SAN FRANCISCO — Genderqueer porn performer Jiz Lee has just released “Coming Out Like a Porn Star,” a new anthology of porn performer stories.
With the book, Lee offers personal stories from more than 50 porn professionals who “came out” — or chose not to — to family, friends and lovers.
Contributors represent a wide range of sexualities, ethnicities, and genders, with stories intersecting topics such as coming out as trans and queer, and stories where performers’ own voices push back against media that further stigmatizes the people — particularly women — who choose to do porn.
Lee says in the introduction: “I struggled with the reality of telling my family about my increasing involvement in the adult industry. Were others out to their parents? How did they talk about it to their siblings? What could I learn from their experiences? In asking the questions, I’d hit a nerve. Everyone had a story to tell.”
Essays include those by AliceinBondageLand, Anna Cherry, Annie Sprinkle, Andre Shakti, Bella Vendetta, Betty Blac, Candida Royalle, Casey Calvert, Chelsea Poe, Chris Lowrance, Christopher Zeischegg, Cindy Gallop, Cinnamon Maxxine, Colin Rowntree, Conner Habib, Courtney Trouble, Cyd Nova, Dale Cooper, Denali Winter, Drew DeVeaux, D.R., Edward Lapple, Emma Claire, Erika Lust, Gala Vanting and Harley Hex.
Others include Hayley Fingersmith, Ignacio Rivera AKA Papí Coxxx, Jack Hammer XL, Jackie Strano, Jaffe Ryder, James Darling, Jesse Jackman, Joanna Angel, Kitty Stryker, Lily Cade, Loree Erickson, Lorelei Lee, Lyric Seal, Madison Young, Milcah Halili Orbacedo, Ms Naughty, Nina Hartley, Nikki Silver, Orianna Small AKA Ashley Blue, Phoenix Askani, Shar Rednour, Stoya, Tina Horn, Tobi Hill-Meyer, Verta, Zahra Stardust and Zak Sabbath.
The book is receiving international applause, a publicist said.
Copies have been shipped from Russia to Japan. Germany sold its first books during the PorYes European Feminist Porn Awards.
In Australia, a book launch during the Perv Queer Film Festival will honor contributors Gala Vanting and Zahra Stardust on Nov. 29.
Retailers may contact publisher ThreeL Media by emailing Ana at ana@threelmedia.com or (510) 524-8732, ext. 103.
