LOS ANGELES — Reigning XBIZ "Cam Model of the Year" GoAskAlex, and the first-ever ostomate adult performer, is using her platform to draw attention to the plight of Canada's Fairy Creek Old Growth Forest.
In a new essay for her website, titled "Porn Stars for Preservation," Alex documents a recent visit to the site where "11-month-long peaceful protests and road blockades have been hampering the efforts of loggers intent on decimating the last remaining unlogged, intact valley outside of federal and provincial parks on Southern Vancouver Island."
Fellow performers Margo Bones and Natie Del joined Alex and other demonstrators to "participate in collective civil disobedience."
Alex explained the "crucial" blockade to protect old-growth forests on the traditional lands of the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht peoples.
“Mega-corporation Teal-Jones Group is fighting for the right to destroy these thousand-year-old trees for immediate financial gain — but logging the last unprotected old-growth is arguably not sustainable, nor financially smart in the long haul," she said. "Once cut it will only be more difficult to create a diverse economy in British Columbia, including sectors like tourism and recreation. Sustainable forestry jobs mean having a forest to return to. As the age old saying goes — 'economy doesn’t matter without air to breathe.'"
Further, she writes, "during our time at the peaceful blockade we also witnessed harassment and violence — but not from the protesters. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada have a long history of violence, particularly towards Indigenous people… this violence manifests in many ways… including the destruction of culturally significant land and ancient forests."
"As both an Indigenous person and a settler, I aim to use my privilege and platform to bring awareness to this movement," she added. "With such a long sustained occupation of this land, and with over 400 arrests to date during the duration of the blockade, why isn’t there more media coverage?”
Find the complete essay online and follow the performer on Twitter.
In related news, GoAskAlex recently wrote first-person essays for Newsweek, titled "I'm a Disabled Sex Worker," and the Arousibility blog, titled "Adjusting to My Sexual Body with an Ostomy."
