Trans Activist Buck Angel Talks About New Ventures

Entering his 15th year in the adult entertainment industry, Buck Angel is still blazing trails. Angel made his mark as one of the first female-to-male trans porn performers back in 2002, and has not stopped since. And Angel reaches another milestone this month when, on June 21, his first title for TransSensual hits the streets. Released by Mile High Media and directed by Dana Vespoli, Buck Angel Superstar presents the FTM performer in four hardcore encounters with TS stars Aubrey Kate, Chanel Santini, Tori Mayes and Mandy Mitchell. But more important, the movie is a revealing and intimate portrait of Angel, exploring not only his sexual encounters as a famed TS personality but also the ways in which his fame has shaped his emotional life. (Click here to read more about the movie.) While these days most of his efforts are concentrated more on activism than performing, Angel has also managed to branch out into other areas of adult. Most recently, Angel has been working on creating pleasure products to follow up on the award-winning Buck-Off that he and Perfect Fit Brand released last year. “Working with Perfect Fit on the Buck-Off just opened a gigantic door,” Angel said. “Now, we are working to make more toys for people with vaginas … all types of people with vaginas. We have a whole new generation of people who are gender queer, or fluid, and more. I want to help create items that will help them connect with their vaginas and their sexualities. I want to help create items that cater to people who are not currently being serve by the industry.” To that end, Buck and Perfect Fit Brand are planning the release of the Buck-Off in a smaller size well as accessory-type products. “Steve [Callow, founder and CEO of Perfect Fit Brand] is so amazing,” Angel said. “He gave me the OK to do a whole line, and really gave me the freedom to be creative. It’s been such an amazing opportunity to work with him and Perfect Fit to create these toys.” But it’s not just pleasure products that Buck has been working to create: He also partnered with DNS Distribution, the company behind Man Fuel supplements, to create the Buck Up Sexual Enhancement Drink. Scheduled to debut in summer 2017, the drink “works for all people, but mostly for those with penises,” Angel said. “There is nothing harmful in this drink, except for maybe some sugar,” Angel said with a laugh. “Every ingredient is natural and the combination is meant to enhance a person’s sexual drive and their confidence. Everyone has issues at times with their confidence. When you can boost your confidence, it helps you feel sexier and it makes it easier to connect with and enjoy your sexuality and sex in general.” Aside from tangible goods, Buck is still working at creating content as well. In addition to his recent showcase for TransSensual, he is helping others to create content and make a living in the adult industry. By creating TransSnaps.com, Angel said he hopes to increase the number of trans performers in the industry, particularly FTM performers. “The site uses the same platform as SnapChat and it works through CeeSnaps.com, which allows for adult content,” Angel said. “Trans people, both FTM and MTF, and can post their content and get paid for it. I want this to be a way to create jobs. So often trans people have a hard time making a living, earning money. “It can be hard, and demoralizing,” Angel continued. “This is a site where they can recruit followers to their social media accounts, be themselves and get paid for creating the content they want. I want this to be a way that we get more trans people into the adult industry. I want there to be 100 million trans men in the industry!” Already, there are dozens of models on TransSnaps.com, and Buck is confident the site’s roster will only continue to grow. Angel also has partner with Danny Zee from ZBucks to develop FTMPorn.com. Angel said he has owned the domain for close to 15 years—he purchased it shortly after he entered the industry—but is finally in a place where he can make it what he wants. “There have been a few good sites featuring FTM performers through the years, and some really impressive performers,” Angel said. “But they all seem to have come and gone now. With this site, I want to start trying to get more models involved, possibly even updating their own content. I want it to grow organically over time. “I don’t want the site to be all about Buck Angel; I’ve never wanted it to be just that,” he continued. “I want this site to be about everyone.” The site features not just scenes, but also interviews with performers, photo sets and more. In addition to his hard work and effort in various segments of the industry, Angel has also seen demand for his time and talent increase in the mainstream world. Angel has become an in-demand speaker at college campuses and other institutions worldwide. “I usually visit these places to talk about my transition, and what I went through, and answer questions from people curious about me or the process, or from those who are thinking about or who have started transitioning,” he said. “I try to be a motivational speaker, and I am just so grateful that I am being given opportunities to have reinvented myself as a speaker.” Angel said depending on the venues and the audience, his talks can cover everything from his personal transition, his vagina and even his career. “No matter what, I will never turn my back on the adult community, ever,” Angel said. “I’ve been told to leave, to stop … to stop talking about the sex work I’ve done and do. I’ve been told that if I want to move up and have more opportunities in mainstream, I just need to ‘shut up’ and not talk about pornography or the industry. “But I can never stop talking about it, and never turn away from it. The adult industry is the whole reason I am who I am and the reason why I am here at this point in my life. It’s the whole reason I am here.” Buck Angel Superstar will be released June 21. Click here to see the SFW trailer on AVN.com. And a hardcore trailer is available exclusively here on Mile High Media’s official blog. For wholesale inquiries, email [email protected]/* */ or call (800) 363-0133.