As often happens when conversations around racial injustice get sustained traction in (white) public consciousness, folks are putting together lists of Black voices we should be listening to and uplifting in our respective communities. Here are a few good ones: 12+ Black Sex Educators Who Are Blazing Sex-Positive Trails, Black Sex Educators You Should Be Following, 10 Black Sexuality Professionals.

But (as others have noted), we need to do more than just listen.

Why support people on Patreon?

We need to pay Black creators, including those in the adult (and adult adjacent) industry. We need to pay them not because they “need our help,” but because Black creators are underpaid, undervalued, and underpromoted. Paying them means hiring them, buying their books, paying to attend their online workshops, using their affiliate links… and joining their Patreons.

I know, I know: Patreon sucks. But it’s the most popular and accessible monthly pledge platform.

Monthly pledges are a straightforward way to consistently financially support creators whose content matters. Patreon also allows those of us in low income situations to give what we can: $1 is the minimum pledge, and you can cancel whenever circumstances necessitate.

Here are 6 of the Black adult industry creatives I support on Patreon. I recommend you consider doing the same.

Dr. Nadine Thornhill

Dr. Thornhill is a sex educator that makes thorough yet engaging videos on sex positive parenting, pop culture, and current events. “As the adult in our family, we have a responsibility when talking to our children about sexuality to help them sort out their beliefs and their boundaries,” Dr. Thornhill points out in Values, Facts, and Myths: 3 Steps to a Great Sex Talk. Her work helps demystify having “the talk” (or more accurately, the many, many talks) with your kids. She describes herself as “your friendly neighborhood sex educator,” and I couldn’t come up with a better description of her and her content if I tried.

Dr. Thornhill was also co-host of the truly amazing, inclusive Every Body Curious series, which teaches kids age 9-12 about healthy relationships, sexuality, and staying safe online.

You can follow Dr. Nadine Thornhill on Youtube and Twitter, and support her on Patreon.

The Butters Hygienics Company

The Butters – founded by Jerome Stuart Nichols – makes and carries bath, skincare, and sexual health products made with 100% vegan ingredients. “The Butters is a brand based on simplicity, honesty, and ingenuity,” writes Nichols on the shop’s About page, and notes that the business was inspired in part by the need to “fulfill my new relationships’ incredible demand for quality friction assistance.” The super slick, oil-based Butters Lube he created has since made it onto the digital shelves of the likes of Peepshow Toys and SheVibe.

I have a number of Butters products on my sink counter, but their cleanser bar is literally my favorite smell in the world. It’s tart, orange-y, and simultaneously pretty strong and pleasantly light. If a god exists, Nichols has captured their form in a bar of soap.

You can shop The Butters Hygienics Co on their website, follow them on Twitter, and support Nichols on Patreon.

Kat Blaque

Kat Blaque is an activist, educator, and Youtuber who talks about her experiences as a Black, trans, polyamorous woman and member of the BDSM community. She does long-form educational videos surrounding social justice issues, pop culture, and even the latest Youtuber drama. But most of Blaque’s content is presented through chat videos – called True Tea – where she encourages her community to learn and grow with her as she shares her insights and opinions.

“I figured I would come to Youtube and talk to you guys about this, because you guys know me. I’m a Virgo, I am so over-thinky and over-analyzey, I can’t help myself,” Blaque jokes in How Many Partners Is Too Many? Blaque’s unapologetic honesty, sense of humor, and excellent storytelling make her videos feel like Facetiming with a friend.

You can follow Kat Blaque on Youtube and Twitter, and support her on Patreon.

Wear Your Voice Magazine

“Wear Your Voice is a digital magazine for and by LGBTQIA+ Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) based in the United States,” explains WYV’s story and mission page. Their work covers everything you’d expect from a thriving feminist publication, including politics, fashion, media recommendation lists, mental health, activism, and sexuality.

Last year, Planned Parenthood sponsored a series called Summer of Sex, which allowed BIPOC writers to talk about everything from fatphobia to BDSM. Writing about dysphoria and sex as a Black nonbinary person, E Young points out, “It matters that we discuss it because sex has never been about just sex. This is politics, it’s work, it’s bodily acceptance and autonomy.”

You can read an array of essays and articles on Wear Your Voice’s website, follow them on Twitter, and support them on Patreon.

Eclipse Erotica

Eclipse is a queer, Black erotica blog written by TJ and hosted on Patreon. Their stories have included pussy eating, flogging, biting, Daddy doms, phone sex, and masturbating with sex toys. TJ has narrated several of their pieces; their soothing, sexy voice is perfect for audio smut. They’ve also written a few non-fiction articles, including sexy activities for social distancing.

“All of the work I do – my content, my stories, everything – they are based on one simple concept: my body is a good thing,” reads the caption on one of TJ’s Patreon posts.

You can read TJ’s erotica by pledging at least $5 on Patreon (lower pledges will still support their work!), and follow them on Twitter.

Poly Role Models

Kevin Patterson is an author, educator, and speaker. He started the Poly Role Models project – which has both a blog and a Youtube channel – where he highlights polyamorous folks in an effort to spread polyam positivity, honesty, and acceptance. Patterson’s Poly Role Models work is “for polyamorous people looking for direction and representation,” and includes frank discussions about mistakes made in polyamorous relationships. His book Love’s Not Colorblind discusses race and racism in the polyamorous community, outlining both the oppressive systems that exist, and ways to tackle them.

“It doesn’t take a lot to use [your] platform, even if your platform is just like your group of friends, you can have that impact,” Patterson points out while discussing the themes from the Poly Living keynote.

You can see all of Poly Role Models on Patterson’s Tumblr, follow him on Twitter, and support him on Patreon.

Want to do more? Check out this Black Lives Matter resource list that includes everything from petitions that need signing to safety tips for in-person protesting. Don’t understand why you need to do something? Watch this.