Nadia Ali (actress)
Nadia Ali (born 1981 or 1982)[1] is an American erotic dancer. She acted in pornography from 2015 to 2016, receiving attention for being a practicing Muslim in that industry.[2][3][4]
Early life
Ali was the first of her Pakistani-American family to be born in the United States, and grew up in New Jersey. She felt isolated by her family's conservatism, although she did not wear a hijab.[3]
She moved out to San Francisco and set up a business threading eyebrows, until in 2013 she was encouraged by a friend to perform at a strip club. Influenced by making $500 in one night, she continued as a stripper and then as an escort.[3]
Pornographic career
Ali was encouraged to wear a hijab in pornography due to sexual taboo and to increase her opportunities.[3] One of her films, Women of the Middle East involves domestic violence turning into sex when the man becomes aroused; its blurb read "They may look suppressed, but given an opportunity to express themselves freely, their wild, untamable natural sexuality is released. This may just be what was in bin Laden’s porn collection, experience it for yourself".[1] She blames culture rather than religion for patriarchy in Pakistan, and has said she wanted to make solo and lesbian scenes to "show the world that Middle Eastern girls of Pakistani descent really do get horny."[1] Ali has said that she is "banned" from Pakistan for performing in pornography in a hijab, and received online threats of beheading.[3]
She left pornography in 2016 after making 20 scenes, as she found the idea of the 21st, of a man resembling Donald Trump having sex with a Muslim woman, to be degrading.[3] Her bookings to perform in Florida after the 2016 Pulse Orlando shooting were canceled for fear of backlash.[3] Calling adult entertainment a "stepping stone" to bigger things, she told Refinery29 that she wanted to move into the beauty business.[3]
References
- ^ a b c Snow, Aurora (13 February 2016). "Banned in Pakistan: A Muslim Porn Star's Sexual Crusade". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ Snow, Aurora (23 July 2016). "How Donald Trump's RNC Inspired a Muslim, Gay, and Trump Porn Craze". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Macmillen, Hayley (29 July 2016). "Muslim Adult Performer Nadia Ali On Reconciling Her Job With Her Religion". Refinery29. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ Keating, Fiona (20 February 2016). "Muslim adult film star Nadia Ali received death threats for making hijabi porn movie". International Business Times. Retrieved 29 July 2016.