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Buck Angel

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Buck Angel
Angel in 2010
Born (1962-06-05) June 5, 1962 (age 62)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Adult film actor, producer, activist, educator
Years active1990–present
Websitehttp://buckangel.com/

Buck Angel (born June 5, 1962) is an American pornographic film actor, producer and sex educator. He is the founder of the media production company Buck Angel Entertainment. A transsexual man,[1] he received the 2007 AVN Award as Transsexual Performer of the Year; he now works as an advocate and educator. Angel served on the Board of Directors of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation[2][3][4][5] from 2010 to 2016; the foundation works to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right through advocacy and education.[6]

Early life

Angel was born in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles[7] on June 5, 1962.[8] He was born female[9] and given a feminine name.[10] Growing up as a tomboy, his gender-atypical behavior during childhood was generally accepted at home, but as his secondary sex characteristics continued to develop around age 16, his home and school life became increasingly tense.[11] He was subjected to bullying in school, due to gender non-conforming behavior and clothing. Angel described the bullying as harming his communication skills as a result of psychological distress. To cope with his distress, he used alcohol and marijuana as a means of self-medication.[10][12]

After a suicidal gesture in high school, Angel's parents sent him to therapy. They thought that he needed help because he claimed to have reached a point of "total disconnection" from society.[10] This was not well received by his family, and according to Angel, "They were going to put me in a mental institution." Unaware of the existence of treatments for gender dysphoria such as hormone replacement therapy, he lived for years trying to conform to expectations of femininity, during which time he took drugs and drank alcohol. Though he was employed as a female professional model, he was generally dissatisfied with his identity and existence, and "was not loving life".[13] He turned to running as a means of isolation and source of validation.[10]

Gender transition

Angel was unable to find appropriate help for completing his gender transition during his adolescent years.[10] He eventually met a therapist who affirmed his gender instead of viewing him as a "gay woman". Angel began researching various methods of medical transition, and began this process at the age of 28.[10][14] Angel and his therapist got in contact with an endocrinologist who worked primarily with transgender women as opposed to transgender men. This was because Angel was one of the earliest trans men to be allowed hormonal transition, due to which there was limited data on prior cases like his. Angel was, as his doctor stated, "going to be my guinea pig" (for human subject research), where experimentation was the main course of action in helping him. From then on, Angel's doctor began prescribing him test dosages of testosterone throughout a six-month period until a value solidified to fit his needs. Eventually, he was taking 1-cc doses of testosterone every 10 days.[10][12]

Afterward, Angel began focusing on his physical appearance and searched for a surgeon that dealt with upper-body modifications to remove his breasts. Bottom surgery was another aspect he was looking to change, because he wanted to have a penis to fit the male schema. However, he quickly realized that there was no sufficient technology at the time to create what he desired. He chose not to undergo genital surgery and currently considers his medical transition complete.[10][12]

Adult film career

Angel (center) with Michael Brandon and Scott Spears

Angel began to produce and star in his own line of adult films under the imprint Buck Angel Entertainment. By this time, he identified and presented as male, but had not had genital surgery; he thus promoted these works describing himself as "the Man with a Pussy", which became his trademark.

In 2005, he appeared in the Titan Media release Cirque Noir, becoming the first trans man to be featured in an all-male film produced by a company specializing in gay male porn.[15][16] The same year he performed in Allanah Starr's Big Boob Adventures (directed by transgender woman Gia Darling), which featured the first filmed sex scene between a trans woman (Allanah Starr) and a trans man.[17] The performance was nominated for "Most Outrageous Sex Scene" at the AVN Awards. In 2007 Angel became the first and only trans man to win Transsexual Performer of the Year at the AVN Awards.[18] His 2008 performance in Buckback Mountain received nominations for "Best Alternative Release" and "Best Specialty Release" at the GayVN Awards. Angel also appears in Naked, a 2008 documentary book and film about the adult film industry, by director Ed Powers. In the film, he appears in a sex scene with porn star Wolf Hudson, produced by mainstream photographer Justin Lubin.[19]

Educational work

Angel in 2007

Angel's pornographic content was one of the building blocks that set the foundation for his future educational demonstrations, and is credited as broadening the perceptions of sexuality and gender in both the industry and the minds of consumers, an effect he was unaware of until a few years into his work. With passing time, his work in porn evolved into advocacy.[12]

Angel found the transition between his work as a porn actor and his work as an educational role model difficult, due to the stigma surrounding a career based on sexual content. Angel's identity as a porn star made it difficult for him to express his ideas, as he felt that he could not speak on behalf of himself; the porn industry also struggled with placing his new role as a sex educator.[14]

In time, Angel had the opportunity to be a guest speaker for Ideacity[20] in 2010—Canada's "premier meeting of the minds”"[21]—where he spoke on the physical changes and emotional adaptation he had experienced as a result of transition.[22] Angel used his presentation to challenge societal ideas of what makes a man through use of his own experiences, highlighting the strict and unwavering constructs of masculinity in much of Western society, and how he was considered to not fall under these constructs simply for having a vagina.[22]

In 2012, Angel began to transition from the porn industry to sex education[23] and began touring the world speaking about human sexuality.[24] His presentation, "Bucking the System",[25] aimed to re-define traditional notions of gender by educating his audience about gender fluidity and identity politics. Angel also began touring Q&A sessions about his documentary, Sexing the Transman,[26] and his autobiographical film "Mr. Angel".[27] He has made appearances at many universities around the world, as well as Pride events[28] and film festivals.[29] He has spoken at Sex Week at Yale University[30] and at IdeaCity10 in Toronto.[31]

In October 2010, Angel contributed to sex educator and columnist Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project by uploading his personal coming out story to YouTube.[32] He has also produced multiple public service announcements on the topics of positive body image, LGBTQ family acceptance, queer people of colour and transgender health and well-being.[33] Angel also engages in education about safe sex for trans men.

In 2012, Angel became a contributor to The Feminist Porn Book,[34] an anthology by feminist scholars and sex workers about understanding pornography and how feminists direct, act in, produce and consume porn.

Between 2010 and 2015, he created an award-winning series about trans male sexuality called Sexing the Transman XXX, which is now in its fourth installment.[35] This film won "Most Tantalizing Trans Film" at the Feminist Porn Awards in 2012.[36]

Angel has been publicly critical of several areas of LGBT policy advocacy, in particular relating to sex-based spaces and institutions.[37][38] His criticisms include the participation of trans women in female sports,[39][40] demands for access for trans women to female-only spaces,[41][42] and political use of the phrase 'trans women are women'.[43]

Other activities

Angel has appeared on various talk shows including those of Howard Stern, Tyra Banks, and Maury Povich; as well as Secret Lives of Women in the US, the Morning Show in the UK, and the Jensen Show in the Netherlands.

British artist Marc Quinn included a life-size sculpture of Angel in his global tour.[44][45] Angel posed for Quinn's sculpture series on human transformations in 2010; the series was revealed at London's White Cube gallery. He was featured in four different bronze sculptures including two solo pieces, and two with Allanah Starr.[46] The life-sized sculpture of Angel is now a permanent fixture at the Art Gallery of South Australia.[47]

In 2012 he created a dating website for trans men called BuckAngelDating.com,[48] because "there was still no special dating site catering to the unique needs of trans men."[49]

Angel created "Trantastic Storytelling" in 2015, a service which offers opportunities for trans people to share their life experiences for educational purposes.[50]

In 2015, Angel and Leon Mostovoy founded the cannabis brand Pride Wellness, which would donate a dollar from each product sold to charity.[51] They ended the venture in 2021, citing competition from big corporations.[52]

In 2016, Angel partnered with Perfect Fit Brand to create a sex toy specifically for trans men. The product is meant to reduce gender dysphoria and help trans men connect with their bodies and their sexuality.[53]

In 2020, Angel launched a cannabis delivery service, Wings Of Wellness, aimed at LGBTQ customers.[54]

Personal life

Angel is bisexual.[55] He was married to San Francisco-based dominatrix Karin Winslow (known professionally as Ilsa Strix). He filed for divorce after Winslow left him for film director Lana Wachowski, who was a client of hers.[56][57][58]

Angel met his second wife, body piercer Elayne, on a dating website.[59] The two married in New Orleans on November 17, 2003.[60][61] Elayne filed for divorce in May 2014.[62] Angel claimed that Elayne had moved $500,000 out of their joint bank account and requested $2,000 in monthly spousal support.[62] In an effort to avoid alimony payments, Elayne claimed that their marriage should not have been legally recognized as Louisiana did not recognize same-sex marriage in 2003; Angel has never had his genitals surgically altered and his birth certificate was not updated to male until after their marriage.[61][62][63] In August 2014, the California Superior Court ruled that their marriage was valid due to the ambiguity in Louisiana's statute regarding sex reassignment surgery, which might include the "top surgery" that Angel had already received.[61][62][63]

In February 2021, Angel was a witness to Lady Gaga's dog walker being shot and two of Gaga's French Bulldogs being stolen in Hollywood.[64][65]

Awards and nominations

  • In January 2007, Buck Angel won Transsexual Performer of the Year at the AVN Awards.[66]
  • In 2008, 2009, and 2010, he was nominated for Transsexual Performer of the Year. He remains the only FTM transsexual ever to have been nominated for or to win this award.
  • In April 2008, he was presented with a "Feminist Porn Award" for "Boundary Breaker of the Year."[67]
  • In 2012, he won the Feminist Porn Award for his groundbreaking film Sexing The Transman XXX.
  • In 2012, he won Best FTM Performer of the Year at the Transgender Erotica Awards. This is the first year this award was given.
  • In 2015, he won the PORyes Award (Feminist Pornfilmpreis Europe) in Berlin[68]
  • In 2015, he won the Ida Feldman award at the 23rd Brazil Mix Festival[69]
  • In 2016, he was given an Honorary Award at the Tel Aviv Film Festival[70]
  • In 2017, he received the XBIZ award for "Specialty Product/Line of the Year Award"[71]
  • In 2017, he was given the "Outstanding Innovation Award" at the AVN "O" Awards[71]
  • In 2017, Angel and Valentina Nappi won the AVN Award for "Best Transsexual Scene" for the film Girl/Boy 2[72]

Partial filmography

Adult films

  • 2004: Buck's Beaver
  • 2005: The Adventures of Buck Naked
  • 2005: Cirque Noir
  • 2005: Allanah Starr's Big Boob Adventures
  • 2006: Buck Off
  • 2006: V for Vagina
  • 2006: The Buck Stops Here
  • 2007: Even More Bang for Your Buck Vol.1
  • 2008: Even More Bang for your Buck Vol.2
  • 2008: Buckback Mountain
  • 2009: Ultimate Fucking Club Vol. 1
  • 2009: Ultimate Fucking Club Vol.2
  • 2010–12: Sexing The Transman XXX Series
  • 2016: Girl/Boy (Evil Angel)

Documentaries

  • 2008: NAKED
  • 2012: Sexing the Transman
  • 2013: Mr. Angel
  • 2016: The Trans List (HBO)
  • 2016: Finding Kim
  • 2016: BLOWN

Mainstream media

  • 1993: Porno for Pyros - "Cursed Female"
  • 2015: "Technical Difficulties of Intimacy"
  • 2016: Appeared in the video for "Bi", a song by Alicia Champion.[73]
  • 2016: Loki Starfish – "Shivers are Proof (Paris)"[74]

References

  1. ^ @BuckAngel (April 9, 2019). "Transsexual is my identity and where I came from. [...] Transgender does not represent me" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Visco, Gerry (March 29, 2006). "Porn star Buck Angel is a woman or a man or a transexual". New York Press. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Buck Angel, the man with a pussy". Eros-zine.com. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on July 8, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Porn Star XXXposure – Buck Angel". Good Vibrations Magazine. May 23, 2007. Archived from the original on November 15, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  5. ^ Trifle, Cherry (November 16, 2010). "More Bang For Your Buck: It Gets Better « Acceptance « Society". Edenfantasys.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "About Us | Woodhull Freedom Foundation". www.woodhullfoundation.org. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  7. ^ Matthew, Kirsten (2011). "Buck Wild". Dirty. No. 3 (3). Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013. {{cite journal}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  8. ^ Angel, Buck (April 3, 2019). "Our Story". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  9. ^ Angel, Buck (August 25, 2020). "Tweet by Buck Angel". Twitter. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "Buck Angel talks about life as a transsexual porn star". SBS Two. February 10, 2014. Archived from the original on December 20, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  11. ^ Nichols, Jerome Stuart. "An Interview with Buck Angel – Let's Talk About Sex #2". LTASEX. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d Lynn, Logan (June 3, 2013). "Pornographic Activism: The Rebranding of Buck Angel". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  13. ^ Angel, Buck. "About Buck Angel". Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2008.
  14. ^ a b Nichols, James Michael (January 17, 2016). "Buck Angel, 'The Man With A Vagina,' On The Role Sex Plays In Living Authentically". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  15. ^ "Susie Bright's Journal : Buck Angel and the 100% Man Clit". Susiebright.blogs.com. September 11, 2006. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  16. ^ "Cirque Noir - gay porn DVD review at BananaGuide.com". Banana Guide. Archived from the original on June 15, 2007.
  17. ^ Taormino, Tristan (August 30, 2005). "Havin' Buck for Breakfast". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on June 12, 2006. Retrieved June 10, 2006.
  18. ^ "Buck Angel". IMDb. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  19. ^ Buck Angel, Ed Powers directed documentary "NAKED" Archived May 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
  20. ^ http://www.ideacity.ca
  21. ^ "About ideacity - ideacity". ideacity. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  22. ^ a b "Buck Angel - His Metamorphosis to Manhood - ideacity". ideacity. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  23. ^ Hess, Amanda (September 19, 2012). "Buck Angel, Porn's Most Famous Trans Man, Transitions to Sex Ed". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  24. ^ Padva, Gilad (2014). Sensational Pleasures in Cinema, Literature and Visual Culture: The Phallic Eye. United States of America: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 99. ISBN 9781137363640.
  25. ^ "Transgender motivational Speaker Buck Angel". Buck Angel® Pioneer, Filmmaker, Speaker, and Advocate The Official Fan Site!. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  26. ^ "Buck Angel's Sexing The Transman Sex Education". FTM Transman Documentary Film Sexing The Transman-A Film by Buck Angel. July 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  27. ^ "Mr. Angel". Brooklyn Film Festival. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  28. ^ "The Buck Angel Experience". Stockholm Pride. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  29. ^ "'Sexing The Transman' to Screen at San Francisco Film Festival". business.avn.com. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  30. ^ "Transgender porn star shares story". Yale Daily News. February 15, 2010. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  31. ^ "Buck Angel ideaCity10". YouTube. July 26, 2010. Archived from the original on April 11, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  32. ^ It Gets Better–Buck Angel, archived from the original on December 2, 2015, retrieved November 22, 2015
  33. ^ "Public Service Announcements – Buck Angel LGBTQ Motivational Speaker, Filmmaker and Advocate". buckangelentertainment.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  34. ^ "Contributors | The Feminist Porn Book". thefeministpornbook.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  35. ^ "Sexing The Transman XXX". Sexingthetransman.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  36. ^ "Sexing the Transman XXX - Feminist Porn Awards". Feminist Porn Awards. December 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  37. ^ Stock, Kathleen (May 6, 2021). Material Girls : Why Reality Matters for Feminism. London, UK: Little, Brown Book Group. p. 320. ISBN 9780349726601.
  38. ^ Lampert, Nicole (September 24, 2020). "Transgender wars and the fight for female emancipation". The Spectator. London. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  39. ^ @BuckAngel (June 26, 2021). "I should be happy to see trans women complete in the olympics, but not at the expense of women's sports. [...]" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  40. ^ @BuckAngel (March 27, 2021). "These trans girls have gone thru male puberty. [...] They are faster and stronger than bio females so yea they are going to destroy female sports" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  41. ^ @BuckAngel (August 25, 2020). "So they can take over women spaces because if biology isnt real them men and women do not exist" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  42. ^ @BuckAngel (May 5, 2021). "[...] I do not want to invade women space. I look male now and it would make women uncomfortable probably so we need trans medical spaces for ourselves" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  43. ^ @BuckAngel (September 2, 2021). "Actually trans women are trans women and trans men are trans men. [...]" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  44. ^ Edward Mostyn (November 8, 2009). "Marc Quinn article". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  45. ^ "Photo from Getty Images". Daylife. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  46. ^ "Body alteration". marcquinn.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  47. ^ "Buck Angel - interview". Time Out Sydney. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  48. ^ "Buck Angel Launches Dating Site For Transgender Men". On Top Magazine. September 1, 2012. Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  49. ^ "Buck Angel: Dating Technology for the FTM". The Huffington Post. August 31, 2012. Archived from the original on November 7, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  50. ^ "Trantastic". Archived from the original on May 20, 2015.
  51. ^ "Pride and Cannabis (Interview project by AskGrowers)". June 16, 2021. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  52. ^ "Interview with Buck Angel on AskGrowers". June 14, 2021. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  53. ^ "Buck Angel Teams With Perfect Fit Brand For FTM Pleasure Product". business.avn.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  54. ^ Angel, Buck (2020). "Wings of Wellness". Wings of Wellness. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  55. ^ "Bang for Buck". December 23, 2019. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  56. ^ Can Larry Wachowski really have changed sex between pictures? Damon Wise investigates Archived December 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine The Guardian. May 3, 2008.
  57. ^ El Misterio de Larry Wachowski Archived November 26, 2015, at the Wayback Machine RollingStone Argentina. January 3, 2006.
  58. ^ Elliott, Stephen (January 13, 2006). "Rolling Stone Slanders The Transgender S&M Community". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  59. ^ Buck Angel, I met my amazing wife Elayne Angel on a site 10 Archived November 19, 2015, at the Wayback Machine 2013.
  60. ^ "Elayne Angel". Skin Deep 152. October 1, 2007. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
  61. ^ a b c "Former French Quarter Body Piercing Pro at Center of FTM Divorce Case". Nola Defender. August 13, 2014. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  62. ^ a b c d "Divorce and Transgender Spouses". The Hite Law Group. June 26, 2014. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  63. ^ a b Two Trans Men Come Away With Major Court Victories Archived November 19, 2015, at the Wayback Machine The Advocate. August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  64. ^ "Buck Angel® (TRANSSEXUAL MAN) Twitterissä: "The weirdest thing just happened to me! I witnessed @ladygaga dogs being dog napped and her dog walker getting shot! What is happening to our world? Please give those fogs back and sending love to heal. 😢😢❤️… https://T.co/NsoTSVeHuw"". Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  65. ^ Savage, Mark (February 25, 2021). "Lady Gaga's dog-walker shot and bulldogs stolen". BBC News. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  66. ^ "AVN Awards Past Winners". Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2008.
  67. ^ "FPA 2008". Good For Her. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  68. ^ "Buck Angel, der "Mann mit Pussy", erhält PorYes-Award". www.siegessaeule.de. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  69. ^ "23º Festival MixBrasil de Cultura da Diversidade". 23º Festival MixBrasil de Cultura da Diversidade. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  70. ^ "TLVFest - Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival - www.moviesovertherainbow.com". May 11, 2016. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  71. ^ a b "PRESS RELEASE: Buck Angel's FTM Sex Toy Wins Top Awards - POPULAR PUBLICITY". www.popularpublicity.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  72. ^ AVN, AVN Staff. "AVN - 2017 AVN Award Winners Announced". AVN. Archived from the original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  73. ^ "Bi this song by Alicia Champion". San Diego Reader. June 22, 2016. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  74. ^ Loki Starfish channel (April 17, 2016), Loki Starfish - Shivers Are Proof (Official Video), archived from the original on June 14, 2016, retrieved July 19, 2016

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