There seems to be a plethora of porn with trans women (MtF) and cis-men, often referred to as Shemale Porn, where straight men get “tricked.” Porn star, Wendy Williams talked to San Francisco Bay Guardian about her fanbase being largely made up of straight men and why she believes there’s a lack of FtM porn out there—commenting that FtMs still have “a female brain” while she still has a “male brain”—this is problematic to me on many levels and I do not agree with her in the slightest. In Julia Serano’s book Whipping Girl she suggests that trans men are less visible because they pose a threat to cisexual men. I can’t help but wonder if this is really why trans men are rarely seen in porn—especially “straight” porn.
Most pornography is made for and by heterosexual men; porn star with Trannywood Pictures, Dex Hardlove, stated that “historically, transmen have not been encouraged or often invited to make porn” therefore most trans porn comes from “politically radical organizations within the queer community who stray from heteronormative representation. I would like to stress that this has more to do with sexual identity than gender identity.” In a 1998 survey conducted by Adult Video News showed that roughly “90% of adult video consumers were heterosexual men.” According to Hardlove, Trannywood Pictures is “a gay porn company, not queer or straight, but gay porn company. They may change their genre in the future, but currently it is gay, men on men (of all kinds) having hot safer sex.” Hardlove also raised the question what makes something “straight porn?” If that consists of trans men having sex with a woman (which for the purpose of this article is my definition), then locally based companies Pink and White and No Fauxxx have such scenes in their productions. However, both of these companies are often labeled under “lesbian/ dyke porn.”
Buck Angel, known as the “Man With a Pussy,” seems to be the only well known FtM in porn. On his blog he even refers to himself as “the first and only FtM transsexual porn-star.” Angel’s goal is to bring FtM porn into the mainstream as a legitimate genre and not as a “freak show.” In 2007 he won Transexual Performer of the Year at the AVN Awards. He was the first trans male performer to do so. Interestingly enough, Buck Angel has worked with Wendy Williams in Big Boob Adventures. “It was the world’s first filmed FtM and MtF sex-scene” according to Wikipedia.
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A friend who recently got a job reviewing porn websites commented that she’s “never seen any trans men porn stars except on user uploaded X-Tube, and Buck Angel.” She went on to say that she has rarely seen even Angel having sex with women. The real issue, according to Hardlove, is that there is not enough FTM porn in general. “We need to find more ways to include FTMs in all porn. As a queer person, I feel like FTMs are under represented in general, so it is not wonder ‘straight’ FTM porn is also under represented.”
It’s silences like this that add to the fetishizing of trans sex and relationships. In a world where we can watch a porn on just about anything, a couple ought to be able to find porn that somewhat mirrors them. “It is important to recognize that there are straight identified FTMs who may want some representation on the big screen. Also, there are straight identified women who prefer FTM lovers who would also appreciate some representation on the big screen” stated Hardlove, and I agree. So what can we do? Hardlove suggests that those who want representation organize it and create it. “I mean I would love to watch some hot porn made by passionate people, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.”
For more information visit: http://www.buck-angel.com/, http://trannywoodpictures.com/, http://www.nofauxxx.com/, http://www.pinkwhite.biz/, http://www.juliaserano.com/, http://www.glbtq.com/arts/porn_transsexual.html
Also check out: http://www.examiner.com/x-10008-SF-Transgendered-Relationships-Examiner~y2009m5d22-Body-image
Comments
thanks for linking www.nofauxxx.com! for a while we were the only site that existed that had any FtMs on it (aside from Buck of course) - we've got some straight-identified FtMs on our site and are working on hopefully making a film with lots of queer/straight hybrid content within the year. we like to fill in the gaps ;)
You took my quote out of context and didn't report the entire quote. I was speaking about that I think that "female" brains are more relationship geared while mtf are for the most part are more sexual. This is not saying "all". Also the reason Buck is a superstar is because he reached out while others haven't. Finally it was Allanah Starr in Big Boobs not me. I was in one of his productions. There are many other issues you didn't cover of why ftm aren't more visible.
Oh by the way your article shows one of the biggest problems within out own porn community. MTF like myself are often seperated from the gay/bi/transmen side of things. Our success and visibility is due to the labeling as Fetish/Niche. Transmen trying to identify as "gay" presents problems on many areas. Just as you point out many people and source them you dont take the time to give me credit as the reigning AVN Transsexual Performer of the Year, my website or anything but the term "pornstar"...........Since we are speaking of trans porn the umbrella is bigger than you think!
i am a transsexual man who does not have a "female brain", Wendy. If you don't think trans men are into sex, you clearly haven't met the right trans men.
Hmmm ... good article (I love Dex Hardlove, so hearing his quotes were awesome), but at the same time, it WAS Allanah Starr in "Big Boobs" and I'm not comfortable knowing you took Wendy's quote out of context.
I also think that straight FtM porn is probably not too popular with straight guys, who generally aren't too hot on guys at all, and would rather see a cis penis than a strap-on doing the penetrating (for their vicarious viewing). And so that leaves it as porn for women who like transmen- and porn for women itself is still such a small/niche genre that porn for women who like transmen becomes even tinier.
I also can't help but wonder how much body consciousness comes into it- yes, small queer companies like Trannywood Pictures are great about letting you do what makes you comfortable, but bigger studios like Buck's are looking for a "no-holds barred" kind of performance.
Also, some movies with straight FtM scenes are "Pornograflics" and "Pour Une Nuit" (One Night Stand")
Jay as a MTF I am not going to argue anatomy with you, no matter what we do to our bodies our mindset is of our born sex. We were born in the wrong bodies but when I talk about how we "think" thats my attachment to the word "brain"..........Im not speaking of sexuality, TOTALLY different. I was asked a question and gave a lengthy answer of which only a "bit" was quoted. So please take that into context.
CAND yes there was more to my comment about the brain. I wish this editor would have contacted me to elaborate before giving her opinion. Sadly if you arent a trans person yourself who actively works in this Industry its hard to speak about it because there are so many grey areas and boundaries! Honestly as a TS Performer myself its hard to define where my genre belongs let alone try and explain why one part of a niche isnt as popular as others. Until Transmen break out of their "clicks" and reach out they will NOT be as successful as Buck Angel.
Here was my answer:
SFBG: Why are there more MTF people in porn than there are FTM? I mean, Buck Angel is the only “Man With a Pussy” out there as far as I know.
Williams: Hmmm. I don’t really know the answer to that, but if I had to guess, I would say it’s because MTF people still have the mind capacity of males. Sex for us is much easier to do. An FTM transsexual, on the other hand, will still have the mind capacity of a female so maybe sex seems different somehow. I know a lot of FTM’s and when I talk about porn with them, they’re just kind of like “ah, whatever. I’d rather just be married and happy.” They seem like lesbians in that they’re more driven toward relationships and stuff.
When I said capacity I was speaking of how our "nature" is........When I speak "most" Im obviously not speaking of all NOR am I saying we are male or female, Im speaking of the "nature".Its such a hard thing to explain
I think a large amount of why FtMs aren't as prevalent in porn has to do with the supremacy of the penis in pornography, not to do with our alleged "female brains." While socially there may be a bit of a mental block for those of us raised female, I strongly feel it has to do more with a cultural view of our bodies as "incomplete," which both makes us less desirable in the market and (perhaps more importantly, considering how many porn niche markets exist) makes us less likely to feel comfortable in those situations.
For the record, Wendy, your "in context" version of the quotes in question doesn't make them look any better. Could your view of the difference between MtF and FtM visions of sexuality perhaps be because your experience is in the context of porn?
I'm not sure I agree with everything you're saying, Wendy, but I think I can see what you're driving at- less about "nature", perhaps, and more about being socialized as female (since we do get it hammered into our brains that we should be in relationships, should not have casual sex like men, etc.). Maybe? I don't agree that there is anything inherently "female" about transmen (or anything inherently "male" about transwomen), but how we're raised can definitely make a difference.
Is that what you were trying to say, or am I completely screwing it up?
Cand YES YES thats what I meant by it, Im not implying any trans person is any less feminine or masculine. However look at lesbian relationships compared to gay men! Its just seems more in one's nature/enviroment/context of thinking ETC
JACKSON sweetie my view has nothing to do with porn as I didnt get into porn for MANY years after transitioning! My view is that its more natural atleast TO ME that a male to female is usually more permiscus *sp* which has to do with being born in a male body with a penis! Hormonal differences ETC
It really comes down to, who holds the camera. trouble's holding the camera these days....so. Yay!
Thanks for including me in your article. I would have been happy to participate if you'd contacted me.
I wanted to clarify that I do not consider what I make to be "FTM porn" per se--I make porn, and I have a diversity of fans. Many of them are women and quite a few identify as straight.
Most of my films co-star men, though I have made some with women. The reason for this is that the bulk of my fans are gay men, and they want to see me with men--not women.
The adult industry was extremely hard for me to break into because there really was no existing market for what I was doing. Now, after many years of working at it, I have built a market and opened that door for others to start producing films with FTM talent.
The think the lack of FTMs in the adult industry is purely from that community not stepping up to produce their own porn.
Buck Angel®
Winner AVN Transsexual Performer of the Year Award
AVN 2009 Nominated Transsexual Performer of the Year
I LOVE YOU BUCK and cant wait to see you again. YOur body is looking even more buff ::lick:::
Thank you for mentioning Pink & White Productions, and for this great discussion. I'm going to post about this topic on our forums.
CrashPadSeries is our queer porn site with many trans men porn stars and trans members. The article and comments pose a lot of interesting topics, and it's great to have this dialog!
I really like this article, however I find your use of the word "straight" problematic. I think it would be helpful if more sex positive people stopped referring in binary view. Pansexual porn would be sexier.
Woah, I'm not into the FTM's are driven into 'lesbian like relationships' by their female brains statement, at all. I'm a trans man sex worker and porn actor and although I work mostly with men or genderqueer identified people I think I can comment still on why the disparity of FTM's in straight porn exists. The majority of porn consumers are men and straight men want to see women in porn - so it would stand that there are more trans women in the industry. FTM actors would also interrupt the narrative for many cis men watching because they put themselves in the place of the male actor in fantasy, and because often straight guys sex is about dick and I'm not sure if you've noticed but we tend to be somewhat underdeveloped in said department.
I live in San Francisco, a very sexually open city, but I still consider FTM's to be the least marketable gender in the sex industry. Not because as Buck so helpfully said, we "aren't stepping up" but because of limited demand.
In addition - and this is a very taboo thing to talk about - many FTM sex workers work as women. Yes, even boys on hormones or with top surgery. I realize that for many people this violates the concept that trans-people are so attached to their gender that they would rather fall on a sword than pretend to something they're not. But most porn actors are looking to make money, not necessarily a statement on gender, and the reality is it's more lucrative and sustainable to present as female.
I want to emphaize that while trans women in various states of transition are popular in the fetish section of mainstream het-centric porn, what is severely lacking (perhaps even more so than FTM porn) is porn featuring trans women that comes anywhere close to representing our actual sexualities and relationships with our bodies, and not as a projection screen for cis male-centric fantasies.
And um, I sure as hell don't have a "male brain" Wendy, and most trans men I know are a hell of a lot more sexually charged than I am. I mean, considering the whole exogenous testosterone vs. chemical/surgical castration detail and all.
Also, Buck's classist "bootstraps!!!" attitude toward the trans male community has reached epically comical proportions. Dude is a self-parody.
Also, if you think representation in porn is an antidote to being fetishized, you should probably examine what niche porn does to... oh, trans women, asian women, latina women, disabled women... demystification isn't everything.
What about porn that isn't niche, Sophia? One of the coolest scenes I've ever seen featuring a disabled woman had no comment on her disabled status whatsoever- no fetishization, no focusing on it, just her, as she was. That was an incredible moment for me.
Same for the new transwoman porn from Tobi Hill-Meyer- it's worlds away from the whole "shemale" genre and I think that's an awesome thing.
I have tried to explain the "brain" comment but Im not going to argue any further about it. I as Buck have accomplished huge success in our genre, maybe those who want to succeed should listen and learn from the journey we have made to get to where we are. Buck is EXTREMELY well known amoung all genre's of the Industry so apparently his bootstraps would be a good place to start.
Im done with the topic as I didnt make the comment to offend anyone but gave "my opinion". If the ftm porn community didnt have such a seperation attitude even to their own trans women community maybe their genre would continue to grow and there would be more than one FTM Pornstar, Buck!
Cand86: i'm not talking about individual scenes, i'm talking about the big picture, and the point is that representation in and of itself doesn't do anything to help stop the exotification of human beings.
Wendy: yes, you "explained" and other trans people spoke up to call you out for it, because it's essentialist garbage.
Wendy, for the love of all that is holy, how can you be so unaware that the more you speak your pieces, the deeper the hole you've dug gets?
First off, I'm sick and tired of Trans women like you bullying Trans men into silence with your pathetic attempts at rhetoric. You obviously know very little about us Trans men, so shut up. You can speak of your anecdotes all you like, but it's not evidence of anything -- the vast majority of Trans women *I* know are more relationship than sex-oriented; so which one of us is right then? You're in the porn industry -- *no duh* most of the TS gals you know are more into sex than relationships. Gee, if you worked in a candy store, would you brag about how you buy all of your Skittles at cost, as if this should wow and amaze people?
You said something messed-up and ultimately damaging to the TS community. Own up to it, or get off the smegging soap-box and let somebody smarter than you get on it.
Re: Jackson,
Of *course* she sees it this way because her experience is in porn. Anybody using Earth-logic can figure that out. If anything, her "in context" quote is far more damaging. "Most" Trans men are essentially lesbians? Wow. Just wow. How stupid can a person be to be *totally unaware* that saying this means that "most" Trans men are going to react negatively? If ever there was a reason to buy into that anti-porn-feminist rhetoric that porn is actually damaging to society, this dum-dum sure is saying enough to "prove" it!
I'll bet she helped Baily write "The Boy Who Would Be Queen", too. The things she says really *are* making that great of strides to set the TS community back.
Tell me, Wendy, did you take classes to learn how to be this stupid, or does it just come naturally?
RE: Cyd,
Right on. Buck himself even said that in these comments that it was "very hard" for him to break out into the porn industry *because of the lack of market*. Yes, there's a symbiotic relationship between availability and demand, but as has been said, the majority of the porn-consuming public are straight and hetero-identified men, and Trans man porn is pretty much a small niche for consumers of man-on-man porn. Women, typically, buy very little porn, and typically look at only slightly more (or, at least, this is what they admit to); and the "porn market" for women has traditionally been soft-core fiction rather than hard-core images and films. Obviously, if the market for Tman-on-woman film and image grows and makes itself known, this *could* result in a rise of production -- or it still may not be a market considered "viable enough" to make production costs seem "worth it". It's a total toss-up.
RE: Sophia,
Hear hear! I admit, being a Trans man myself, I was interested in Buck Angel when I first heard of him, but what I've seen from him --both in jpeg and in attitude-- is something I'd rather not associate with. You're right, his "bootstraps!!!" attitude is totally classist (easy to say that when you're already sitting on a modest fortune), and in all honesty, I'm just not into his whole Bear-aesthetic, either. He's a parody of what a hint of extra testosterone "will do to ya'". I can't take him seriously, not even as an adult entertainer.
As for fetishising TS people, well, visibility is only part of the thing. People with a fetish are probably never going to go away, but if anything will *normalise* TS people, it's non-porn visibility -- there's an *immense* lack of that, especially for TS men.
as for other Trans man-related porn, most of it is Tman-on-man or FTM-on-GenderQueer, but Morty Diamon's site has a fair amount of stuff.
WOW! Seems like your mistaken my comfort with who I am for an elitist attitude.
I don't expect everyone to like my work but damn if I effect you that much I think there is something a bit more going on there.
You cannot deny that what I have done is to
open doors for many people to get involved in the sex world without feeling like a freak.
This statement is a bit much don't you think:
Also, Buck's classist "bootstraps!!!" attitude toward the trans male community has reached epically comical proportions. Dude is a self-parody.
Buck Angel
Buck, please. You overestimate your own importance. Nobody's impressed.
Also, Wendy, the effects of testosterone on sex drive have been well-documented. A TS woman on androgen blockers will have a severely reduced sex-drive when compared to what she had before the blockers. In fact, with you being in the porn business, it makes sense for you and other TS women in porn to avoid androgen blockers (or simply low-dose on androgen blockers) in order to remain "fully functional" -- this will both leave a penis able to become fully erect *and* leave a "masculine" sex-drive intact. Sex drive has nothing to do with socialisation. And being sex- versus relationship-oriented is somewhat related to socialisation, but the key point in many TS peoples' self-awareness is the realisation that they have systematically rejected the social cues pushed on them due to their birth-assigned gender -- therefore many MTF's were relationship-focused before and after transitioning, and many FTM's were similarly sex-oriented.
:)
XXX
Buck
I think F2M porn will become more popular in the future as more people become aware of it. If F2m porn was readily available there would be more interest and perhaps more demand for it.
I'm a part-time sex worker and have found that a lot men still don't understand what F2M or transguy is.
The men I meet or who are interested in meeting me, are of all backgrounds, ages,etc. but I would say at least 8 out of 10 call themselves "straight" or live as a "straight male" Many are married, have wives, etc. a lot of these men have seen M2F escorts and/or are into other kinks/fetishes but they still don't know what F2M is.
I give tons of credit to Buck for making porn his own way, for putting himself out there, educating people.
Not many F2Ms are able to be in porn or make their own porn. There's many reasons for this. Hopefully more of us are able to break through and open people's minds about what is sexually attractive, sexually acceptable.
First, I'm going to thank the author for this article, then I'm going to fangirl over Buck a little -- 'kay, done --and, now, I'm putting this article on StumbleUpon, which will draw readers from all over the world.
Here's hoping my doing that will bring the proper kind of attention, that will in turn, flood the market with so much mtf pr0n that it will become cliche, and being a transguy won't be considered so very novel by people.
Or, y'know... something like that.
i consider myself a straight guy but i have to admit that i enjoy watching straight shemale porn, that is i mean i only like it when the shemale is passive. at the same time i also find ftm porn pretty hot as well, again i only like straight ftm porn where the ftm is dominant and doing the girl. i think for me it's the whole role reversal thing that is arousing, that these people have completely taken on the role of the opposite sex. while there is plenty of mtf porn it is extremely hard to find ftm porn, let alone straight ftm porn. the few options for ftm porn are sites like xtube and buck angel's stuff but even those are mainly gay oritented or masturbation stuff. it's tough to find straight ftm porn, hopefully that will change and we can see more in the future?
RE: BoyRowan.
We're all entitled to our opinions. But I don't think there's need for the sort of verbal aggressiveness you are putting on here. Why can't we discuss things in a civilised way? There's enough violence going on in the world as it is. Don't you think?
I'm a straight girl, have been born as such. Until I heard of Buck Angel, it simply never ocurred to me that there are transguys out there. Put it down to my narrowmindedness or my deploringly underdeveloped imagination - but I'm not the only one with that sort of blinkers on. So Buck is doing good work in the mainstream word as well. I'm glad that I came across his work, which by the way I find breathtakingly hot.
BoyRowan: If you don't like Buck's work, just don't watch it. And don't blame the man, if he actually gets paid for his trouble. If you don't want to identify with him - great. There's space for many more attitudes, styles etc, isn't there. But there's no need to bitch around online. Is there?!
I would like to thank Sarah Marloff for this well-written article.
Also, about Buck Angel's 'bootstrapping', here is the definition that I found in urban dictionary.
5. bootstrap 27 up, 8 down love it hate it
(v.) to cause a system (usually a computer system) to build itself; to build something complex by giving a simple instruction. From the concept of "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps."
Yes, Mr. Angel has done a FANTABULOUS job of pulling himself up to the point where his is finally reaping the benfits if his hard work.
Well done, Buck!
RE: Jacquline -- "Violence"? HA! You should get out more.
RE: Vullina -- Having sex on-camera isn't "hard work". I'm speaking as somebody with experience.
I have just discovered Buck Angel and am proud to be of the same. Brilliant work, i reckon you do us proud. Inspirational and educational. Being so open and comfortable with what you DO have is only a small yet HUGE part that many can learn from. For whatever reason is irrelevant. And what a bod!! WOW! Hats off...
Good article!! I am a biologically-female "straight" queer woman - I prefer FTM partners and have spent many hours hunting down quality 'straight' FTM porn to very little avail. I agree that Buck has pushed boundaries for transguy awareness within porn and applaud him for that, but his work still doesn't really reflect my own lifestyle and sexuality on the whole. I would LOVE to see more quality "straight" sex between women and FTM partners... fingers crossed!
I think that straight porn generally tries to ignore women who don't want to please men. And transmen are viewed as women, but definitely not the plastic blond pseudo-lesbians that most women-on-women porn stars are portrayed to be. I think most straight men aren't taught to fantasize about transmen, so therefore there isn't any place for FtMs right now in porn.
Unfortunately, Buck Angel, and the vast majority of FTM performers at places like crashpad present themselves as stereotypes of men that are as equally vile as MTFs who pass themselves off as airheads. As long as Buck is presentedas the top star of the FTM world, FTMs will be relegated to sidelines
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