Maitland Ward of Vixen Media Group: Why Mainstream Hollywood Was More Male-Dominated For Me Than the Adult Industry

In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as a strong woman in a male dominated industry. As a part of this series we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Maitland Ward.

Maitland Ward is an adult film actress with Deeper, part of Vixen Media Group, and a model. She is best known in the mainstream camera world as Rachel McGuire in the Disney series “Boy Meets World” and Jessica Forrester on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful”. In 2019, Maitland made her adult film debut in “Drive”, directed and written by Kayden Kross. In her first year in the adult industry she won six awards and has recently been recognized by XBIZ as the Best Actress and Performer of the Year for her remarkable work in “Muse 2”. Maitland’s sex-positive memoir and first book, “Rated X: How Porn Liberated Me From Hollywood” is set to debut on September 6.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I started off doing mainstream acting when I was a teenager and quickly got cast in a long term role on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful”. After that I found fame as a cast member in the ABC sitcom “Boy Meets World” and later in the film “White Chicks”. After spending all of my younger years chasing the Hollywood dream and continually being pushed aside and typecast for the roles I was known for, I left Hollywood and started out on a long and very much authentic journey to find out who I was as an actress and entertainer and most importantly, as a woman. It was then that I started to explore my own sexuality which eventually led me to performing for the camera and the adult industry with Vixen Media Group.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

Years and years of defeat, self-discovery and finding who I was as a woman. It was not an overnight journey. I didn’t just wake up one morning and say I want to do adult films. It was a long, slow build to that crescendo which eventually led to award winning scenes and mega features like “Mistress Maitlaind”. It really is my fans who stuck with me every step of the way that made this all happen for me. Everything I was discovering about myself sexually was being viewed by them in real time on my content platforms. Social media was a game changer for me. Without it I could not reach my fans in the way I did.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Going against the grain and deciding to pursue porn. People said I would be shunned and no one would respect me. But honestly, I get way more respect from people now than I did when I was as a young actress pining for Hollywood to love me. And I really think it’s because I didn’t listen to people who told me I couldn’t, and I forged my own path as a professional.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

I was always trying to please people when I was younger and that had me neglecting myself and my passions. I realized to become successful you have to follow what your gut is telling you to do and be honest with who you are. The public responded to me and embraced me so much more when I started to show them genuinely who I am. Another thing is don’t listen to the naysayers. So many people told me I couldn’t be the kind of performer I wanted to be. I was told that no one wanted to see me being sexy and that they would never pay to see that. That if people want sexy, they’ll find someone 25. The people telling you no are often the ones imposing limits on themselves and therefore not the people you should listen to find success. A balance between vulnerability and strength is important. To really give all of yourself in something that you’re passionate about is so important but you also need the strength and confidence to hold your head high when challenges rise up and try to knock you off your path.

Thanks for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you help articulate a few of the biggest obstacles or challenges you’ve had to overcome while working in a male-dominated industry?

For me mainstream has been way more of a male dominated industry than the adult industry. Women in porn consistently are paid higher and more sought after for starring roles than their male counterparts. Female directors are the ones making the groundbreaking feature films and are being awarded for it. It’s so hard in mainstream to break out as a writer and director and to be lauded and paid like your male co-stars. The world of adult entertainment has very much liberated me as an actress and a businesswoman in a way that mainstream didn’t.

Can you share a few of the things you have done to gain acceptance among your male peers and the general work community? What did your female co-workers do? Can you share some stories or examples?

I wouldn’t change my personality and how I am to try and please a man. I am who I am and that’s a lesson I wish I could teach my younger self. When I was younger, especially when I just started out in the soap, I had a male counterpart, who very much used the fact that I was innocent and I was a starry eyed teenager to control me in a lot of ways. I felt he liked me better when I made myself small. I think a lot of young women fall prey to that in any industry and in life. To please a man, they must change themselves to fit the mold the guy wants them in. That’s something I’d never do today.

What do you think male-oriented organizations can do to enhance their recruiting efforts to attract more women?

It’s important that men be a voice for women in organizations that are primarily male dominated.

Thanks for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

Confidence. Making yourself small won’t get you where you need to go. Pleasing someone and making them like you isn’t a real career move. I tried that for many years, and it actually made me lose confidence and think my only asset was being nice and liked.

Vulnerability. In the way you can really give all of yourself in a true and authentic way. Being honest with who you are as a person is empowering.

Don’t listen to naysayers. Those are the people trying to dim your shine. If you truly have a passion for something or believe that what you are aiming for is the right thing for you then don’t let people tear you down.

Create your own path. Nothing truly special has been done by following all of the rules. I used to think that if I followed all the rules and checked all the boxes, I’d make it in Hollywood. I have discovered with years and experience that you don’t always get through the front door. Sometimes you have to kick out a window in the back to get inside.

Listen and learn. It’s important to do your own thing but also to learn from others too. People who have succeeded and you respect. Never quit learning or soaking up knowledge. Everything you learn is in your arsenal.

If you had a close woman friend who came to you with a choice of entering a field that is male dominated or female dominated, what would you advise her? Would you advise a woman friend to start a career in a field or industry that’s traditionally been mostly men? Can you explain what you mean?

Be smart and don’t just follow what people tell you to do. So what’s right for yourself. Especially in porn it’s important for women to really know their boundaries and set their limits. While no one is forcing them to do anything, a young woman may speak up and say she’s uncomfortable when she is. And that’s true with every industry. Know who you are and what you are comfortable with and don’t let anyone convince you of anything that doesn’t sit right in your gut.

Have you seen things change for women working in male dominated industries, over the past ten years? How do you anticipate that it might improve in the future? Can you please explain what you mean?

Today more voices of women are being heard and there’s more of an open dialogue on things that were previously kept secret or swept under the rug. But there’s still a long way to go for equality in the workplace. In all honesty the adult industry has been such an empowering experience for me as a female. People have this idea that adult films are degrading to women but that has not been my experience. My sexuality and porn finally gave me power. It was my innocence and virginal shackles that kept me powerless for a long, long time.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Alanis Morissette. It’s been a dream since my youth. I’m such a huge fan of her lyrics and how she’s grown as a person over the decades. She’s a rare and special artist that evolves and grows with her audience. And I think she’s for all sexual empowerment.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.