FAQ: Trans Porn Basics
New to trans porn, or just looking for some fast facts? Start here! We cover some of the genre’s basic history, its latest subgenres, and more.
What is trans porn and what is its intended audience?
Transgender pornography features sex scenes with performers whose gender identity is different from the one they were assigned at birth. Transgender pornography had traditionally been aimed at and consumed by straight males, but it has diversified in both its style and its audience in recent years. Often considered a niche porn theme in the past, transgender pornography is now increasingly part of the mainstream of adult entertainment. Stats gathered in the 2011 book A Billion Wicked Thoughts indicated that trans was the fourth-most popular genre at that time, and its reach has grown since.
When did the genre start?
According to The Queer Encyclopedia of Film and Television, transgender porn emerged in the 1970s, at the same time adult entertainment was gaining national prominence for the first time. Jill Monro is cited by The Rialto Report (a blog and archive dedicated to porn history) as the first trans star, having appeared in spotlight roles as far back as 1978. The genre did not become a full-fledged part of porn until the following decade, though, and remained a niche until the late 1990s, when series like Joey Silvera‘s Rogue Adventures demonstrated a wider audience for trans content. According to John Stagliano, the genre’s popularity in Brazil helped it gain a stronger foothold. “When Joey started in the late ’90s in Brazil, being transsexual was accepted more there than in other countries. You could find better performers there because it was more out in the open than any other society I know of. The U.S. has now caught up to a large extent,” he told AVN in 2016. AVN pointed to 1998’s The Big-Ass She-Male Adventure as the first movie to show that trans porn could be a sizable, reliable moneymaker for the industry.
What is the preferred terminology?
Terminology regarding transsexual porn has shifted over the years. In December 2017, the famous Shemale Strokers series and website rebranded as Transational Fantasies as a means of reflecting changing attitudes toward acceptable transgender terms. “Trans descriptive words that were previously acceptable — including our domain name — are now considered to be slurs,” owner Sammy Mancini said at the time. In addition, stars like Venus Lux have said they prefer terms like “transgender” over “shemale” or “tranny,” which increasingly have assumed a pejorative tint. Similarly, the long-established Tranny Awards ceremony changed names to the Transgender Erotica Awards in 2014.
What are some popular trans series and themes?
Numerous transgender movies, including Transsexual Addiction and entries in the TS Playground series, have topped Adult Empire’s VOD charts over the past several years. In addition, several labels focus exclusively on transgender content: Transational Fantasies (known for its extensive lineup of solo/masturbation scenes), Trans 500, Ultimate T-Girls, and more. Newer studios such as Trans Angels and TransSensual have brought feature stories to the genre, giving top stars like Chanel Santini and Jessy Dubai a chance to shine in fully developed roles. Caballero and Bizarre Video were among the vintage studios best known for their transgender-porn output. (Check out our “Best of the Sale: Transsexual Porn on VOD” post for more highlight transsexual porn.) A recent trend of incorporating a “first trans” scene into a showcase feature has also bolstered the popularity of certain titles and helped the genre find new fans (see I Am Angela, Katrina Jade in Villain, Jessica Drake Is Wicked, and others).
Are all transgender porn performers male-to-female?
The majority of transgender performers are male-to-female (biologically male actors who identify as female), with the notable exception of some popular stars such as Buck Angel and James Darling, who are female-to-male.
What is “trans with trans”?
While much of transgender porn pairs trans performers with cisgendered males and females, a newer, developing subgenre puts two transgendered performers together in a single scene. (Titles in the trans-with-trans subgenre appeared on Adult Empire as far back as 2004, but studios have given it expanded attention in recent years, such as in Gender X‘s TNT.) 18+ teen trans has been another popular subgenre of trans porn.
Browse trans porn videos here.
