Bellesa is a new kind of porn site. It’s made for women, the videos they showcase are curated and moderated by users, and the site only features women actually enjoying sex – not simply conquests for their male counterparts. A much needed alternative to traditional male-dominated porn, Bellesa offers a community for women looking to indulge in their desires. Simply put, it’s unapologetically bold.  We sat down with Bellesa creator, Michelle Shnaidman to learn how Bellesa came to be and what makes it so amazing!

Can you share a little about who you are, and what you do?

I’m a psychology graduate with a minor in women’s studies. If you asked me five years ago if I thought I’d be running a porn site for women at 25, I probably wouldn’t have said yes. I’m also stupidly passionate about empowering women. So, I may not have said no either. If I had known, though, that in doing so, I would get to come into an office every day filled with deeply passionate humans and dedicate my waking hours to empowering women to embrace their sexuality …the question would have been met with a “fuck yeah”. Because, fuck yeah.

What inspired you to create Bellesa?

I was looking at porn one day, and I became overwhelmed by how abrasive (and honestly, awful) the experience was for a non-male. I was hit with one of those “grow your dick by 4 inches” ads popping up over some alarmingly violent videos …and it became glaringly obviously that this website was not meant for me. It was not meant for any woman. Major no feels.

I jumped around on a few sites but couldn’t kick the feeling of intrusion. It sucked. It felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there. It was super clear to me that these websites had been created by men, for men. I really couldn’t believe what little options women had when it came to adult entertainment.

I kept thinking: women account for 50% of the population. How could this demographic be so damn overlooked? But it was.

That’s how Bellesa was born. From a desire to create a space for women to celebrate their sexuality …something that has been stigmatized for far too long. I wanted to create a platform on which women would feel included and safe – a place where they can feel empowered by their sexuality.

How do you hope your site will contribute to empowering women?

We wholeheartedly believe that sexuality on the Internet should depict women as they truly are—as subjects of pleasure, not these objects of conquest. By placing female pleasure front and centre, we’re showing that the current depiction in porn of women existing solely for male enjoyment is false. We like sex, too. Just as much as men do… (maybe sometimes even more!) Our goal is to empower women by shifting the male-dominated paradigms that have long defined sex on the Internet.

We’re also opening up a really important dialogue through the articles shared on the Collective. Society, traditionally, has condemned women for talking openly about sex or about our bodies. There are so many aspects surrounding female sexuality that are still not talked about. And it’s time that we start talking about them. It’s the first step to shedding the stigma – and the shame. As women, it couldn’t hurt for us to start living just a little more unapologetically.

What are the key differences between erotic films inspired by the true nature of sex, and those that conform to the male-dominated paradigm?

We did a ton of research before building Bellesa. This was a huge part of it. A foundational question that we asked was “if adult entertainment was made in the vision of a women since Day One …throwing away all the norms, scripts and expectations… what would that look like?” The answer was hella different than what the framework looked like at the time.

What we found is that women are interested in the true nature of sex. We want the storylines to reflect reality; the performers’ pleasure to be authentic; the bodies, relatable; in general, for the sex to feel …real. There are still elements of fantasy, for sure, but mixed with some realism. We call it “fantasy fuel” and that’s what really powers Bellesa.

Here’s how we see it: people today are often watching sex before they’re having it. That means that in a sense, online adult content is today’s sexual education. We believe, deeply, that by changing the way that sex is represented online, that we can change a whole lot more.


How do you see the dialogue about sexuality changing and becoming more inclusive in the coming years?

Through Bellesa, I have met so many brilliant and badass women in the SexTech industry who are completely changing the entire game. Female pleasure is finally being brought to the forefront. When we see women placing themselves in the front lines – by launching sex toy companies, or sexual health initiatives, or podcasts focused on female pleasure and anti slut-shaming …it starts a very important conversation. Women like sex and it’s really okay to like sex. It’s also okay to talk about it.

Our biggest goal is to move the dial forward in terms of social expectations of sexuality for women, and I’m so confident in this. I think in some ways we’ve already begun to see some changes.

 

How can readers join your community?

Our community is so awesome. Maybe I’m biased. But it’s also the truth. The Bellesa community is open-minded, forward-thinking, and inclusive. If you’re someone who has something to say – or if you’re just looking to participate in a dialogue with like-minded women, head on over to Bellesa and join the movement. The Bellesa community is deeply dedicated to shedding the stigma surrounding female sexuality. Our social media is also a really fun time, so probably follow us there too, for some female empowerment vibes.

Are you working on any projects we can look forward to?

Currently in development, Bellesa has an e-commerce store, a Bellesa publication, a Bellesa production operation, a Bellesa sexual health initiative …and several other really exciting initiatives that we’re working on. Stay tuned!