Two starkly contrasted stories appeared in main-stream media this week:
Miriam Weeks, known by her adult film star name Belle Knox, became a polarizing topic in the news this week after she was outed as an 18 year-old Duke undergrad who is paying for her tuition and living expenses with the income from a Cape Canaveral-style launch into the adult entertainment industry. Her choice to enter the industry came, in her words, after long consideration and a willingness to proudly bear the reputation. She is studying sociology and women's studies, and hopes to become a lawyer one day, in an effort to combat violence and mistreatment of sex workers.
She claims that her relationship with her family is stable, and she is definitely not blaming them for her situation. Her father, a Spokane-area doctor, made too much money for her to be eligible for financial aid, but they still couldn't support the full Duke University tuition and living expenses. Her choice to enter the industry came from an interest and admiration of the work. She also did not choose to have her identity publicized, it was allegedly divulged by a young fraternity member to his brothers. However, once she was exposed (excuse the pun), she did not hide or make excuses for her career. She is even being touted in some media outlets as the "pinnacle of feminism".
Meanwhile, another young woman from New Jersey is suing her parents to cover the remainder of her high school preparatory education and her future university tuition, along with other financial support. The claim is that she could not adhere to the strict rules of her overbearing parents, and left due to psychological abuse at their hand. Their side is that they simply asked her to abide by the typical rules of parents for a teenage child, and she refused. She was cited for truancy during school and continued to date boyfriend who had been previously suspended for truancy. The lawsuit has hit a hurdle as the first court has denied the request of the teen.
Both situations have had various responses. Personally, I find the situation of the girl suing her parents as the negative end of a spectrum that "the millennials" are scattered across. Alternately, I admire the budding pornstar's courage to face publicity and work towards her goal of earning her education. It helps that she's a cute girl, too. Besides, I always thought it would be fun to be a pornstar.
Thoughts?
horse face
she's going to be in a lot of movies by the time she finishes law school.
I wonder if Miriam Weeks puts porn on her resume now.
From what I can gather, rather than putting porn on her resume she has instead authored a couple essays regarding the empowerment she gets from her work.
I think a lot of the bad press comes from people's ignorance that members of the adult film community are not all bimbos or meatheads, but that some of them can actually pursue goals outside of their industry...
To me, her moral standards and work ethic, as well as her drive to succeed, are higher than the girl who is suing mommy and daddy because she couldn't do her chores and wanted to cut class.
Call me old fashioned but I fail to see moral authority in porn and I don't see any law firm willingly hiring a porn star or ex-porn star. If porn was so great then why didn't she use her real name. But, I don't really care either way. Also, one Duke freshman does not change anything. She is an exception than the rule in the industry. Moreover, I rather find a proper role model for young girls than a porn star.
I think she is going to realize her little advocacy stunt will cost her any potential in law down the road.
Sloots gonna sloot.
Ironically, the girl from Duke was also offered a full scholarship to Vanderbilt, which she turned down.
Yeah, that set off my red flag. A full scholarship offer from Vanderbilt but nothing from Duke? I find her claim to be dubious. If it is legit then I don't really see her as a "victim" who is just doing what little she can to pay for college. I also think she made a ridiculous decision. A full ride to Vanderbilt is greater than no assistance at Duke any day of the week.
As far as being proud of her, she basically said in the interview that working as a server at a restaurant was belittling to people. This comment made my blood boil--I think any honest work is honorable. To tell others that they are being belittled because they're trying to earn an honest living infuriates me, especially when it's a porn actress making the assertion.
The girl apparently is an active participant in the Duke College Republicans, although she said she rejects most of the Republicans' social positions. That's fine--it's a free country. But to put down honest hard work pretty much means that she doesn't accept even the fundamental principles of conservatism which unite us all--from neo-cons to libertarians. I'm also failing to see how being a porn star is the ultimate form of feminism. It sounds to me like she's trying to rationalize and justify to herself what she's doing. I'd respect her a lot more if she just said, "I'm an adult. I like what I do and it pays really well. For me it's a rational economic decision."
Yeah, the CR part is a bit confusing. She also said she's "spiritual" in the interview I read, and that being in the Duke chapel made her feel like it was fate for her to go there. It's contradictory. Of course, the full-ride could be merit-based, which s different from need-based aid.
That said, if she likes doing it, then it's her choice to continue doing so (very libertarian). But outing herself publicly brings along public scorn, and her work experience may not be favorably looked upon by white shoe law firms or the general public (or her religion or the CRs, for that matter).
You and I don't often see eye-to-eye on this site, but I agree with a ton of this.
1.) Putting down honest work is absolutely ludicrous
2.) Porn is fine. It's an occupation. But, let's not act like it won't have an impact come time to get a regular professional gig. I mean, people get dinged for wearing the wrong color belt, let alone for banging on film.
3.) Her whole attempt to remain anonymous was absurd. She complained when she was outted and THEN complained that people put down porn stars. She wants to have her cake and eat it, too.
4.) As nuts as this is, I think I'd find her claims less ridiculous if she was getting paid to have sex in private. Doing it on film is a whole different beast. These are private things you aren't supposed to showcase to the world.
5.) The feminists coming out in force acting like she's curing polio are ridiculous. 10/10 of the feminists rushing to her defense would never date or hire an ex-male porn star. Fact.
[quote]
As far as being proud of her, she basically said in the interview that working as a server at a restaurant was belittling to people. This comment made my blood boil--I think any honest work is honorable. To tell others that they are being belittled because they're trying to earn an honest living infuriates me, especially when it's a porn actress making the assertion.
I want to finance a film where she plays a waitress that gets gangbanged by the clientele. That way she'll be degraded in two ways.
She's completely just covering for herself ever since she got revealed on TFM. It's her fault for fucking half a Fraternity house though. I've seen her stuff, she's not even hot. I guess she decided to role with it, and it looks like its working for her. It's weird that she turned down a full ride to Vandy in favor of being a Women's Studies major at Duke, though.
ew you watch that stuff ? disgusting
I've never watched it b4
Nice people finish last and the only the good die young.
Rachel Canning looks like Scarlett Johansson and Emma Stone!
So, I guess Duke is so much better than Vanderbilt that it is worth getting jizzed in your eyes in public (and whatever else) to pay for school compared to just getting a scholarship to go to school for free. How empowering.
-- WSO's most public slut shamer
Turned down a full ride to Vandy, women's studies major, and plans to go to law school. Tripled down on bad decisions right there.
Anyone see the turd who outed her? Gotta love the fact that he is apparently dropping $1K a month on hardcore porn. Someone at Duke please confirm that this isn't standard frat bro?
http://www.ibtimes.com/who-thomas-bagley-duke-student-who-outed-porn-st…
Back to the topic of the original post, anyone think it was highly ironic (maybe more than coincidental) that the story about Miriam/Belle came out at the same time as the other one about Rachel Canning?
I'm just trying to point out that at least Belle (allegedly) enjoys what she does and is working for her money. Its funny to me that she is being hammered by the media while Canning is the epitome of the selfish, entitled, "gimme-gimme" youth. You have a girl suing her parents for the same thing that another is willing to do pornography for.
http://www.dailydot.com/lifestyle/duke-porn-star-outer/
Hey, @TNA - check out the article and the epic call out from a porn exec.
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