Sinn Sage on Power, Boundaries, and Reshaping Adult Labor
Sinn Sage is an award winning adult film performer, producer, and educator who has been active in the industry since 2003.
Known for her work in lesbian, queer, and fetish content, she has appeared in hundreds of films across major studios, independent productions, and her own projects, earning a reputation for authenticity and professionalism.
Over the course of her career, Sinn has received multiple AVN and Alt Porn awards and was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame, recognizing her lasting impact on adult entertainment.
In addition to her on screen work, she is an advocate for ethical production practices and performer autonomy, and is formally certified as an Intimacy Coordinator.
She also hosts the podcast Sage Advice with Sinn Sage, where she shares industry insights and lived experiences with renowed guests.
I recently sat down with Sinn to discuss her career and beliefs behind her role as both bridge and disruptor.
Framing the Conversation
CD: I am really interested in showcasing different ways of thinking and different types of people. How you all approach your personal businesses and brands, but also how you approach your professional life in general.
SS: Wow. I like that.
CD: I think it is especially interesting with you, to hear about it from a bird’s-eye view, because you have such a long tenure. How often do you stop and step outside and look at it from above?
SS: That is an interesting question, because sometimes it feels like hanging on for dear life. What do I have to do today? What do I have to do tomorrow? When are we making content? How are we getting it uploaded? The data, the nuts and bolts.
Something that is nice about being a guest on a podcast is when people ask questions that prompt reflection, like how I have stayed relevant for more than twenty years while only doing girl-girl content. Those questions make me pull back and really consider what has made this work for me.
I think about the things people say to me, whether it is fans or colleagues. Social media comments are one thing, but when someone emails and really pours their heart out, appreciating me in a very real way, that hits differently.
Or when people newer to the industry say they look up to me, it surprises me, because I barely feel like I have it together. Those moments give me objectivity and make me think deeply about what I am doing and what I have done to get here.
Intimacy, Access, and Boundaries
CD: You mentioned parasocial relationships, which are also intimate because they mean so much to the person on the other side. Your work itself is intimate, private, and vulnerable.
SS: It is an interesting line. I love that I am able to reach people I do not even know in such an intimate way. From their perspective, they feel like they know so much of me, and in many ways they do, because I do not create a separate character or persona. Sinn Sage and Rachel are the same person. Some people differentiate, and that is totally valid, but this is what has always worked for me.
Sinn Sage and Rachel are the same person. Some people differentiate, and that is totally valid, but this is what has always worked for me.
The fine line comes in with parasocial relationships, where people start to feel entitled to reciprocity that does not exist. They develop expectations or demands. It is rewarding to know the work I am doing has impact, but there is always a part of me that wonders how far someone might take that. I have dealt with that before, and it is scary and anxiety-inducing.
CD: There is also an imbalance where the interaction is singular for them, but one of many for you.
SS: Exactly. I have also been on the other side of that as a fan. When Bo Burnham: Inside came out, it affected me deeply. I watched it many times and wanted him to know what his art meant to me. But I had to put myself in the position of recognizing that millions of people felt that way, and I was just one of them. That helped me understand these dynamics better.
CD: With entertainers, there is often a gap between persona and the actual person.
SS: Yes. Fans have access to [adult performers] online and sometimes in person, and that access is how we make a living now. We are not being paid millions of dollars by studios. I made mistakes in the past by blurring boundaries. I learned the hard way that some people interpret access very differently, projecting fantasies based on what they see onscreen.
Power Inside the Industry
CD: When you look at the adult industry from the inside, where does power actually live, and how has your relationship to that power changed over time?
SS: To me, this is very clear. The power lives with the creator, with the performer. That is a relatively recent realization. It has not always been this way.
When I started, I was primarily a dancer. I got fetish shoots and porn shoots when they came up, but my main income was dancing. I got a flat paycheck, no residuals. I did not feel like I had much power then. I would get paid, spend it on rent and life, and then do it again. It hovered around the same level.
When platforms like Pornhub emerged, studios started losing money and bookings dropped, especially for girl-girl content. My bookings went down, so I started camming more. Even then, the platforms took a huge percentage. They still had the power because they controlled the traffic.
The power lives with the creator, with the performer. That is a relatively recent realization.
With clip platforms, creators kept ownership of their content. Even though the platforms still take too much, the shift happened because people started coming directly to us. Fifteen or twenty years ago, performers were essentially asking studios to hire them. Now audiences seek us out and pay us directly.
Agents and studios used to dictate who was seen. I remember being told to get a tan, get implants, remove body hair. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people wanted to see someone exactly like me. That power shift is undeniable.
CD: That proves there has been a real change, especially with self-production and distribution.
SS: Exactly. We proved it ourselves.
Agency and Exclusion
CD: What does authorship, agency, and autonomy mean in adult work, and who has historically been denied the ability to claim it?
SS: Marginalized communities have been denied it across the board, fat people, Black people, queer people, trans people. When they were included, it was often to tokenize or fetishize them rather than give real agency.
Adult entertainment is a microcosm of larger entertainment systems. The difference is that porn often confronts these dynamics more honestly. In some cases, porn led the way on queer and trans visibility before broader culture caught up.
CD: It feels like the industry is both ahead of the curve and behind the times.
SS: Completely. We are progressive in some ways and antiquated in others.
Marginalized communities have been denied authorship across the board.
Ethics, Technology, and Survival Under Capitalism
CD: From a marketing perspective, it is surprising how slow adoption still is in some areas.
SS: I think part of that is ethics. Many sex workers are deeply empathetic people who have experienced exploitation themselves. That makes us cautious, especially around technology like AI. I think about how it affects communities, energy use, and labor. It is similar to the compromises we all make under capitalism. We did not design this system, but we have to survive within it.
Intimacy Coordination and Structural Harm
CD: Intimacy coordination is often treated as a safeguard. What does it reveal about how adult labor has been structured and valued?
SS: It reveals how much harm was normalized. In porn, we are explicit and honest about what is happening, whereas Hollywood has historically hidden abuse behind prestige and silence.
The role of an intimacy coordinator is twofold: One is protecting performers so they can do their work safely. The other is protecting producers’ investments. Accountability exists now because people can speak publicly. Financial consequences are often what force change. Porn sets have long involved explicit consent processes. Boundaries are discussed, documented, and respected. In many ways, adult sets have been ahead of mainstream film in this regard.
Intimacy coordination exposes how much harm was normalized.
Trust, Tension, and Refusal to Compromise
CD: Have you felt tension between being trusted by the industry and challenging it? What are you unwilling to compromise?
SS: Every sex worker has to decide that for themselves. For me, this work is part of my identity. I identify as a queer sex worker, and I am uncompromising about that. I will not lie about who I am or what I believe in.
That authenticity has cost me some fans, but it has meant everything to others. Young queer people tell me I helped them live more authentically. That matters more to me than money. I am willing to scale my life back if necessary. What matters is living a good life and having a positive impact.
That authenticity has cost me some fans, but it has meant everything to others.
Leaving a Legacy
CD: When your work is viewed in hindsight, what legacy do you hope becomes undeniable?
SS: My purpose is to inspire people to live authentically, to speak up for their boundaries, and to protect themselves. Through intimacy coordination and my body of work, I hope that message continues long after I am gone.
Connect with Sinn on her official website Sinn-Sage.com, follow her on socials @SinnSage and check out Sage Advice with Sinn Sage on your favorite podcast platform.
