Maitland Ward vows to be 'vocal and proud' of sex work
Former 'Boy Meets World' actress Maitland Ward has insisted she wants to use her profile to shine a light on sex work so other adult entertainers don't have to "hide behind a curtain of shame".
Maitland Ward has vowed to be "vocal and proud" of her sex work so other adult entertainers don't have to "hide behind a curtain of shame".
The former 'Boy Meets World' actress, 47, has turned her back on Hollywood in recent years to pursue a career in porn and won a new legion of fans - and she now wants to shine a light on the X-rated industry to stop other performers feeling as if their work is still taboo.
She told Residence 11: "A huge stigma is that adult performers ... are in the industry for one of the following reasons: they are crazy, on drugs, have suffered horrific sexual abuse, their families hate them or they can’t do anything else.
"There is rarely a conversation in which a woman is empowered by selling her sexuality and society in general has extraordinary trouble recognising and embracing a sex worker’s success ...
"Hard working adult stars have to constantly defend themselves' and explain why they do the work they love. So many hide behind a curtain of shame, which includes lying about their profession, hiding behind fake names and being truly fearful of both physical and financial retaliation."
She went on to insist she will always speak freely about her career in a bid to help others.
Maitland added: "I always try to be as public and open about my journey as I can. Being a public and positive voice and influence is important to me. I want to show people that we can be vocal and proud.
"To find freedom as women with our sexuality in history has been rare, and it’s one of the last frontiers for women that has remained taboo and shackled. To be free sexually is to be unowned and truly liberated."
