Moral Dilemma, please advise

I don't think what your family thinks or a future girlfriend will think are the cruxt of the question. What matters is what you think. I personally don't think doing something you are uncomfortable with and then turning over half the money to charity solves the problem. (Not that I am so pure, I've taken jobs with elements I don't like because I needed the money, and have also refused some.)

Technically, you aren't working for the industry. You are working for a guy who works with that industry. It comes down to whether or not you will compromise your values for money. If it's that important to you, don't do it. If you are a little uncomfortable with it but can look past the content, go for it.
I don't think you should have to donate half the money if you choose to do the job. If you want to go ahead, but I'd plan on donating it to a group that helps both men and women, since it isn't just women in those movies, and the ones that are have choosen that profession. Women's lib to me is being aloud to choose the profession you want, be it CEO or porn star. Being a porn star doesn't make you any less of a womens right activist. Just my 2 cents.

Gosh, how many people hate their jobs and do it anyway
because they need the money? Plenty of them!!

The porn industry won't subside if you take the job or
not, so I would not impose a moral issue on an otherwise
perfectly legitimate job.

Perhaps you should ask yourself what you would do if you worked for an employer instead of being a freelancer. If you had a boss and he/she said they wanted you to do this job, would you do it or refuse and risk losing your job. If you answer yes. Take the job. If you answer no. Do not take the job.

You are to be commended for your moral values, but you still have to eat and if you do not do the job somebody else will. You are doing website stuff, not participating in immoral acts.

That's an excellent way of looking at it.

Thank you Bella. It seems that we do not often agree. :-)

WOW! You guys are productive!

I don't have to do it, I don't need the money for my survival but it would mean getting a sizeable amount of cash I could spend on something I'd want, like an iPod. Unecessary necessities.

With that in mind, I think I'll tell the client no and sleep soundly at night.

:wink: You're welcome. When you got it right, you got it right!

As a freelance webdesigner you use a portfolio to get new clients, yes?

Will you be comfortable listing this project on your portfolio? I am guessing no.

If not, is it dishonest (in your industry) not to list all your projects? Or could a potential future client take offense if they 'found out' somehow? Don't ask me how. I don't know your field that well, so it may be impossible for anyone to know you did or did not design an adult website.

I was offered a job once as a receptionist at a massage parlor. I found out that it was a brothel and, although I liked the people I would be working with and I was not expected to do any "sexual" things, it was strictly book-keeping and office work, I declined the job offer. Problem was, I knew my job history would follow me since potential future employers can find out where you have worked via your SSN and with background checks.

Morally I'd have no problem with it, but I felt it would hurt my reputation in the future ... far in the future even.

What if you run for a governmental position in the future? Or what if you become famous, a star, an actor? This 'could' come back to haunt you.

Yes, I considered that and I have no obligations to disclose clients' names. I could even claim I did it per client's request.

Heeven, I think you did the right thing. I wouldn't want to take any part in prostitution, supporting or not. It wouldn't be right.

You are to be commended for your decisions. Both designerguy and heeven

yes, but it might be a more needy person who winds up doing the job. also, the fact that the client is offering to pay more than usual suggests that designerguy is not alone in having qualms.

<applauding for designerguy>

Good decision.

From one freelancer to another...this is one of the great advantages of working for ourselves. We get to choose our work. I stopped doing political work several years ago, despite the good fees, and have slept much more soundly since.

Re: "if you don't take their money, someone else will"...everyone has to live with his/her own decisions. I think you've made one you won't regret. Good for you.