Unapologetically Bold: April Flores and the Rise of Body Positivity in Porn
Welcome to another CAM4 expert interview! Today, we’re thrilled to welcome a true trailblazer with unparalleled expertise in the adult industry: April Flores. Fans of our Candid Convos series on Instagram will recognize April for her profound insights during our discussion on Breaking Stigmas, Saving Lives.
April Flores is a trailblazing model, performer, sex worker, and intimacy coordinator who has captivated the adult industry for nearly two decades. With a devoted following, she has graced hundreds of films, books, and magazines, carving out an extraordinary and influential career. An award-winning porn star, April has performed across every genre of adult entertainment and made history as the first BBW to win two consecutive AVN Awards for her groundbreaking work. She also broke barriers as the inspiration for the first-ever ‘fat pussy’ cyberskin sleeve, further cementing her status as an icon in the industry.
April Flores says, ‘I want people to look at me and say,
“Wow, that person’s really enjoying herself and enjoying exploring her sexuality.”
As well as a long-standing career on screen, April Flores is also a writer and advocate for positive body image. She has been published in multiple anthologies and journals, talking about her experience as what she self-promotes as a “fat” performer, artist, activist, and sex worker. In this article, we are going to explore more about what has made her a household name in the world of adult entertainment. If you want to know more, check out her book FAT Girl: April Flores by Carlos Batts or go to her premium feed at onlyaprilflores.com.
CAM4 Interview with April Flores
Read below or watch the interview to gain more insight:
Can you please start out by introducing yourself and telling us about your experience and legacy in the adult industry?
Hey everyone, I’m April Flores. Firstly, thank you for the interview. I’m always happy to chat with CAM4, and wow, what a question to start with! In terms of my legacy, I started my career in the adult industry in October 2005 when I did my first scene, and so I’ve just recently celebrated my porn anniversary, which has been 19 years, and I think that’s quite wild. When I started out, it was very experimental, which means we have to go back quite a way. Of course, it’s very much about content creators here; however, when content was being created back then, it was a totally different way of doing things.
Back then there were studios in place, and you had to get hired, which I did, and I remember thinking to myself that this is just going to be a one-time thing. Gradually I got hired for another job, then another job, and my circle of friends at the time consisted mainly of directors, photographers, and other creators. Because of that group of colleagues, I found it easy to get work since my friends were all doing it. It’s quite a contrast to nowadays, as you don’t really need that start in order to make content or money. All you really need is drive, consistency, a mobile phone, good lighting, and away you go.
After completing my first few porn scenes, I realized that I was okay with it, and I began enjoying it and actually found it a lot of fun, but I also knew that if I was going to continue doing it, then I needed a good reason to do so. I needed a reason for myself, one that went beyond just making a living from sex and loving the fact that I was getting paid for it. That’s when I realized I could use my work to challenge the stereotypes of what was considered desirable and beautiful, especially when it comes to ‘fat’ people. It was then that I decided to continue with the work and to continue to challenge the stereotypes and the norms.
You were active during a transformational time in the business, and when adult stars are interviewed, this next question comes up quite often. Why did you get into this industry? Also, why was it the right path for you, and has it positively impacted your quality of life?
I love this question. The answer as to why I got into the industry is simple: curiosity! My first few experiences were all about being curious. Take my first scene; it was with the iconic Belladonna, who was a well-established major star in the industry, and my late husband, Carlos Batts, wanted to work with her on the project. Yet I didn’t enter the business thinking that I wanted to be a porn star, not that there was anything wrong with that; it just wasn’t my path. I did, however, think that it was a cool opportunity, particularly as an icon like her wanted to do a shoot with me. At the time, I’d never had sex with a woman, and I’d never had sex on camera, but I just decided to go for it!
That’s my personality. I just go for it, even though it scares me sometimes. I just give things a try, and that is kind of why I got started. What kept me going was a need to provide a representation of a fat body in a sexual way. What we have to remember is that because of the platforms we use, we have a direct way to be the ‘fat’ person or to be whatever person the audience wants. Back then, the men running the studios had a very narrow idea of what would sell, and so I began to think that other ‘fat’ women and BBWs that were around at the time all looked very similar. The same hair, same style, same everything. It was like marketing, one-on-one. If you see a need for something, then fill it.
I realized then that I looked different and that we have to have some diversity here. I’m a Latina, and I want to be me, and we all know that representation really does matter. I thought to myself, ‘I want to be this ‘fat; person, having sex, and to have people who look at me and my body size and say, “Wow, that person’s really enjoying herself and enjoying exploring her sexuality.”’ I can too. I don’t have to deny my sexuality or my feeling of worthiness until I lose X amount of weight, just because we are bombarded with advertisements and the diet industrial complex. All of these things are about making us feel less than so. It’s simply capitalism, and so it leads me back to what got me started. Curiosity. And what kept me in? Representation!
This career has led me to many places, like being here talking to the wonderful Laura Desiree and everyone here at CAM4. It’s just like when I spoke at Yale back in March. Even to this day, I keep thinking to myself, ‘Yale, me? I’m a Latina from LA, and I’m giving a speech at Yale!’ I never thought that the porn industry would lead me to such places, and I’m so glad to be doing all of this. I feel very privileged to do this work.
So much has changed in this industry, not just in terms of technology but also in trends. Therefore, if you consider yourself to be a pioneer, how do you feel about that label? And were there any specific hardships in the activism you were living during your time in the industry?
Yes, I do consider myself a pioneer, but I don’t shout about it. It’s not something that’s listed on my bio or anything like that, but I do consider myself as such. After all, I’ve been doing this work for 19 years now, and I remember how it was back then compared to how it is now. I believe there are several pioneers in the industry, and I certainly feel like I am one of them.
In terms of specific hardships, there was nothing specific. Of course, I’ve never really been a skinny or straight-sized person, so I don’t know of any specific luxuries (for want of a better expression) or lack thereof. I have, however, heard that some people do feel a lot of pressure to act a certain way or look a certain way, but I’ve never encountered it myself. I do feel very privileged in that way, and I do believe that I do a good job when I perform.
Knowing that the adult industry is heavily stigmatized and hated by most governing forces around the world, no matter how hypocritical, do you think it’s the responsibility of adult content creators to break those taboos?
I believe there is a very fine line. When I started out, I was much more vocal about certain things, especially in terms of bodies. I was very vocal about body size and ‘fat’ stuff, and I used to have a blog for that. I remember someone wrote an article about BBW; I think it was AVN, and the title was something like ‘Baconators’ or some such title. The article was just awful. It just went on and on about BBW’s, and I remember thinking, ‘Wow. I wrote a whole blog post about that subject, and it got a lot of attention.’ I don’t believe the writer of the AVN article wrote much for them after that. I’m not sure whether that was because of me or maybe just the quality of their work, but I was so outspoken then.
I’ve shifted my view now, though, and I now see our work as entertainment and approach it from that aspect these days. I wrestle with it every day because of the state of the planet. I feel that I should be saying more stuff about what’s going on in the world, but I don’t because I don’t have a solid answer. I just don’t feel strong enough either way, so this may be the wrong way to approach it. I can use my platform to send messages about what I feel strongly about, but right now, I tend to err on the side of being an entertainer, and hopefully I’m providing some light relief to people.
With more new creators on cam who are just starting out on their journey in the adult world and hoping to make an impact, what mental headspace should they strive to be within in order to navigate safely and do well in this business?
Well, business is definitely the right word, because this is a ‘business.’ It’s work. As we touched on previously, it’s about consistency and drive and being yourself. With the rise of platforms such as OnlyFans, the stigma surrounding sex work has changed slightly, and I do mean slightly. It’s only changed a small amount, in that sex work is more easily attainable now. Of course, I refer to sex work as an umbrella term.
If you’re an online content creator doing sex work from home, that’s great, and I do have one thing for new creators to remember, and that is consent. Remember, you can always say no. You can always trust your instincts, in the same way as when you’re in a room as an intimacy coordinator. I do worry about this because I’ve seen this on adult projects, and you have to have these types of conversations with others, and it worries me.
When there are two creators in a room together, there is a power dynamic between people, especially when you’re going to shoot content. Where is the consent, the safety talk, the negotiations? Where does that come in, because there’s no one else there? As dismissive as this might sound, it’s not. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You don’t have to be pressured into doing something you’re not comfortable with. Try to remember that if you choose to do something you don’t want to, it will be live, and yes, you might monetize it and not feel bad about it, but that other person might feel differently.
Whatever the monetary value from sales on that clip, you have to compare that to the damage you might incur, and that will last your lifetime. As such, you may want to try and wait it out. Work with friends, and make friends that you know you like working with. Also, try not to do anything for the first time when you’re in front of the camera. Remember: You can say no!
What advice do you have for cam creators, particularly in terms of creating a really exciting show for their viewers?
While I don’t have a lot of experience in terms of camming, I do think that the most important thing is to ensure you’re engaging with your audience. I always tend to like the rooms where people are being creative with activities and games. All that great stuff is where I tend to fall short with camming, but for some people it’s the very perfect fit for them. Be entertaining and engaging. It’s about engaging with clients and switching it to get them to want to pay to see you.
One of the most important topics in this industry is self-care. With a career spanning almost two decades, what does self-care look like for you, and do you have any unique methods for practicing it?
I do have a specific ritual that I use after a long session of work, and remember that I am involved in all different types of sex work; however, I do find that this works well for me. I use a potion that I have for saying a prayer, and I use that to clear my energy, in the same way as others use incense, sage, or palo santo, for example. It’s important to clear that space out. I also rely heavily on my family and my community of friends.
Having a good community of friends that you work with is important because that community will understand exactly what you’re going through. It’s about having a support network, and while your civilian friends may want to help and understand, they simply can’t. Of course, it’s good to have friends who are not in the industry so that they can provide some form of counter to what you’re working on, such as going out for a meal or other activities, so it’s good to have both.
In terms of family, whether it’s a chosen family or not, I’m very lucky. My mom knows what I do, and so I know I can call her for a chat without going into all the gory details, and she will be a grounding presence for me, which is very important because it’s very easy to become consumed by our work. There’s a beauty to our work in that we can create content from our homes, but the downside is that we can get into a spiral of never stopping work, and that’s hard to deal with. It takes a lot of self-discipline.
You are such an inspiration, and there is so much more that we can all learn from you. Where can our creators and viewers find out more about April Flores?
In terms of my socials, just like other creators, I am on Instagram and Twitter, and I also have my OnlyFans, and all of my links are provided below.
Before I sign off, I would like to thank you for this opportunity; it’s appreciated.
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CONNECT WITH APRIL FLORES
OnlyFans: @theaprilflores
Twitter: @TheAprilFlores
IG: @theeaprilflores
TikTok: @theaprilflores
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