Not only is Tasha Reign (NSFW) one of THE hottest adult stars in the industry right now, she’s also an amazing and active feminist. With her academic background in Women’s Studies, she has made it her mission to bring consent education to college campuses. College students are the leaders of tomorrow, and Tasha has been speaking out about the sexual assault crisis on campuses everywhere to ensure that the future is filled with respect and consent culture, rather than our present reality of rape culture.
Slutty Girl Problems had the chance to discuss consent with Tasha, and learn just why it’s so important to her. Read on to learn how you can make real change on your own campus!
Could you share a little about who you are and what you do?
My name is Tasha Reign and I’m a mother of two mini piglets 🙂 I also have been performing in adult film for almost eight years and reside in Hollywood, California. Born and raised in Laguna Beach and an outspoken feminist, I take pride in the work I do and in standing up for women through public speech. Recently, I’ve been visiting college campuses and discussing what consent means, why it’s pivotal in creating a safe space and more importantly an evolved social norm that has us realizing how accepted rape culture and sexual harassment is and working together to create a new world where it doesn’t exist.
What are some of the most common ways you see the ideas of rape culture perpetuated on college campuses?
The most common ways I have seen violence on campus and heard anecdotes about it, has to do with with everything from basic verbal and sexual harassment at parties, one on one, or as extreme as full blown sexual assault and rape. It’s commonplace on campuses nationwide. All you need to do is scroll through your Twitter news to realize that violence against women is the current social normative on campus and we are ALL part of it. It’s systematic.
What have you found to be most impactful in getting young adults actively involved in changing the dialogue around consent and sexual violence?
What I’ve been doing lately is going to fraternity houses and speaking to the brothers one on one. It feels crazy calling them men because they seem so young and eager to learn and it’s an amazing energy that they give off. It can be intimidating walking into a room full of 80 or more 20-something year old men but once I sit down they are so incredibly eager to listen and discuss consent! I’ve never seen anything like it – I hope one day it can be filmed and shared, but it’s such a intimate experience right now I’m concerned it would disturb the synergy. The pledges and brothers raise their hands enthusiastically with questions and often times stump me and of course perpetuate things that they learned through socialization. Once I can explain to them exactly what harassment means they start to really understand on another level, every day behavior that they were ambivalent about before!
How has your popularity as an adult actress helped create a platform for your activist work?
Being an activist, in and of itself, is such a rewarding opportunity. Being able to really give back and spread knowledge is more rewarding than I could have possibly imagined. As an adult actress my audience is often times men at college, especially these fraternity brothers, that being said it’s incredible to get on “their level”. They listen to me and unfortunately have learned sex through me or my co workers, due to a lack of sexual education within the American education system. I represent sex positivity, and to be able to share that with malleable young adults who will go and raise families or get into a misogynistic workforce in a couple of years, is … everything. We have the ability to change the way they think and act with women!
If you had to create a “tool kit” for navigating sexual experiences as a young adult, what three things would you include, and why?
If I had a tool kit to navigate sexual experiences as a young adult, it would include: a deep understanding of consent. Knowledge about STD’s, how to prevent them and the push to get tested regularly for a full panel. Thirdly, a desire to learn and communicate about yourself and partner through sex, making sure it is something that both parties are deriving pleasure from, and with no shame attached.
What advice do you have for college students wanting to bring sexual awareness programs / events to their school?
College students have all the power in the world and so many tools in their hands! If they want sex education then they need to demand sex education. They can protest, they can reach out to me 🙂 They can ask their school officials and activities board to have speakers and push for classes regarding the subject of sexual awareness. Youth is the power of now.
You’re also very active in advancing the right of sex workers – congratulations on your recent election as Chairperson of the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee! How do you hope to see stigmas around this profession change in the next ten years?
With a background in Women’s Studies and as chairperson of APAC (Adult Performer Advocacy Committee), I am able to view the stigma of sex work and push for a deeper understanding and awareness of it by the general public! It’s unbelievable how much has changed in the last eight years, I’m truly amazed every time I hear a peer speaking about the adult industry and at the same time I’m often thrown off kilter by generalizations regarding my work. I see the industry moving forward in a direction that’s more socially acceptable and also literally acceptable. For example, I hope to see banks not discriminating against us as well as well as performers being able to go into politics and on campuses as teachers. For performers to be thought of and regarded as true artists and to be able to socially be proud of what they do on a regular basis. For sexual education to be relevant and as important as the history we learn about in school growing up. I have many goals, alongside my co-workers, that will be achieved with the help of all of of you.
