NEW YORK — New York Magazine writer Lizzy Goodman explored Stoya's current mission to produce adult content on her terms, rather than be defined by her sexual assault allegations against James Deen last fall.
Goodman wrote, "Over the past 10 years, her unusual blend of sexual candor, intellectualism (she speaks with equal eloquence on Foucault and anal play) and what most people would consider an unconventional look (she’s whippet-thin, small-breasted, and very pale) has made Stoya, who turned 30 this month, a pop-cultural force."
Stoya discussed her aspirations prior to joining the adult industry, like pursuing a career as a ballerina, before various injuries sidelined those plans. By the age of 19, she had shot her first pornographic film, following forays into go-go dancing and nude photography.
Amidst the fallout during this year's awards season, New York Magazine examined how Stoya turned over her stake in TrenchcoatX to co-founder Kayden Kross and questioned whether she even wanted to continue being defined as "Stoya."
Now, she has returned to producing content for TrenchcoatX, though on-camera BDSM is not something she currently wishes to perform. In describing her motivation for coming back, she remarked, "Because right now the only things standing out about porn are the garbage. And I know you don’t fix something by walking away from it.”
Despite her focus on improving consent guidelines and making "better porn," Stoya does not want to be pigeon-holed into any feminist labels. “I think part of my problem is, don’t put me in the pink corner,” she explained. “I am a deeply conflicted feminist person who gets regularly called a feminist pornographer when I see nothing inherently feminist about the pornography I produce. Feminism is not my focus.”
One of her sources of inspiration is Ava, a transgender activist who reached out to Stoya last fall about documenting her transition. “Ava wanting to show a sexualized trans body is what inspired me to say, Okay, I want to show a sexualized aging body,” she said. “And I’m really the best person positioned to do this.”
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