In my early 40s, I embarked on what was possibly my most significant professional challenge of my life: creating a female-founded, independent erotic platform within the overwhelmingly male-dominated world of the adult industry. It was back in 2015 when I set out to launch this venture, with no prior experience in the industry, and fully aware of the stigma that surrounded porn.
Just the word alone—porn—is enough to trigger a deeply polarising response. And understandably so, when you see how the term is hijacked with such gratuitous, explicit and extreme imagery which fuels our internet today. It has become synonymous with very negative, degrading, and often dehumanising content, the majority of which is also offered for free. Today's internet is awash with imagery that raises serious concerns about consent, representation, and respect, and it is hard to find anything that focuses on real, natural, consenting pleasure. So much of what is branded as "porn" reinforces harmful stereotypes, leading it to normalise the objectification of women, and skews our cultural understanding of sex. But I wanted to offer an alternative.
My mission was to challenge the status quo and reimagine what adult content could be when focused on female pleasure. I set out to create a space that centred on healthy sexuality for women and couples—that is, ethical, inclusive, and rooted in mutual pleasure. I wanted a space where sex is shown as beautiful, consensual, passionate, and intimate.
I knew that being an outsider—and a woman—gave me a unique lens and something that was a valuable advantage. It allowed me to question the norms, to disrupt the narrative, and to bring a female-centred perspective to an industry that too often ignores it. I believed that a new vision was possible—one that celebrated desire, curiosity, and empowerment, especially for women.
I saw this as an opportunity to shift the cultural conversation around sex. Show that erotica could be so much more, emotionally intelligent, artistic, and affirming, and that pleasure was something that we could all engage with.
My mission when I launched Frolicme was to normalise female desire, encourage healthy sexual exploration for individuals and couples, and move the conversation surrounding intimacy out of the shadows and into mainstream discourse. I had my work cut out portraying how different sex can be when the focus is based on female pleasure, a space where sex could be visually represented as beautiful, consensual, passionate, fantasy-fuelled, and a turn-on for women as much as for men. I was also up against a free offering, whereas I believed in transparency, with paid-for access via memberships.
My past was entrepreneurial. I had a background in business and branding, but Frolicme came from both a personal and business mission, after a defining moment of personal reflection—I was a woman in my 40s, looking for erotic visual stimuli, and the only thing that existed was male-centric and worlds away from authentic erotica or female desire. Married with children and juggling the demands of work and family, my life was busy and full, yet there was nothing out there allowing me to reconnect with myself as a sexual being. When I looked online, I didn't see myself or my desires represented in mainstream adult films. I found a lack of erotic content; everything was created through the male gaze.
What became obvious was the need to be authentic with my vision and create the content myself. It had to be through my eyes, centred on consensual feminist values, where I could ensure I celebrated female lust, narrative and sensory richness, and not just physical acts. Through my own production, I could ensure that strong ethical values were upheld and could provide a benchmark to which others may aspire. It would be a standout contrast to the mainstream porn available. By standing apart, I was creating a unique vision, which quickly gained recognition worldwide.
I wanted to ensure women were finally catered for when it came to the pleasures of sex, but this didn't mean that this vision, which some might say was feminist, was about excluding men. It was essential that I could convey balanced pleasure and diverse perspectives. Everything about being ethical is about collaboration, so I wanted to portray natural sensual pleasure, rather than objectification. Balancing meant I was focusing on female sexual agency, consent and mutual desire.
I certainly did not want to shy away from eroticism, but instead reframe it and ensure sexual pleasure became inclusive, honest and empowering for all.
Above all else, I wanted to help remove the barriers of stigma and shame that surround female sexuality, to allow us to have real, honest and meaningful conversations about sex, consent and pleasure. Until we can have those conversations without fear, shame, or censorship, there will always be an imbalance that leads to misunderstanding. We need to foster sex-positive communities and education, breaking down taboos and showing that erotica can be creative, pleasurable, and respectful.
Any form of porn is about sexual arousal and stimulation; however, there needs to be greater understanding and support for ethically produced content and the responsible value it brings to respecting women and their pleasure.
I wish more women could step into this sexual space and help bring more diversity into such a massive industry with more female-led, ethically produced production companies focused on the positive joys of sex. With that shift, we could finally see more recognised standards of care, fair pay, and transparency become industry norms rather than exceptions.
I am proud I took that leap of faith 10 years ago, bringing my wealth of experience to a new challenge later in my career journey. I am living proof that ageism should not exist or restrict individuals and particularly women, as the value we can bring to industry is immense.
It also brings me incredible joy that my vision, which I set out to create, has also brought so much personal joy and pleasure to many individuals. I never expected to receive such positive validation from so many members and the knowledge of what Frolicme has brought to their own relationships.
Principles matter. Ethical businesses aren't just socially responsible; they can be creatively empowering, sustainable, and deeply resonant with audiences. Frolicme is not just about erotic content—it has become so much more. It's about connection and empowerment. When you create from a place of empathy and honesty, the work touches lives.
My takeaway - if you don't find what you're looking for in the world, you can create it yourself. Be bold, have value-driven ideas and allow them to disrupt norms and reshape industries.
I didn't set out to become a Disruptor; however, yes, I took risks, challenged how we portrayed sex and made a difference. I soon realised I was creating a new vision and forming the blueprint for how we can produce and consume erotic porn ethically. I was bringing bold values of consent, respect, female pleasure and inclusivity to a very male-dominated and focused industry. My belief was such that I trusted my judgment, which allowed me to make a difference from a standing start and become a leading female voice in ethical erotica and help to break down the stigma surrounding sex.
Don't accept the status quo, however long it may have resided; believe there can always be alternatives.
Anna Richards is a true disruptor in female empowerment, founding the erotic media platform Frolicme in 2015 to prioritise female pleasure and empower women to seek their own sexual pleasure and wellbeing. Through her ethically produced erotic films, stories, audio porn, beautiful galleries, sexual education and online magazine, she wanted to disrupt the notion of what good pornography can offer. In a world saturated with male-centric imagery of sexuality, her desire is to balance sexual pleasure between genders and allow women and couples to safely and responsibly engage in sex-positive erotica that champions healthy sexuality. A platform of pleasure for those curious about the joys of sex, her work has been acknowledged worldwide, as her audience has grown across the globe. She is regularly featured in national and consumer press as well as TV, radio and broadcast media.
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