Buck Angel

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Buck Angel
Born (1972-06-05) June 5, 1972 (age 51)
Los Angeles, California, United States
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Adult film actor, producer, activist, educator
Years active1972–present
Websitehttp://buckangel.com/

Jake Miller[1] (born June 5, 1972), better known by his stage name Buck Angel, is an American adult film producer and motivational speaker.

He is the founder of Buck Angel Entertainment, a media production company. A trans man, he received the 2007 AVN Award as Transsexual Performer of the Year; he now works as an advocate, educator, lecturer, and writer. 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]

Earlier years

Angel was born in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California,[7] assigned female gender, and named Susan.[8] 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.[9] At school, his peers began teasing his physical appearance because he was dressed as a boy, but was a girl in their eyes. Those words wore down Angel’s mental stability as he became more isolated and shy making it harder for him to communicate with others. To cope with his distress, he utilized alcohol and marijuana as an escape from his troubles.[8][10]

After a suicidal gesture in high school, his parents sent him to therapy. They thought that he needed help because he claimed to have reached a point of “total disconnection” from society.[8] 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 as female, 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".[11] His only saving grace was running as it was a better form of isolating himself yet giving him recognition as an excellent runner too.[8]

Gender transition

Angel was never able to find the appropriate help that he needed within his adolescent years despite living a “normal” childhood. The peace didn’t last long as it began rapidly concaving into darkness and confusion from the constant bickering that society directs upon him.[8]

The numerous psychiatric therapy that followed his fall eventually brought him back into society after encountering the first therapist, out of many, that stated he was a man. This concurrence was one of the first discussions that didn’t ostracize and generalize him as being a “gay woman.” Rather, he was embraced by his therapist which shared the same view point of him identifying as a male. Thus, Angel began researching various methods in transitioning into a man and began the process at the age of 28.[8][12]

Then, Angel and his therapist got in contact with a hormone doctor that worked primarily with transgender women as opposed to transgender men. This was because Angel was one of the earliest—but more modern—cases of female to male patients as there was limited data on prior cases like his. He was, as his doctor stated, “going to be my guinea pig,” where experimentation was the main course of action in assisting him. Angel was willing to go through with these repercussions because if this could not be a solution to his dysphoria, he would have committed suicide. 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 one cc doses of testosterone for every 10 days.[8][10]

Afterwards, Angel began focusing on his physical appearance and searched for a top surgeon that dealt with upper body modifications to remove his breasts. Bottom surgery was another aspect he was looking to change as he wanted to obtain a biological penis to fit the male schema. However, he quickly realized that there was not any sufficient technology to create what he desired. Angel gradually concluded that he did not need a penis because it is not what defined him as a man. He learned to love his body and came to be satisfied with what he was given. Now—following his new ideology of the male physique—he began a vigorous workout regimen that consisted five days of a week and generally eating healthy.[8][10]

Adult film career

Buck Angel

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 any genital surgery and still had a vulva, so he promoted these works describing himself as "The Man With a Pussy".

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.[13][14] The same year he performed in Allanah Starr's Big Boob Adventures (directed by transsexual Gia Darling), which featured the first filmed sex scene between a trans woman (Allanah Starr) and a trans man.[15] The performance was nominated for the AVN Awards' "Most Outrageous Sex Scene". In 2007 Angel became the first and only trans man to win Transsexual Performer of the Year at the AVN Awards.[16] His 2008 performance in Buckback Mountain received nominations for "Best Alternative Release" and "Best Specialty Release" at the GayVN Awards.

Angel appeared 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.[17]

Educational work

Angel’s pornographic content was one of the building blocks that set the foundation for his future educational demonstrations. He broadened the industries, along with its viewers, perception of sexuality and gender by popularizing transsexual male porn. He was unaware of the positive effects that he had on the community until after a few years into his work. With passing time, his work in porn evolved into advocacy rather than it starting out as the same entities.[10]

Nevertheless, the conversion of porn into an educational form was a tough task because of the stigma behind sexual content. Angel’s porn star identity made it difficult for him to express his ideas as he couldn’t speak on behalf of himself and that the industry did not know what to do with him either. Additionally, the hostility from the transsexual community did not contribute positively to his image as they believed he was fetishizing them.[12]

In time, Angel had the opportunity to be a guest speaker for Ideacity in 2010—Canada’s “premier meeting of the minds”[18]—where he talked about his physical changes and emotional adaptation.[19] During this presentation, he challenged the ideas of what specifies a man through his own narrative and struggles. In short, he illustrates how the societal construct of masculinity is strict and unwavering; because of this, he is not considered to be under this category simply because he has a vagina.[19]

In 2012, Angel began to transition from the porn industry to sex education[20] and began touring the world speaking about human sexuality. He coined the catchphrase "it's not what's between your legs that defines you"[21] and his presentation "Bucking the System"[22] re-defines traditional notions of gender by educating his audience about gender fluidity and identity politics. Angel also tours to do Q & A sessions about his documentary, "Sexing the Transman[23] " and the autobiographical film "Mr. Angel".[24] He has made appearances at many universities around the world, as well as Pride events[25] and film festivals.[26] He has spoken at Sex Week at Yale University[27] and at IdeaCity10 in Toronto.[28]

In October 2010, Angel contributed to Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project by uploading his own personal coming out story to YouTube.[29] 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.[30] Angel also engages in education about safe sex for trans men.

In 2012, Angel became a contributor to "The Feminist Porn Book",[31] an anthology by feminist scholars and 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.[32] This film won "Most Tantalizing Trans Film" at the "Feminist Porn Awards" in 2012.[33]

Altogether, Angel had three main objectives in which he wanted individuals to:

  1. "Comprehend the fact that one’s genitals do not define your gender, nor who you are as a person.”[34]
  2. “Learn how to acknowledge, affirm, and deal with your own individual gender and sexuality, regardless of identity.”[34]
  3. “Have the ability to let go of social constructs in order to become more comfortable and self-accepting.”[34]

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.[35][36] 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.[37] The life-sized sculpture of Angel is now a permanent fixture at the Adelaide Museum of Art.[38]

In 2012 he created a dating website for transgender men called BuckAngelDating.com,[39] because "there was still no special dating site catering to the unique needs of transmen."[40]

Angel created "Trantastic Storytelling" in 2015, a service which offers opportunities for transgender people to share their life experiences for educational purposes.[41]

In 2016, Angel partnered with Perfect Fit Brand to create a sex toy specifically for the FTM trans people. The product is meant to reduce gender dysphoria and help transmen connect with their bodies and their sexuality.[42]

Personal life

Angel was married to Karin Winslow (also known as Ilsa Strix), a San Francisco dominatrix. Angel filed for divorce when Winslow left him for her client, Lana Wachowski.[43][44][45]

Angel met his second wife, body piercer Elayne Angel, on a dating website[46] and the two married in New Orleans on November 17, 2003.[47][48] Elayne filed for divorce in May 2014.[49] Angel claimed that she had moved $500,000 out of their joint bank account and requested $2000 in monthly spousal support.[49] In an effort to avoid alimony payments, Elayne claimed that their marriage should not have been legally recognized because Louisiana did not recognize same-sex marriage in 2003 and Buck has never had his genitals surgically altered and his birth certificate was not updated to male until after they were married.[48][49][50] 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 could include the "top-surgery" that Angel has received.[48][49][50]

Awards and nominations

  • In January 2007, Buck Angel won Transsexual Performer of the Year at the AVN Awards.[51]
  • 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."[52]
  • 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 [53]
  • In 2015, he won the Ida Feldman award at the 23rd Brazil Mix Festival[54]
  • In 2016, he was given an Honorary Award at the Tel Aviv Film Festival [55]
  • In 2017, he received the XBIZ award for "Specialty Product/Line of the Year Award" [56]
  • In 2017, he was given the "Outstanding Innovation Award" at the AVN "O" Awards[57]
  • In 2017, Angel and Valentina Nappi won the AVN Award for "Best Transsexual Scene" for the film Girl/Boy 2[58]

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.[59]
  • 2016: Loki Starfish - "Shivers are Proof" (Paris)[60]

References

  1. ^ Ford, Zack (August 14, 2006). "Court Rulings Are A Victory For Transgender Men". thinkprogress. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  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. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Eros.Com: Eros Guide Escort directory with escort photo listings and contacts for Eros female escorts, massage, bdsm, fetish, transsexuals, shemales and more". Eros-zine.com. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on July 8, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Porn Star XXXposure – Buck Angel". Good Vibrations Magazine. May 23, 2007. Archived from the original on November 15, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Trifle, Cherry (November 16, 2010). "More Bang For Your Buck: It Gets Better « Acceptance « Society". Edenfantasys.com. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "About Us | Woodhull Freedom Foundation". www.woodhullfoundation.org. 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); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Buck Angel talks about life as a transsexual porn star". SBS Two. February 10, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  9. ^ Nichols, Jerome Stuart. "An Interview with Buck Angel – Let's Talk About Sex #2". LTASEX. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d Lynn, Logan (June 3, 2013). "Pornographic Activism: The Rebranding of Buck Angel". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  11. ^ Angel, Buck. "About Buck Angel". Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ 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. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  13. ^ "Susie Bright's Journal : Buck Angel and the 100% Man Clit". Susiebright.blogs.com. September 11, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  14. ^ "Cirque Noir - gay porn DVD review at BananaGuide.com". Banana Guide. Archived from the original on June 15, 2007.
  15. ^ Taormino, Tristan (August 30, 2005). "Havin' Buck for Breakfast". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on June 12, 2006. Retrieved June 10, 2006. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Buck Angel". IMDb. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  17. ^ Buck Angel, Ed Powers directed documentary "NAKED". Retrieved October 28, 2008.
  18. ^ "About ideacity - ideacity". ideacity. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  19. ^ a b "Buck Angel - His Metamorphosis to Manhood - ideacity". ideacity. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  20. ^ Hess, Amanda (September 19, 2012). "Buck Angel, Porn's Most Famous Trans Man, Transitions to Sex Ed". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  21. ^ Padva, Gilad (2014). Sensational Pleasures in Cinema, Literature and Visual Culture: The Phallic Eye. United States of America: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 99. ISBN 9781137363640.
  22. ^ "Transgender motivational Speaker Buck Angel". Buck Angel® Pioneering Filmmaker, Speaker, and Advocate The Official Fan Site!. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  23. ^ "Buck Angel's Sexing The Transman Sex Education". FTM Transman Documentary Film Sexing The Transman-A Film by Buck Angel. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  24. ^ "Mr. Angel". Brooklyn Film Festival. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  25. ^ "The Buck Angel Experience". Stockholm Pride. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-17. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "'Sexing The Transman' to Screen at San Francisco Film Festival". business.avn.com. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  27. ^ "Transgender porn star shares story". Yale Daily News. February 15, 2010. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ "Buck Angel ideaCity10". YouTube. July 26, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  29. ^ It Gets Better–Buck Angel, retrieved November 22, 2015
  30. ^ "Public Service Announcements – Buck Angel LGBTQ Motivational Speaker, Filmmaker and Advocate". buckangelentertainment.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-22. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ "Contributors | The Feminist Porn Book". thefeministpornbook.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  32. ^ "Sexing The Transman XXX". Sexingthetransman.com. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  33. ^ "Sexing the Transman XXX - Feminist Porn Awards". Feminist Porn Awards. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  34. ^ a b c "SPEAKER – Buck Angel® Pioneering Filmmaker, Speaker, and Advocate The Official Fan Site!". buckangel.com. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  35. ^ Edward Mostyn (November 8, 2009). "Marc Quinn article". The Guardian. London. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  36. ^ "Photo from Getty Images". Daylife. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ "Body alteration". marcquinn.com. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  38. ^ "Buck Angel - interview". Time Out Sydney. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  39. ^ "Buck Angel Launches Dating Site For Transgender Men". On Top Magazine. September 1, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  40. ^ "Buck Angel: Dating Technology for the FTM". The Huffington Post. August 31, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  41. ^ "Trantastic". Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ "Buck Angel Teams With Perfect Fit Brand For FTM Pleasure Product". business.avn.com. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  43. ^ Can Larry Wachowski really have changed sex between pictures? Damon Wise investigates The Guardian. May 3, 2008.
  44. ^ El Misterio de Larry Wachowski RollingStone Argentina. January 3, 2006.
  45. ^ Elliott, Stephen (January 13, 2006). "Rolling Stone Slanders The Transgender S&M Community". Huffington Post.
  46. ^ Buck Angel, I met my amazing wife Elayne Angel on a site 10 2013.
  47. ^ "Elayne Angel". Skin Deep 152. October 1, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
  48. ^ a b c "Former French Quarter Body Piercing Pro at Center of FTM Divorce Case". Nola Defender. August 13, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  49. ^ a b c d "Divorce and Transgender Spouses". The Hite Law Group. June 26, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  50. ^ a b Two Trans Men Come Away With Major Court Victories The Advocate. August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  51. ^ "AVN Awards Past Winners". Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  52. ^ "FPA 2008". Good For Her. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  53. ^ "Buck Angel, der "Mann mit Pussy", erhält PorYes-Award". www.siegessaeule.de. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  54. ^ "23º Festival MixBrasil de Cultura da Diversidade". 23º Festival MixBrasil de Cultura da Diversidade. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  55. ^ "TLVFest - Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival - www.moviesovertherainbow.com". May 11, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  56. ^ "PRESS RELEASE: Buck Angel's FTM Sex Toy Wins Top Awards - POPULAR PUBLICITY". www.popularpublicity.com. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  57. ^ "PRESS RELEASE: Buck Angel's FTM Sex Toy Wins Top Awards - POPULAR PUBLICITY". www.popularpublicity.com. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  58. ^ AVN, AVN Staff,. "AVN - 2017 AVN Award Winners Announced". AVN. Retrieved February 13, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  59. ^ "Bi this song by Alicia Champion". San Diego Reader. June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  60. ^ Loki Starfish channel (April 17, 2016), Loki Starfish - Shivers Are Proof (Official Video), retrieved July 19, 2016

External links

Interviews

Documentaries

Template:AVN Award - Transsexual Performer of the Year

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