Buck Angel
Buck Angel
Occupation: Human Rights Activist and Entrepreneur
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
The Sex In My Business: I teach the world about sexual health and transgender men and have a line of sexual wellness products specifically designed for people like us.
A Typical Day: I start with a morning live session on Instagram to motivate the youth. Then I have meetings to create more sexual wellness products. I also have a cannabis business, Pride Wellness, which is the first company to advocate for the LGBT cannabis lifestyle. Somewhere in my day, I try to make time for the gym, which is typically squeezed in between meetings.
The Best Part: Everything! I get to teach the world about men who have vaginas and create products that reflect our sexual desires. I get to be a Tranpa to the youngsters and create a healthier future for trans men. Everything I do in my business is a blessing beyond belief.
The Worst Part: Dealing with trolls or angry people. I am sort of a controversial figure in the trans community because I talk about sex, being transsexual, and having a sex change. These things are considered antiquated and derogatory to some, but I push back and challenge such critiques. This can make the day a bit rough sometimes, but necessary to create change.
How I Got Here: I started my career in pornography over 20 years ago and created the genre of FTM porn (female-to-male trans men). In doing so, I became public about my vagina and active sex life. I was the first female-to-male transsexual to create this visual in mainstream porn. From there, I started to get noticed by people outside the industry. I was invited to speak at universities, conferences, and corporate events. It was unbelievable! The guy who never graduated high school was speaking to the CEOs of major companies. Everything snowballed from there. I started getting opportunities to teach all around the world. I believe my openness to having conversations and to educating people has greatly contributed to my success. I don’t shut down a discussion just because someone doesn’t understand me — I never take it personally. All I see is an opportunity to help people move forward by learning about things they’re unfamiliar with.
What Society Thinks: I have been lucky to have a family that is fine with my profession in the sex and cannabis industries. Many aren’t so fortunate, and stigma is widespread. Sex work has always been looked down upon, yet it is everywhere. Negative attitudes used to make me angry, but now I see them as a need for more education and conversation around sex, especially for young people and the transgender community.
When I’m Not At Work: You can usually find me hiking or bike riding. I love nature and enjoy spending time with the beautiful people in my life.
Published in Issue VII: Sports