.[2] In its first two years, Pineapple Support provided over a thousand members of the adult film industry with mental health support and resources, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support.[3]
Pineapple Support brings therapists to the AVN Awards to provide free, walk-in sessions for adult performers.[4] In October 2019, Pineapple Support hosted the first online mental health summit specifically for the adult film industry, featuring sessions with over a dozen therapists.[5] Pineapple Support works with over one hundred therapists worldwide [6] and receives major funding from adult industry sources such as Pornhub, xHamster, Kink.com and Chaturbate.[7] Pineapple Support says it has helped over 5000 performers and online sex workers, through both therapy referrals, active listening, and event partnerships with adult industry leaders, such as a Suicide Prevention Webinar hosted with non-profit advocacy group Free Speech Coalition or a Restorative Yoga Workshop hosted with the cam site XLoveCam(Shoshoro N.V.).[8][9][10]
Tanit chose the name "Pineapple" because it is a common safeword in the BDSM community,[11] and she wanted the organization to be "a safeword for performers."[12]
References
- ^ Hay, Mark (27 January 2020). "She's Taking on Porn's Mental Health Crisis". Ozy. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021.
- ^ Horn, Tina (19 March 2018). "How August Ames' Suicide is Changing the Porn Industry". RollingStone.com. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Mental Health Helper Pineapple Support's Second Anniversary Arrives". AVN.com. 2 April 2020.
- ^ Alptraum, Lux (January 29, 2019). "Porn actress August Ames Death Was a Lost Chance to Talk about Sex Workers and Mental Health". Vox.
- ^ Neuwave, Robert (Oct 30, 2019). "Pineapple Support's Adult Industry Mental Health Summit Lineup Announced". AVN.
- ^ "Pineapple Support Therapists". PineappleSupport.org. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ "Sponsorship". PineappleSupport.org. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ "Pineapple Support, XLoveCam to Host Restorative Yoga Workshop". Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ Adams, JC. "Pineapple Support to Host Grief, Loss Support Group for Sex Workers". XBIZ.com. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ Adams, JC (10 September 2021). "Pineapple Support, FSC to Host Webinar on Suicide Prevention Workshop". Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "About Pineapple Support". PineappleSupport.org. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "WIA Profile: Leya Tanit". XBIZ.com. 30 October 2019.