By Alexis Grenell The Nation

In conversation with the adult film doyenne on porn, feminism, and identity.

Like much of the world, I’ve been captivated by adult film actress turned director Stormy Daniels—but not for the usual reasons. Her encounter with former President Donald Trump is the least interesting thing about this otherwise brilliant, original, and deeply fascinating person whose single-minded pursuit to defend her dignity is mostly lost amid a rage of salacious headlines.

Daniels complicates the narrative about who is afforded rights and respect. She makes no apologies for who she is, while demanding her place in the public forum as an honest and decent person. She’s also unbelievably witty, and like Mae West before her, exposes the hypocrisy of our laws and mores by landing perfect one-liners on her critics. Four years after her unsuccessful lawsuit against Trump for defamation (see my February column), some of those laws are now working in her favor (see her former attorney Michael Avenatti’s conviction for stealing over $300,000 from her), but Daniels is still fighting for her place.

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