March 31st is Transgender Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the resilience and accomplishments of the trans community. Pornhub strives to be a place where trans Models can thrive, and one Model in particular is doing just that. With a nomination at the 5th Annual Pornhub Awards for Most Popular Trans Male and growing success as the face of JockPussy, Luke Hudson joins us to discuss his unique experience in this industry.
What are some unique concerns or challenges for trans men in the industry that people tend to overlook?
One challenge is simply that companies promote us poorly and then say that we don’t sell well. We sell just fine regardless of who you put us with.
Another is that we are usually cast as bottoms, which is fine except most of us are verse and like to top. Some companies will make trans masculine top content and I always appreciate it because it should be normalized.
A couple of unique advantages we have is being able to bottom without cleaning out. Plus, we have the added benefit that we don’t have to worry about maintaining erections. For shooting, that is invaluable.
Is Luke Hudson a character you play or are you one in the same? How are you different/similar?
Luke is like an elevated version of the country guy I was before I started porn. I grew up redneck, so I know how to give hot redneck, and though it’s not my most dominant trait it’s always somewhere in me. Also, as far as trans male performers go, I was among few that didn’t have many tattoos or plugs or piercings.
What is something that makes you feel proud of the work you do?
I feel proud whenever I hear someone mention that I was an inspiration for them to transition or work out or that I inspired them to do anything. Part of my intent this whole time was to help bring my trans masculine brothers up and remind them we’re hot dudes and we should act like it.
I’m most proud of a production I got to do where I illustrated proper conversation with a trans man you want to get intimate with. My goal was to show the cis public how to approach us without offending us, and I like to think it helped a lot.
How do you prioritize your physical and mental health?
My physical health is closely linked to my ability to perform. So being at the gym has been part of my daily routine for a long, long time.
As for my mental health, I have multiple methods of keeping myself well. First, I always try to remember that I can be a bigger a$$hole than whomever is trying to instigate an issue with me. The second is a learned skill of letting things go. And third is my intimacy therapist.
Can you talk about the ways in which you use your platform to advocate for transgender rights and visibility?
I do college panels every now and then for trans identity conferences or about sex work. The idea is to give information to people who are either themselves trans or a sex worker or people trying to educate themselves on the topics. Normally, it’s general questions and how-tos but sometimes it gets broader. The point I try to get across is we’re normal people navigating a legal system we’re often at odds with to live comfortably.
Do you have any advice for new Models in the industry? Any advice for trans men Models specifically who are just starting out?
My advice to the new guys is first be sure you want to get into this industry. You have to be smart about the moves you make. After that just be a professional about it. You’re your own agent, you have your brand, and you can network, so don’t sell yourself short. Don’t be afraid to haggle with a company about pay.
For trans men specifically I would tell them that there’s a market for each body type of trans dude. They want tall guys who have had top surgery just as bad as they want short curvy dudes without top surgery. They want to see us with or without our phallus, there’s a market for all of us.
Can you speak to the importance of representation for transgender individuals in the adult industry? Where and how would you like to see improvements, and how can this apply to trans men specifically?
Being able to see the many different forms a trans man can take has made me more appreciative of us overall. I chose my look because I feel very binary, but a lot of trans men have these beautiful, colorful elegant looks that absolutely send my heart rate up. They’re so gorgeous! And I never would have been able to see them if they weren’t being represented by porn companies.
Here’s where the improvements need to happen though, most of our representation right now is on content platforms. Which is nice, but there’s a demand for us in studio porn. And guess what? The viewers don’t really care what type of trans dude it is. So, I think not only should cis sites be shooting more trans dudes, but the less binary conforming trans dudes as well. In the end, all it will do is increase the (porn viewing) population’s concept of what’s attractive, and their own self-images.
Check out the extended Q&A with Luke Hudson
We’d like to remind our Models and users of resources like Pineapple Support, a free to use therapy center for all members of the sex work community. You can also find resources on wellness for all genders and body types at our Sexual Wellness Center. While we use this opportunity to shed light on and reflect on the experiences of gender non-conforming performers, it is equally important to celebrate the power and resilience of the trans community, today and every day.
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