Buck Angel

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Buck Angel
Angel in 2010
Born (1962-06-05) June 5, 1962 (age 61)
Other namesJake Miller[1]
Occupation(s)Adult film actor, producer, activist, educator
Years active1990–present
WebsiteBuck Angel

Buck Angel (born June 5, 1962) is an American sex educator and a former pornographic film actor and producer. He founded the media production company Buck Angel Entertainment. A transgender man,[2] he currently works as an advocate and educator. Angel served on the board of directors of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation[3][4][5][6] from 2010 to 2016; the foundation works to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right through advocacy and education.[7]

Early life

Angel was born in the

alcohol and marijuana as a means of self-medication.[12][13]

After a

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".[14] He turned to running as a means of isolation and source of validation.[12]

Angel was unable to find appropriate help for completing his gender transition during his adolescent years.[12] 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.[12][15] 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.[12][13]

Afterward, Angel began focusing on his physical appearance and searched for a surgeon that dealt with upper-body modifications to

Bottom surgery was another aspect he was looking to change, because he wanted to have a penis to fit the male schema. He later 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.[12][13] Later on, however, Buck chose to undergo a hysterectomy.[16]

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

Gia Darling), which featured the first filmed sex scene between a trans woman (Allanah Starr) and a trans man.[19] 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.[20] 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, which was produced by mainstream photographer Justin Lubin.[21]

Educational work

Angel in 2007

Angel's pornographic content 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 and future endeavours in sex education.[13] 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.[15]

In time, Angel had the opportunity to be a guest speaker for Ideacity[22] in 2010 Canada's "premier meeting of the minds”"[23] where he spoke on the physical changes and emotional adaptation he had experienced as a result of transition.[24] 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.[24]

Between 2010 and 2015, he created an award-winning porn series about trans male sexuality called Sexing the Transman XXX, which is now in its fourth installment.[25] This film won "Most Tantalizing Trans Film" at the Feminist Porn Awards in 2012.[26]

In October 2010, Angel contributed to sex educator and columnist

queer people of colour, and transgender health and well-being.[28] Angel also engages in education about safe sex
for trans men.

In 2012, Angel became a contributor to The Feminist Porn Book,[29] an anthology by feminist scholars and sex workers about understanding pornography and how feminists direct, act in, produce, and consume porn.

He began to transition from the porn industry to sex education[30] and began touring the world speaking about human sexuality.[31] His presentation, "Bucking the System,"[32] 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,[33] and his autobiographical film "Mr. Angel."[34] He has made appearances at many universities around the world, as well as Pride events[35] and film festivals.[36] He has spoken at Sex Week at Yale University[37] and at IdeaCity10 in Toronto.[38]

Angel created "Trantastic Storytelling" in 2015, a service which offers opportunities for trans people to share their life experiences for educational purposes.[39]

Angel has appeared on various talk shows including those of Howard Stern, Tyra Banks, Joe Rogan and Maury Povich; as well as Secret Lives of Women in the US, This Morning in the UK, and Jensen! in the Netherlands. He also appeared as a guest on Blaire White's YouTube Channel.[40]

In 2022, Angel began posting weekly videos to his YouTube channel along with hosting a livestream every Wednesday with the help of his producer, Seth Carlson.[41] He gained media traction highlighting his guests' life stories from all over the world, mostly discussing transsexual rights and the protection of children.

Other activities

British artist Marc Quinn included a life-size sculpture of Angel in his global tour.[42][43] 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.[44] The life-sized sculpture of Angel is now a permanent fixture at the Art Gallery of South Australia.[45]

In 2012, he created a dating website for trans men called BuckAngelDating.com,[46] because "there was still no special dating site catering to the unique needs of trans men."[47]

In 2015, Angel and Leon Mostovoy founded the cannabis brand Pride Wellness, which would donate to charity a dollar from each product sold.[48] They ended the venture in 2021, citing competition from big corporations.[49] In 2020, Angel launched a cannabis delivery service, Wings Of Wellness, aimed at LGBTQ customers.[50]

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.[51]

Personal life

Angel is bisexual.[52]

He was married[when?] to San Francisco-based dominatrix Karin Winslow (known professionally as Ilsa Strix). He filed for divorce[when?] after Winslow left him for film director Lana Wachowski, who was a client of hers.[53][54][55]

Angel met his second wife,

top surgery" that Angel had already received.[58][59][60]

Angel later married[when?] his third wife, the artist and director Rachel Mason.[61]

In February 2021, Angel was a witness to the shooting of Lady Gaga's dog walker and the theft of two of Gaga's French Bulldogs in Hollywood.[62][63]

Awards and nominations

Partial list of works

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

Others

  • 1993: Music video of "Cursed Female" by Porno for Pyros
  • 2015: "Technical Difficulties of Intimacy", short film
  • 2016: Music video of "Bi" by Alicia Champion.[71]
  • 2016: Music video of "Shivers are Proof" by Loki Starfish[72]

References

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  2. ^ @BuckAngel (April 10, 2019). "Transsexual is my identity and where I came from. [...] Transgender does not represent me" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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  40. YouTube
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External links