The XCritic Interview: Leya Tanit & Pineapple Support

I am forever grateful to the Editors and Staff at XCritic for allowing me to do what I do. My partner in crime, Don DeMarko once said that putting out press for the Industry is total “Rock ‘n Roll”, and he’s not far off that mark, it can be a lot of fun. Still, we are all aware of how dark and painful the world of Adult entertainment can get, and also of the losses so many have suffered. I will not list names here, but over the last several years, certainly over the last few decades, our Industry has witnessed countless performers fall by the wayside and many others succumb to suicide due to mental issues. While some of those struggles were associated specifically with the Biz, at other times, many were issues that might have been pre-existing, possibly even unrelated to the life of an Adult performer. Yet, at some point, these people that have been lost … you have to wonder … how many of those tragedies might have been averted if resources were made available to those souls.

With that said, I often get the liberty to choose subjects for an interview. A few months ago, Pineapple Support caught my eye, and I started following what they were up to. This group, led by Leya Tanit and so many others working alongside her, are helping to create a network of resources that Industry performers are able to use. They are actively working to remove the stigma associated with mental health as it exists in the world of Adult Entertainment. They are working towards acceptance. They are working towards healing old wounds and preventing new ones from developing.

Leya and her colleagues are making a real– Capitalize it, A REAL DIFFERENCE. When I saw the good work they were doing, I had to know more, and wanted to understand how an Organization like Pineapple Support operates. So, on a January morning in 2021, I sat down at my desk and ZOOM conferenced with Leya, for nearly an hour and a half. She lives halfway around the world from me, so there were some time differences involved.

Here’s what we talked about...

Jim Steele–I’m happy that we got the schedule worked out, the ZOOM up and running, and here we go!

“Pineapple Support was launched in April 2018, by Leya Tanit after she heard of the tragic bout of suicides in the Adult Industry. Determined to make a change, she created a place to give fellow performers the help and support that has been much needed. Be the change.” …. Leya, THAT is a fucking heavy lead into a website. You’re Mission Statement echoes that same sentiment. You’re fighting a real battle here. I cannot count the number of performers who, over the last several years, have left us through suicide or the effects of dependency or mental issues. Countless others are, right now, suffering in depths of despair. I don’t think any would disagree when I say that, the Adult Industry can, and sometimes is, an incredibly dark place… I mean, I’m not trying to be negative, but it is. I’m sure this type of help you offer is needed in a lot of places, but certainly, here in the Industry. Bottom line. Do you feel like you’re accomplishing your mission?

Leya Tanit– I do. You know, as you've said, I think the Adult Industry… is, it's isolating. That's one of the reasons why it can feel like a dark place.

I think one of the main things for me was to ensure that people, even if they don't use the services, know that they're there, and they know that they aren’t alone. They're not shouting into the dark. It’s knowing there’s a safety net. We have a number of people that reach out to us to apply for therapy who sometimes don't follow through. I think for those people, just knowing that they were responded to, and they were offered the support, that can be enough.

We launched two years ago, and it was a very slow start. Obviously, you know, it's something coming from nowhere. People need to learn to trust an organization. I was looking at the figures, comparing last year. In the month of April 2019, we had 13 people apply for therapy with us. A year later, in April 2020, we had 93. I know what we're doing is making a difference. I know the more people that know about our services, the better whether they use them or not.

Just to know that it is there, the service, should you ever need it. That can make a huge, huge difference. So, we are… we're getting there. We are accomplishing our mission. But, it's a never-ending mission. We intend to keep accomplishing, to keep helping people, and to continue making that difference.

Jim– But all this takes money, if you don't mind my asking, if you can say, I don't know with your tax status if you can say, but how much does an operation like this cost?

Or, a better way to put that might be… I don’t know that cost is the right word… but. …

Leya– I did some calculations, just this morning. For every $20,000 that’s donated, we can provide one on one therapy to, on average, 33 people. Now, that's not including the persons attending the support groups we run, or those on the webinars, the workshops, the wellness events or listener platform.

If you just multiply that into … We had 930 roughly… people come to us for therapy in 2020. I want to calculate that.

Jim– I think we're both calculating that right now… But you might be faster, I just got up!

{After a late night, our 9:00 am interview appointment was early for me. Leya laughed, she had already had her brain clicking away all day. Needless to say, she beat me in coming up with the annual expenditure}

Leya– That would be 930, divided by 33, equals… times 20 … Yeah. So, that's you know… That's over half a million just in therapy. And that's in our second year. Of course, this is just an estimate as every individual is different.

Jim– Ok, you know… Wow!

Leya– And we're growing. If you look at the rate that we grew from 2019 through 2020, we are growing rapidly. The more people that learn about our services, the more that are being utilized. With COVID, with the political movements that have been going on in the US, with the general unrest in the world at the moment, our services are needed more than ever, and I don't see 2020 giving us any kind of respite. So yeah, it’s not an easy feat to provide this level of care to so many people, but it's something that I am extremely passionate about, and I will move hell and high water to make sure that we raise that money and we keep providing this service.

Jim– Ok, so what is your best avenue at raising, umm… in accepting/raising donations?

Leya– The majority of our funding comes from Adult Companies, cam companies, the streaming companies, clip sites, etc. We are working really hard to get new sponsors involved. I am a firm believer that every single company that is associated with the Adult Industry, from payment companies, affiliates… Yeah, every avenue, every part of the Adult Industry, it's all based on… on the performers. If it was not for the performers, none of us would be here. None of these companies would exist. I firmly believe that it is important for everyone to contribute and make sure our performers are cared for.

Jim– Ok, thank you. But you're always welcoming new opportunities for people to donate. And by the way, “Pineapple Support is a US 501c3 status non-profit and is a registered UK charity #1179728.” You have people on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I understand these are made up of volunteers, who are trained listeners, and who have a positive outlook on the Industry. Now, I know the answer to this question because it’s my business to know the answer to the question, but many might not. I’ll ask because it’s easier for people to give and support an organization when they understand it, when they kind of get where you’re coming from. You’re all about positivity, safety, and well-being. With that said, why is your organization called “Pineapple Support”? 

Leya– Well, Pineapple is the most commonly used safe word in the U.S., after red, and stop, and from someone who has been in the BDSM lifestyle for… longer than I care to mention, it just seemed right. You know, it's your safe word. It's what you say when it's getting too much, and you want it all to stop.

Jim– We talked about this a moment ago, about the support you've received, from what I can see within the Industry, has been tremendous. I know that I'll miss a few, but at your website, I see Pornhub, Chaturbate, Modelhub, Kink, Streamate, Brazzers, and Clips4Sale. I think it says a lot of the ones making the money are contributing to this work that you guys are doing. Did you initially expect so much support from the Industry?

Leya– Hmmm … {Leya pauses to think} To be honest? I decided to launch Pineapple Support after attending the 2018 XBiz Awards show, and that was when I first learned about the number of suicides and deaths from mental health that we had been experiencing in the Industry. Prior to that, I wasn't so involved, living in Europe, just dipping in and out, it wasn't something I was acutely aware of. It was from hearing about that, I decided immediately that someone needed to do something about it, and that someone should be me. To be able to create something specifically for mental health, and to that scale, I was in a very unique position with my background in business and knowledge of the industry. I think it was it was very much a needed resource at the right time. The Industry was crying out for mental health support.

You know when you're doing something right when everything just falls into place? I mean, don't get me wrong, I was working my fucking ass off. But, when I'd be desperate for something, suddenly it would just be there, or someone would call, or I'd get an email. It was almost like the universe was saying, no, it's OK, we've got this, you need to keep going. You need to keep going.

We launched in April of 2018, and it wasn't until December of that year we got our first sponsor. So, that was eight months of my savings paying for the running and set up of the organization and covering the costs of therapy. You've got to have real faith in yourself, and what you're doing to be able to keep going for that long without anyone else backing you. Everyone I spoke to was saying what a great service we're providing, what a great idea… it was so needed. But it's a chicken and egg scenario. You can't ask somebody for a large amount of money without them seeing that you can actually provide a service. So, yeah, it was it was a really difficult start, money wise. Even though, as I said, the Industry was there saying how great it was, and how much they needed it, all the way from the performers up to CEOs of the top businesses.

In December 2018 Pornhub sponsored us, and that really gave us that kick to be able to start promoting, start being there, and have a big name behind us to approach other companies. It just snowballed from that point.

Jim– So, you mentioned Pornhub as the first big sponsor. And we spoke just a minute ago about the XBiz Awards, which may or may not have kind of kicked this whole thing off in a way. But I missed XBiz, and I heard your booth was hopping at and after talking with a couple of people, I was kind of upset with myself for not being there and stopping by for a chat. The point of that comment is this. Do you get performers or producers, directors, or PR reps at the conventions and Awards Shows, who come in and they're like, and you kind of touched on this, “I didn't know anything about this, where the hell have you been all my life?”

Leya– Yes! Most are performers. It tends to be that the big companies and producers have heard of us by now. Myself and the team try to have a presence at as many shows as possible to make sure about that. Approaching almost every attendee with fliers and information, “Read this flyer and learn about what we're doing. It's important.!” But yeah, we still have a lot of performers that pop by the booth, and they’re like, “Oh my God, I'm just learned about this, or I just saw this,” or it’s, “I've seen your logo, and I really wanted to come down and learn more about the resources that you offer.” There are still a hell of a lot of people out there who still aren't aware that they do have this support, and that's something that we’re going to continue to work on.

Jim– Ok, so in addition to the big guys, the big Industry sponsors, where does the rest of your support come from? Private individuals, mainstream corporations? I don't know if this comment is appropriate… Do you ever feel like calling out big mainstream business, saying… Hell, I'll say it for you, “Hey, Mr. Pinstripe Suit, how about a little attention over here? We could use some of that tax-free donation!” Do you want me to leave that little comment in there?

Leya– I don't know. They’re your words! Haha

Jim– I'm… sometimes. I can be a little bit brash, a little bit off the wall.

Leya– We would love donations from mainstream organizations. I’d say that's something that we're aiming for eventually. If you watch porn, it would be great if you could donate. Again, if you're benefiting from any kind of service from our performers, then it would be nice if you were contributing. A lot of our donations, the donations that aren’t from corporate, are coming in from consumers. We have a lot of donations coming in and fundraisers held by performers. We’ve had a few people who have done charity cam shows for us. A couple of performers did a specific fundraiser for sexual trauma support that we provide, and that was amazing. They raised about $20,000 which is phenomenal.

We are always thinking about different fundraisers that we can come up with. And we've a few things that we're going to be launching this year, which will hopefully help people within the Industry get more involved without having to spend a huge amount and be able to contribute to what we're doing.

Jim– Ok, so now let's talk about the ones that are using your service, do you see a larger percentage of performers from the camming or streaming side of things seeking help? Or, is it the performers on set with the production crew all day … the ones that are shooting scenes?

Leya– That's a really hard question to answer because there's a huge amount of crossover in the Industry now. The majority of people that work on set also do camming, or they have a Fans Site. We only ask for one link as proof that somebody is in the Industry, and most people do give us their social media accounts. I would say that it's fairly even from what I've seen. Still, I think there are certainly different stresses and benefits with both.

For example, working as a cam performer, if you have anxiety, is fantastic because it gives you that freedom if you're not in the mood to see people, if you're not in the mood to go on camera, you can hide in your bed. You don't have to go and see people. You don't have to do anything. So, it allows you to work around your mental health. At the same time, it's feeding your anxiety because you're allowing the anxiety to run your day to day. It's a double-edged sword. But really, I think it's too hard a question to answer with the amount of crossover that's in the Industry now.

Jim– Sure. But, other than that, if we're having a problem or if we can't really, I should say, delineate one or the other. I tried to term it gender, which you really can't do any more…  but out of men, women, trans, gay, bi, LGBTQ, is there any particular type, or forgive the terminology, gender or gender identification of a performer… one that seems to pop up on your radar more often than others?

Leya– 80 percent of the people applying for therapy are cis gender, female. I think this possibly has a lot to do, with society's view of opening up, and talking about emotions, compared to the male versus female. I think there are still a lot of men that keep things inside and aren't as open about their emotions or therapy. We know that the biggest killer of men in their 40’s is suicide. So, we know that there are many men out there that do need support. I think it's a case of breaking down those barriers and making it “OK not to be OK”.

The LGBTQ+ communities are also in need of specialist support and 2020 was going to be a time when Pineapple Support would focus on this. Attending conferences and speaking with the community to ensure that we provide the correct care, to ensure that the community is heard and to ensure they knew that Pineapple Support is for resource the whole industry. We work very closely with Tim Valenti of the Naked Sword, and also Sister Roma, and we are still working hard to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community is aware of our services. I am extremely happy to say that since the beginning of 2020, we have seen an upturn in the amount of males and non cis gender who have been applying for services and who we are working with.

Jim–I'm not on that side of the camera. I'm not a performer. So, I think it was probably 10, 12 years ago. I'm a middle-aged guy, and I was seeing a therapist twice a week, maybe for a year. I'll tell you, it was incredibly empowering, an eye-opening experience. So, going back to the public perception. It's OK to talk, it's OK to have feelings. Kind of back to that previous question, it's just part of the availability of your service that it's OK to not be OK. That's got to be part of your aim. Is that …?

Leya– Absolutely. And, we're starting to do more panels, starting to welcome more performers to come and speak with us. To speak openly about their therapy, about what they're going through. Particularly if we have veteran performers speaking about this, it really let’s others know that they're not alone, and know that they can speak out and know that they can ask for help. At the latest XBiz, we did a roundtable discussion talking about support groups and we had 4 performers, 2 therapists, and myself speaking. I was very open about my therapy, and things that happened to me. I think it's important for everyone to know that it's not just in front of the camera. At XBiz Berlin in 2019, we did a big open discussion, and there were about 30 or 40 people in this talk.

It was amazing, from all aspects, and all sides of the Industry. What was really wonderful was to open the conversation up between those on the corporate side of the industry as well as performers & producers, … all receiving stigma. One attendee was talking about having suicidal ideations because of the stigma surrounding his business, another on the impact it had his wife and her career. And, it was really nice, I think, for everyone to talk together and all be so open. To just break down, I mean, really break down the divide of being in front of the camera, being behind the camera, and mental health.

{At this point in our conversation, the ZOOM chat was having a hard time containing Leya’s emotion. As she spoke of different players within the Industry, all talking about the trials and fears they live with daily, her image was visibly emotional on my screen, with her voice projecting through the speakers like a trumpet, leading an army into battle. And that’s the thing… THIS IS a Battle, it’s a daily fight, sometimes to the death. This was turning into one of the most honest and hard-hitting conversations I’ve ever had with someone.}

Jim– Ok, so, um… Man! We're making a difference here. We're breaking down some walls, but specifically for an actor or an actress in their present day… and, we talked about camming, especially in real time with social media, and that's just huge. You mentioned that they can hide away at times if they want to. But listen, I've seen videos where people are maybe… they shouldn't have had the record button “on”. They are obviously not in a great place right then and there. With that kind of scrutiny, do you think that's going to help or hinder? Ultimately… and I guess when I say scrutiny, the fans, do you think that the performers might look at that, that “in real time” scrutiny of their fans, as a hinderance in standing up to say, “Hey, you know, I need to talk with someone?”

Leya– Yeah, the cam performers are getting instant feedback. And, I know that some consumers can be vicious, I mean. Oh … It's really, really hard job to do. I tried going on cam a couple of times and it's really, really a hard job to keep someone's interest, to keep smiling, to keep putting on that face, and some of the comments that viewers leave, it’s rotten. It's unnecessary, and to listen to that day in and day out? You can start off saying, “I've got a tough skin, I can deal with this, this is fine.” But when you hear the same shit every day, and you have to put up with it? It breaks you down. It breaks you down slowly. And, you know, particularly when you're starting out, you're not so ruthless. When you've been in the Industry for a while, and we talk to people who've been camming for a long time, and ask them, “So, what do you do about these people?” They say, “I block them. I block them immediately. I tell them to fuck off and I block them.”

But when you're starting out, you don't tend to do that, that's the impression that I get. It’s getting that confidence to go, “I don't need you!” And, you don't need it.

Jim– If I can interrupt, it used to be that they would say 1, 3, 5 years ago… 10 years ago, whenever… that a girl might have on average, I don't know, a year and a half, three years, we’ll just say the newcomers, and this is kind of a blanket statement. But, nowadays, with the camming, especially with the camming, I almost see some of them, if you will, feeding off that negativity. A back and forth with the audience. I'm wondering if that time, or that life span, if you will, for a lot of these girls and guys… can be even way less than that. They burst on, and then, some fade out just as quickly. But... that negativity. Because like you say, they don't know how to deal with it, and they don't have the, the tough skin and yeah, I think that's a real concern.

Leya– It is. The majority of the camming sites have a performer outreach, and offer training. But I know that not everyone utilizes these. The chat and cam community sites are great. It’s so important to talk to others about these unique issues, and struggles. Having a community and having people to talk to understands what you're going through, is imperative in this line of work. It can be really isolating.

Jim– So, with the… It’s absolutely necessary, that’s it. And, I have read testimony after testimony of performers on your website, and especially on Twitter. When everybody’s sharing everybody's post, and they're quoting the tweets, the quoted tweets are the best. And they’re about their positive experience with talking with a therapist, one that they've been paired up with through Pineapple. I think this kind of openness, a willingness to talk about and share the experience, it's a huge part of the underlying problem, which is not wanting to talk about it. So, walk me through the process of how do we get paired up with a therapist?

Leya– We've tried to make the process as easy and streamlined as possible. You visit the website, click “Therapy”, and there is a therapy request form. We do need your legal name, and copy of I.D., etc. Now, you are entering into a legal contract with us. We ask for a link to your social media or cam page, or whatever– just to proof it’s you and you’re in the industry, then we match your ID with your face on your social media.

We need to know the amount you can afford to contribute towards your therapy. That's how much you will pay, and we cover the rest. Then, within two or three days, you'll hear back from us, and we will connect you with a therapist. So, you should have had your first communication with a therapist within five days.

Jim– Ok, cool. Awesome. I want to talk about the webinars for a minute. Pineapple Support has a ton of them. Now, there's no denying that talking with somebody one on one, is a terrific resource. But you guys have another avenue for people to start the process of healing, of knowing that they are human, and that they're not alone. Could you let us know everything that's available through the webinars that you post?

Leya– We are trying to cover everything, you know, everything from sexual trauma, ADHD, anxiety, depression, how to alleviate isolation, how to make money while in lockdown. They do go live on average once a month, and are later posted on our XBiz TV channel, and on our YouTube. They are generally 20 minutes to 1 hour videos from our therapists and mental health experts. It’s a great resource. For example, if you do have anxiety, whether you're seeing a therapist or not, you can go and watch a video specifically tailored for persons working in the Adult Industry of ways to manage and understand your emotions.

Understanding the technicalities of an emotion, or mental health struggle can really help. When you're starting to feel those emotions, you’re like, “A-ha!” … “This is because such and such is happening, and this is what I can do to control that.”

We also host 1 and 2 day wellness events. We had the Pineapple summit in December, which was in memory of Dr. Amie Harwick. Amie was one of our therapists and good friend, she was murdered in February of 2020, by an ex-boyfriend. We really focused the summit on emotional abuse, on stalking, healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships, anxiety, and all things associated with that. It was our way of paying tribute to the life of an absolutely incredible human.

Leya– The presentation recordings are always available to have as a constantly accessible resource, not only for persons within the industry, but for the public as well. I think it's important for non-Industry folks to understand a little more of what goes what goes on.

Jim– Absolutely. So, in addition to the webinars, what could a performer, looking for help, expect to see from Pineapple Support, even if it was in the wee hours of the morning?

Leya– I’ll run through all the services that we provide. I think is the easiest thing to do here.

The first one is the 24/7 emotional support service. That is a text service manned by trained volunteers. It's completely anonymous. To volunteer you need to complete a training course in active listening, and once completed you can make yourself available, and provide care to people in our community that need it. This service is not for crisis. It's for people who just want to talk, it's a way to help process your emotions.

In addition to the active listening, we have the one on one therapy, which is what I think we are most known for. We have a team of around 160 professional, licensed, insured therapists and counselors across Canada, the U.S., South America, the UK, Europe, and Australia.

We also provide support groups. Each month, we have a different support group offering support on a different topic. Running alongside that, we also have a weekly drop-in support group, that is every Monday night and is completely free. There's no commitment, you can attend that for as long as you want.

Once you finish your one on one therapy, you can use this drop-in support group as a transition. Or you can use it alongside therapy or a standalone support service. That is every single week, for anyone who is in the Industry to drop in and receive support.

I think that is especially important in these times, where a lot of people are isolated, that they have this option. We also have the webinars, which we spoke about. We host workshops every so often, providing breathwork, or holistic therapy. We have wellness events, which tend to run over one or two days. Additionally, we have a number of holistic physical health, and mental health specialists who will do webinars and Q & A’s.

We also recently launched a podcast called Pineapple Talk, where Myself and Pineapple therapist Shelly, interview adult industry professionals regarding their experience with different emotions, mental health struggles and just life in general.

Jim–I see the biggest part, or the most satisfying part, is knowing that people are getting this help, that tomorrow is another day, that there's another chance. That's the most rewarding part in what you're getting out of it, correct?

Leya– The most rewarding for myself is when we hear from people who used the services… about how much it's changed their life.

Jim– Now, it's changed their life, it's certainly changed your life. I don't know all that you did before, but this has certainly become, like you've mentioned… it's International at this point. So, when did you start to notice that it was turning into this big worldwide thing? And how has that changed your life significantly?

Leya– Well, previous to this, I was a performer and a professional dominatrix. So, I've been in the Industry for a long time. Before that, I used to run several businesses, and that experience has been invaluable when launching Pineapple. I used to be the one that was dancing on the table, and that's obviously changed a lot. With the sheer workload that comes with running an organization like this, you know, there's no more late nights at conferences and conventions. You've got to be up the next morning to host a meeting and know what you're talking about. It's changed my life… like I can’t explain, it's also given my life a lot of purpose, which I think was lacking before. So, you know, it's benefited me more than I can probably express in this interview.

Speaking to the question about when did I know it had become so big, there's been a couple of occasions. The first, I think, was when we put our board together, which was at the end of 2019. Our board members are some of the most reputable people in the Industry, folks who have been in the Industry for 20 years plus. And I kind of looked at that and went, “Well, shit.” This is real! Before, when it's just you, doing your thing, trying to do it as best you can, and then suddenly it’s like, OK. This is a real, real organization now.

One of the board members said to me recently, “You do realize you're running a really big organization now!” I was like “Umm … Yeah.” Because it just kind of grows and does that gradually. You don't realize it. I mean, you do. You know, it's just evolved so naturally. And then suddenly, you look and go, “Wow, you know, we have had well over 900 people in therapy this year. We have got 160 therapists. We are raising serious funds to pay for this. This is actually really big.” I always look at it as my baby. My baby's grown up. {Leya laughed, almost joyously}

Jim– Yeah. I think … I think we all look at our projects like our babies. We were, some friends and I, were talking about… and I write. We were talking about authors that write books. You do your best, you put it out there, and you see how it does! Haha. But, you know, I put a book out there and it's there. You can't really go change it. So, this thing that you have, it’s kind of an ever-evolving thing. It's a little bit different, but you still love it the same way.

Leya– I look at it like it’s my baby, I’ve put it out there, and I’ve got to nurture it and help it grow. Haha. And, that's probably how my mother looks at me.

Jim– We've kind of touched on this briefly, or not briefly, but a moment ago. But you just now mentioned, you've grown into such a huge organization. I'm still kind of curious to know, when talking with and interacting among people outside the Industry, with the growth that you just described, what's the reaction? Are you getting a good reaction with, you know, Joe Blow down the street?

Leya– I find it very interesting because, just the other day, someone asked me about what I do, then went on with “Oh, yes it’s needed.” They said, “Well, I guess that it is because, you know, a lot of people in the Adult Industry are, you know, damaged from it.” Then you take a step back, and say, “No, it's stigma, like the shit that's just come out of your mouth that is damaging people.” I was… I was a lot more delicate with him. Explaining, “You know, actually, people in the Industry suffer the exact same mental health problems that everybody else does. But, because of the stigma projected by society, these problems are magnified, because there is no one to turn to, and there's nowhere to go.”

It's very nice to be able to educate people. I'm very fortunate to live on a very open-minded island. And I feel like, because we're open about it, and I like to talk about it, that I am educating as many people as possible; as many people that come into my path, that can listen to and understand that. The majority of people that come to support through Pineapple are suffering exactly the same as people that are not in the Industry. They just need specific care because of the stigma and lack of affordable, tailored support.

Jim– I ask that because, you just mentioned it … but I'm not sure how Mr. or Mrs. Jones feel if they’re reading about a suicide, or an overdose of an Industry performer over their morning coffee. People that I've met, some of them, don't want to hear about it, and the answer is, “Well, they shouldn't have been doing that kind of work anyway.” Or, they were somehow deserving of that, and you get a real sick to your stomach type feeling that “normal people” couldn’t give two shits about Industry performers. So, that's why I'm so curious to know the inroads into what we call mainstream, what some people call civilians, or whatever. But isn't that your next big goal, to really fan out into what we would call mainstream? To let everybody else know that, you know, “Hey, we're people here, too. And we deserve dignity. We deserve respect.”

Leya– Absolutely. Absolutely. We're breaking down the stigma around sex work. It’s a goal of, I think, everyone who works in this Industry. You… I think it's great that my mom tells her friends about it now. My dad talks about it. You know, it's getting there, it's getting out. The more that we talk about mental health, and we openly talk about the sex Industry, and how many people enjoy pornography, how many people go on and talk with cam models. It’s a very high percent of the population. And yet, no one’s talking about it, very few admit to it. That’s one of the goals of the educational videos that we’re doing, so they can see the human side of it as well.

Jim–Alright, so we normalize the people within the Industry and the use of porn. I don't think that by doing this, that people who are mainstream, that everybody will just magically say, “Hey, I love porn, I'm on board with porn.” But, by doing this, the stigma, I think, is the main thing, especially when performers, and I've known several that tried to transition. And, it's a difficult thing to do. But, if and when they want to leave the Industry, and transition into what we might call a normal life, or what everybody else does, it's… it's next to impossible.

Leya– Yeah.

Jim– So, if this could kind of this normalization, if not of the Industry, but of the people themselves. The people, that's what matters. Then, the problem, is in large part, cut in half, or diminished. Do you feel like that's an accurate statement? Or, another way to put it, that a lot of their anxiety comes from not knowing what's next, not knowing what's around the bend?

Leya– Possibly. I think a lot of people, particularly through 2020, have opened accounts on sites such as Onlyfans and live cam sites, because it's a way of making money. Possibly thinking that once this is over, they'll delete their accounts, and it won't exist anymore.

Leya– You know, it doesn't work like that. Getting into this Industry, I loved it. I love it. For me? It’s the best Industry in the fucking world. I love the people. I love the community.

I love everything about it. But it's a big decision. If you're going to get in front of that camera, it is a fucking big decision. It's a life impacting decision, and it's going to be with you, for the rest of your life. It is so important to do your homework and really understand the industry before you embark on a career as an adult entertainer. We recently recorded some videos, “What Advice Would I Give My Younger Self?” Which were veteran performers, giving advice to those who are just getting into the Industry? The FSC also provides an Inspire program to help mentor new performers. It’s important to do you research and know what you’re getting into. Education is key.

Jim– Agreed. It’s a wonderful but an unforgiving Biz, in so many ways. Wow, Leya, we’ve covered a lot of ground, and I know you have a schedule. But, where do you see Pineapple in five, ten, fifteen… however many years?

Leya– I really hope that we will be doing exactly what we're doing for more performers. Yeah. I mean, we've grown so much, so quickly. I just want to … I just want to be able to carry on, and hope that we can continue to receive the support from companies within the Industry to continue providing the support, because I know how hard this year's been on everybody.

Jim– Sure. And yeah, it's been a rough year. And then, we get 2021, and everybody… I don't know what you guys feel like over there, but I think everybody over here was expecting for a rainbow to appear. And it's not. What can everybody do? What can the normal guy on the street do to help out, or the executive on the 110th floor with the big bank account?

Leya– DONATE! PLEASE! Please, please donate, sponsor. You can go to the website. There's a donate button. You can donate ten dollars and put that on monthly. Whatever you can afford. If you've got a company, and you'd like to sponsor us, there are a huge amount of sponsorship benefits which you can see on our website.

Pineapple Support can only continue providing this service– which is a lifeline, if kind and generous people support us. You don't know the amount of people that have emailed to say that if we hadn’t been there to support them, they probably wouldn’t be alive now. Reality check, this is lives… THIS IS REAL LIVES. This is a service that, in a year where people have such high anxiety, depression, and stress, they’ve been forced into living situations which may be unsafe? They don't have their usual outlets for addiction, so people are slipping back into drugs, to alcohol, and to self-harm. There are the financial stresses, people are living with family, so they can no longer earn as much money when their parents, housemates, partners are home all the time, or the kids are home schooling. 2020 was a really hard year.

And, as you just said, 2021 isn't looking like it's going to give us any respite, for the moment. Even when this all does ease up again, it's not going to be that magic rainbow. People are still going to be paying off their debt, trying to get out of this situation that 2020 has put them in. Trying to recover from the addiction, or… getting back out of a habit of self-harm. It's going to take months. It's going to take years, to repair the mental health damage this past year has caused. And, in order for us to be there, and ensure that we don't lose another truckload of lives…  our support is crucial. These are people! These are real people who are in such stress that they are considering taking our own lives. We need to make sure that we are there for every one of them.

If you have anything to spare– please, please donate. And if your company can of sponsor us, you can email me from the website, and we can discuss different ways that we can support each other. But, it's imperative. It's really imperative that we have the support from the Industry and others right now.

Jim– Absolutely. We will do our best put the word out there, in as many different places as we can. I want to thank you for your time, and the great talk that we had. I would like to follow up at some point. How about that? I would be happy to hear how many more lives and situations that Pineapple Support has helped to make better.

In the meantime, everyone be sure to Follow, Like, Share, and Retweet Pineapple Support @PineappleYSW

Leya Tanit on Twitter @LeyaTanit, Facebook, Instagram @pineappleysw and the Website at pineapplesupport.org

I do appreciate your time Leya, thank you so much. It was lovely talking with you.

Leya– Alright, take care my love, bye bye.

Follow Jim on Twitter @TheJimSteele

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