Saturday, Feb 11, 2012 8:00 PM EST
Porn's taboo transsexual stars
"T-girls" are fighting for respect in the adult biz. What does it mean for the general acceptance of trans women?
By Tracy Clark-Flory

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/12/porns_taboo_transsexual_stars/singleton/

Brittany St. Jordan, a 28-year-old leggy redhead in a plunging gold number, was all dressed up with somewhere to go: the Adult Video News Awards, the so-called "Oscars for the porn industry." But she ended up standing in line for three hours waiting to walk the red carpet, as other female performers were sent ahead. When she finally got her turn, event organizers directed her away from interviews with the press.

St. Jordan had an idea of why: Unlike the ladies who were sent right in, she's a transsexual woman.

After the night was over, having lost in the Best Transsexual Performer category, St. Jordan took to the Web to protest her treatment. Her story inspired Kelly Pierce, a female trans performer who didn't attend the ceremony, to write a lengthy blog post titled "AVN's Inequality & Segregation Needs to Stop!" Soon, industry blogs and message boards picked up on the controversy.