DSW Attends XBIZ LA and the AVNs in Las Vegas

This January, Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) attended two adult industry conferences as part of our ongoing effort to engage directly with the communities most impacted by sex work policy. First, DSW staff headed to Los Angeles for XBIZ LA, an industry-only conference where creatives, executives, and entrepreneurs convened in the capital of adult entertainment to network and discuss the latest issues affecting the adult industry. This year’s conference included panels with creatives, advocates, and executives; the XBIZ Honors award show; and the Free Speech Coalition Summit.

DSW Executive Assistant Maddy Kammeraad-Campbell and Development Manager Esmé Bengtson attended the conference and spent time with advocates from across the country who are organizing and testifying in support of decriminalization. Being present at XBIZ allows DSW to stay connected to on-the-ground advocacy efforts and ensure that policy conversations reflect the realities faced by people working in the adult industry. Staff also attended panels with content creators focused on how to leverage their platforms for activism and public education.

The conference concluded with a day dedicated to the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) Summit. 2025 was a difficult year for the adult industry, as creators adjusted to new laws and regulations in the wake of sweeping age verification laws across the country. FSC’s summit was intended to educate, inform, and activate members of the adult industry who are feeling the effects of age verification, debanking, deplatforming, and censorship. Panelists included Mike Stabile and Alison Boden from FSC, content creators Siri Dahl and Lotus Lain, advocates from EPA United, as well as lawyers and federal lobbyists. Learning directly from experts and impacted creators provided critical insight into how these policies are shaping the legalized adult industry and reinforced the importance of coordinated advocacy.

After XBIZ LA, DSW staff headed to Las Vegas for the annual AVN Expo. Unlike XBIZ LA, AVN welcomes fans to its expo alongside creators and industry professionals, making it the largest adult industry expo in the world. DSW Staff Attorney Becca Cleary, Chief Advocacy Coordinator Henri Bynx, Executive Assistant Maddy Kammeraad-Campbell, and Development Manager Esmé Bengtson attended the conference and staffed DSW’s booth in the exhibition hall.

AVN consistently offers a wealth of connections and opportunities for DSW. This year, DSW staff were interviewed by multiple journalists, connected with activists from across the country, and spoke directly with creators about how criminalization, censorship, and over-policing impact their lives and livelihoods. Having a presence at AVN allows DSW to build trust within the adult industry, strengthen national advocacy networks, and ensure that sex workers’ voices remain central to policy conversations that too often happen without them.