Hi! I'm
Val Elefante

About

So, I graduated from Harvard College in May 2019, and tbh I still can't believe I can say that—talk about being #blessed. There, I concentrated (majored) in Social Studies with a secondary (minor) in Economics and a language citation (idek) in French. All of this meant that during my time there, I got to spend a semester abroad in Paris, conduct qualitative and quantitative research on the impact of ethics education, and write over 100 pages for my senior thesis on the ethical debates about pornography in the late 20th century from various feminist & queer perspectives. Again, how lucky am I? I also loooove talking about any of these things and/or my time at Harvard for forever, so if you're curious about anything please feel free to HMU!

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While I was still in school—probably researching for a paper in one of my feminism courses—I discovered an industry known as sextech. Women such as Cindy Gallop, Bryony Cole, and Polly Rodriguez were shocking the world as they demonstrated how our society can combat sexual misconduct & violence with innovation, exploration, and destigmatization at the intersection of 'sex' and 'technology'. Although this was around the very same time that the #MeToo movement reached its peak, these brave women were giving the world hope for a better future. They quickly became my role models.

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Now, since graduating, I can proudly say that I've begun work at a sextech company called Lips! Lips is a platform for open & honest expression that is especially intended to be a safe space online for women* and the lgbtq+ community. It was founded by Annie Brown, one of the amazing women I admired for so long😱, and I am lucky enough to work with her every day as Lips' Community Manager.

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Other projects I've worked on:

• I make films! My most recent film was just released, called "The Way We Are," and is now available for rent or purchase on PinkLabel.tv. Check it out here!

• My first film, Luminous Lust, was worked on with a group of students at Madison Young's Erotic Film School, and it is currently making its way around the world in various porn film festivals!

• I write things! One of many pieces I wrote for the Crimson during my time at Harvard is one I'm particularly proud of on the importance of safe space on college campuses. Read it here! Check out the rest of my Writer's Profile here.

• I wrote an article about the category of 'Porn for Women,' which was published on the Future of Sex Magazine website. Here it is!

• I write blog posts for an amazingly talented feminist porn filmmaker in L.A., ForPlay Films. Check out their blog here!

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Media where Lips is featured:

• Forbes: "Eight Women Founders Share Their Insights On AI And Intimacy." Read it here!

• Huffington Post: "Instagram’s Shadow Ban On Vaguely ‘Inappropriate’ Content Is Plainly Sexist." Check it out!

• SexTech Space Newsletter by industry expert, Alison Falk (@falkyou): Issue 4.

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