Lydia Black rejected her "normie" job and found a back door into mainstream porn, becoming the anointed Queen of DAP (that is, Double Anal Penetration). Her charismatic performances, replete with knowing camera eye contact, have led to a coveted AVN Award nomination, the equivalent of an Oscar nod in the adult entertainment industry. Like many sex workers, there's a genuine boss behind the performer: She's a diligent business woman, a craftsman of vegan fetish collars, and a rebel. By creating her own content and supporting others in the industry, Black rages against anti-sex worker laws like FOSTA/SESTA and narrow-minded individuals who view sex workers as uninhabited bodies. We recently caught up with Black to find out about legal brothels, her sex worker-themed tattoo sleeve, and post-Me Too porn sets.

You quit your normie job 4 years ago to pursue sex worker full time. What was that transition like, and how did it come about?
At first the transition was rough. I was just starting out and still living in Florida, Tampa area. Which was good for the kind of work I started out doing, Fetish and BDSM content, but it doesn't pay great. I love fetish/BDSM porn but that world and its audience is small. I wanted to break into the world of mainstream porn, and that was harder to do in Florida. There are a few companies there, but not many that fit my aesthetic or wanted to take the gamble of hiring a new tattooed girl. I had to learn quickly that as a sex worker you need multiple streams of revenue and that owning your own content is worth it. I cammed, I dommed, I stripped, I did everything I could.

What's your experience been like living in Nevada where some counties have legalized full service sex work?
Being a legal sex worker is hard, and for many it is just not an option. Girls who work in the brothels have to jump through a lot of hoops to do what they do. Each place has its own rules, but girls are required by the state to get tested every week (they pay for it), the girls have to pay for their prostitution license every 3 months, they pay room and board, and they have to give a percentage of what they make to the house. This can be up to 50%, including tips. It is worth it for some girls, and you can make decent money if people know who you are and want to come see you, but over the last year it has been getting harder and harder 'cause of FOSTA/SESTA. FOSTA/SESTA is a law that was passed that stops sex workers from advertising online, along with many other terrible repercussions that have put many lives in danger and killed some. This law has made it harder for legal full service sex workers to get people to visit the brothels and has made it illegal for them to communicate their rates with their clients unless they are literally standing in the room with them.

Many people stereotype sex workers as people who are victims in need of rescuing, but even some people with pro-sex worker sentiments believe in the"empowered sex worker" stereotype that stipulates sex workers must always enjoy their work at all times. How do you deal with peoples' assumptions?
No one is going to enjoy what they do to make money all the time, and it's easy for people in sex work to get burnt out. Lots of times people see us and only see our bodies--that doesn't feel good every day all the time. We want to be seen as people with thoughts and feelings too. But I have to remember that I love myself, and I love what I do. I get to be my own boss, and I wouldn't trade that for the world.

Can you tell us a bit about your sex worker-themed tattoo sleeve and what inspired it?
I love the idea of wearing my heart on my sleeve, and my heart is full of love and inspiration for what I do and all the different aspects of it. I started out the sleeve with a little piece of lavender that represents my partner, Ash, because he's my teammate and has encouraged me to be who I am. I got a flogger and a rose next for my love of BDSM and the intense bond I have with it. Then my good friend Susan Sharp tattooed a special fetish piece on me which is a scene of a girl drinking piss. My latest addition is a killer Pleaser [high heel] that my friend Henry Lewis did for me to symbolize the time I worked as a stripper in Tampa. I can't wait to add more to it and have new experiences with sex work.

Behind-the-scenes misogyny has existed on film sets from before, during, and after the Me Too movement. Since then, have you noticed any shift in terms of porn film sets you've been on--for better or worse?
I feel like the Me Too movement has not had much effect on your typical porn set. There are lots of sets where consent is always key because, as sex workers, we understand how much that means. But just like every other industry, there are people who are there for the wrong reasons who only want to feel important or want money.

You also sell personalized BDSM collars on your Etsy, SLUTWITCHCOLLARS. What's the best review you've ever gotten?
Yes, I love to make custom BDSM collars. Not only do I get to make one for my every mood, but I get to make special, meaningful gifts for people who are in caring BDSM relationships. I love seeing what people order for their significant others. One of my favorite reviews I have gotten is one where my customer said he has purchased my collar for one of his favorite cam stars and that she was so happy to receive it because she was also a huge fan of me.

What's your favorite aspect of your job and owning your own business?
My favorite aspect of my job and owning my own business is honestly just being able to invest in not just myself and my future, but my friends too. I get to buy and support my friends' content and in the future, I will be hiring them for my very own site!