Pride Month is a time to recognize and celebrate those who have and continue to fight against oppression. With this being said, we chatted with Natassia Dreams, adult performer, model and activist, for this edition of Model Citizens. Read on for Natassia’s journey in this industry as well as how she uses her platform to fight for positive changes, specifically for Black trans people.
When did you first join the industry and was there something specific that influenced you to join?
I’ve always been a sexual person and love practicing sex, but I actually joined the industry kind of by accident many years ago. I was escorting and dating someone at the time, and a company contacted me asking if I wanted to do a porn movie. I had just moved to Miami, was living in a guest home, and we needed the deposit for an apartment. So when I asked the company who I would have to film with, they asked me if I had anyone in mind. That’s when I looked to my boyfriend at the time and said, “We’re doing a porno.” From there, I did webcam, and only got back into the porn scene after my break up. My friend had enough of my sadness and convinced me to go to LA and introduced me to the scene there. From then on, more opportunities arose.
What have you learned about yourself since joining the industry?
After LA, I met someone from New York and was flown down to shoot my first DVD. I remember I was petrified and it felt weird because of all the people in the room, and it looking like an actual movie set. But as time passed, I stopped feeling that way. I’ve learned to embrace my sexuality. I’ve learned that this body is a vessel for pleasure and I don’t want to deny it of any pleasure. I’ve already denied my body and my mind of enough things in the past and I’m done with that. Porn has helped me open up my mind, embrace and discover my sexuality, and expand my acceptance of everything in general. There’s no label on where you get pleasure from; you can get it from whatever human you choose and that’s cooperative to you. You should be able to do whatever you want with your body, whenever.
Are there any fetishes you haven’t tried but want to?
I’ve had a thing for bisexuals for a while but I’ve never filmed with them but my new movie project that I’m working on will have me try that so I’m very excited. Like I said, my body is a vessel that I please, and this is something I want to do to please it.
What do you think is a common misconception people have about the industry?
That people are in it because they have no other choice, or that being a part of it limits us in life. I just want people to see that adult performers are more than their work, we’re just like everybody else and we can we do whatever we want to do. I work in one of the best restaurants in New York City, I’m a model, I’m an actor and I’m an activist. We can do it all.
What stigma would you like to see erased in regards to the trans community?
Trans people are beautiful creatures. We’re honestly like the butterflies of the nation because we’ve put in so much energy and hormones and so on to be the person that we feel like we represent. People are attracted to us. But there’s this stigma or connotation attached to trans people that make some feel like it’s not ok to for people to be attracted to us. This stigma ties into the misconception that we need to be labeled as trans instead of just man or woman.
What do you think the industry can do better for trans performers?
It needs normalize it. We need to be treated like everybody else. So instead of having movies that are only transgender, we need to take a different direction. For example, I’m making an all-genre movie that everyone can enjoy. As trans women, we fight to be women, so at the same time, by calling ourselves trans women, we’re separating ourselves from what we want to be. I, personally, just want to be treated like everybody else. I can earn my own. I’m intelligent. I speak six languages. I’m a hard worker. The goal is to transition to what you want to be. Trans is not my identity — I’m a woman.
Do you keep you personal life and your work life separate, or do you merge them for your work’s success?
I feel like for a long time I’ve had this persona that I built up in the mainstream industry and a lot of people actually didn’t know I was trans until recently. Now I go by the attitude that first, I’m human, then I’m Black, then I’m a woman, and then, way in the back, I’m trans; but that doesn’t define who I am in my personal life and it shouldn’t in my work life either.
How have the current events changed the way you use your social media platform?
Something in me just snapped this time. I’m never vocal or political, but this time I thought, “I have to use my platform. I have to.” I first made a public service announcement video because I have a great rapport with everybody and a great support group behind me, so I wanted to show those that like my bright personality, that this is also the face of what’s really going on.
I’ve always been Natassia: bright, lucky and sexual. But now I want people to see that I’m also someone who experiences discrimination for both my skin color and my sexuality. So I want to promote that I only stand for acceptance, while also sharing information that could help people understand and support positive changes. I want to be vocal for my people so that I can go to sleep at night knowing that I fought.
How do you deal with the online criticism you get?
I get hate all the time like, “Now you’re vocalizing your opinion but where have you been?” All I can say is I know that at least I’m out here in the industry speaking for us Black trans and fighting for us. I also get comments like, “You barely film with Black people,” but that stems from the lack of diversity in the industry, which is why I’m now so adamant about voicing my opinion. I want to one day go to a filming shoot and see five or six of my sisters there too — until that happens, I can’t relax or be quiet. I also think about those who have stood behind me, who defended the trans community to people, and that really touches my heart because those little things are little changes that spread, and eventually lead to big changes. That’s what motivates me to ignore the negative comments and keep being vocal.
Where would you like to see your career in 5 years?
Well now I’m starting to do more producing and directing. I want to get my own studio, have my own agency, find my own girls, and basically do behind the scenes stuff. I also want to use my celebrity status to launch more African and people of color content. I think the project I’m working on now is a step in the direction I want to see my career go in this industry. I want to produce content that includes everyone when it comes to both the performers and the audiences. I want it to be able to meet the likes and desires of everyone. There’s going to be woman on woman, trans, bi, people of color, etc. That’s another thing, we won’t be using terms like "girl on girl" but rather "woman on woman."
What would you say has been your biggest success in this industry?
The success is the feeling of unity. I’ve had so many women of color as well as women of non-colour who support me, are sympathetic to struggles faced, and most importantly, ask what they can do in regards to change. I’m still in the industry because of this unity and these people that I’ve met.
Follow Natassia Dreams on Twitter and Instagram for photos, videos, and updates on their next project.
Twitter @NatassiaDreamsx
Instagram @NatassiaDreamsofficial
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